The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1909-05-15
DoNALDsoNyIILE La, SATURDAY, NAY Is,
WATERWAYS AND HARB0Rs.
congressrraa Ransdell Predicts Great
Future for New Orleans and Ap-
plauds the Cfty's Harbor Policy

trict, was one Of the speakers at the
banquet given BY The New Orleans
Progressive Union the night Of the
11Lh instant in honor Of the ofieers of
the battleship Mississippi, his topic
being 'The Improvement of the Inland
Waterways as a National Issue. = The
following excerpt from his fereible
and interesting address On a subject
OF which he is q master is of general
interest, and contains hint to the
municipal authorities Of New Orleans
that should never be lost sight of or
ignored in the management of the har-
Dor facilities of that port:
No city in the Union has more
interest In the improvement of water
ways than New Orleans, with its
splendid harbor, capable of holding
in safe anchorage all the ships in the
world, and its location on the
Father of Waters, which is the outlet
of fully sixteen thousand miles of nav.
igable rivers. Being d seaport it
connects with all the harbors of our
coasts, and is interested in them and
the internal waters which contribute
to their commerce, and every river
which empties into the Mississippi is
an artery which supplies rich life
blood to the heart of the valley-NeW
Orleans. And when connection is made
between the Mississippi and Lake
Michigan, through the project of the
Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways
Associations glorious conception,
which I hope to see realizsd in the
near future-the Crescent City will be
joined to the great lakes, rivers and
canals Of Canada, and the Erie canal
OF the empire state, which carry to it
the largest internal water borne com
merce on earth. With all our harbors
and rivers properly improved, New
Orleans will receive business by water
craft from every part of the Republic,
hence it views this subject in its
broadest aspect, and wishes to help
every worthy waterway project in the
land.
"New Orleans is especially fortunate
in having retained control of most OF
its river front, instead of transferring
same to railroads, as has been done
by nearly all of our great cities. It
has a public belt railroad, owned by
the city, which connects every railroad
entering the city with every wharf and
duck on the river front, and ali ships
in its port are served by fine steel
warehouses of the latest design, which
belong to the public and give equal
service to all comers. I congr atuIate
the city on its wisdom in this respect,
and hope this policy will never change.
One of the prominent man In public
life told me recently that he considered
tbs terminal facilities of New Orleans
the best of any city in the Union, and
l fully agree with him. Guard these
terminals as a precious jewel, and
m axe them just as perfect as possible,
for they will be needed in the great
destiny that is coming to this city ere
many years.
During the steel and iron age of
the past century, transportation on
our internal rivers has been much
neglected. and in many instances the
rivers are scarcely used at all. But
change is in sight. The business world
is beginning to realize that water is
the best, the cheapest and the quickest
agent for transporting low class bulk
articles, and it is determined to utilize
the rivers again as in the past, and
rs the Germans and French do at this
time. In Germany and in France
transportation by water costs one fifth
as much as by rail; in the United
States, on our few thoroughly i'm
proved water courses, about one-sixth
as much as by rail, hence it would be
well to improve our waters. The cost
will be large probably one-half bill
lion dollars-buG it would pay heavily
as an investment, apd If funds are not
available out of current revenues,
they should be provided by bond
issue OF fifty million dollars per year
for ten years. Railroads are alw ays.
built by bonds; the great Panama and
Erie canals are now being constructed
ont of the proceeds of bonds: why not