The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-29
INLAND WATERWA
WOULD AID SOUTH
SecatOr Fletcher Points Out
It's Advantages.
THINKS IT IS A NECESSITY
Sketches History OF Movement and
Shows How Public Sentiment Is
Centering on the Plan Suggests
Use of Equipment mt Panama to
Dig the Florida Canal.

takes great personal interest In the pro-
posed inland waterway between the Mis-
sissippi River and the Atlantic Ocean.
He has made a deep study Of the subject
and has a comprehensive grasp of the
possibilities Of such a waterways benefits
10 the Southern States by way Of de-
velopment OF commerce. At the request
OF The Washington Herald Senator Fetch
er has prepared the following article
upon the proposed waterway;
The association having in charge the
agitation and education BY way Of I'M
folding the practicability and desirability
Of this public enterprise, was organized
q few years ago. and win hold its next
annual meeting in Jacksonville Fla TINS
coming fall-probably in October.
The movement contemplates an inland
waterway from the Mississippi River, at
some advisable point near New Orleans.
extending along the Gulf TO n point on
the west coast OF Florida, perhaps near
St Marks.
This entire distance could be opened
for barge navigation, and small boats,
at small cost. The natural waterways
would make unnecessary any considerable
excavation The modern dredge could
soon do the work Deep water and fine
harbors at ST. Marks. Apalachicola, St.
Andrews. an Pensacola, would accommo-
date ships Of any size
The undertaking involves ship canal
across Florida. built on the lock system.
terminating in the Atlantic Ocean and
connecting with the inland waterway, eX-
tending along the east coast OF Florida
as far south as Key West, and extending
north UP the Atlantic coast TO New
York
This work is being urged by the Atlantic
Coast Waterway Association, which IS
receiving enthusiastic support.
Must Cut Through Florida.
The most difficult and expensive portion
Of the scheme is the ship canal across
Florida. which. in itself, is no new idea.
1t was suggested by Jefferson Davis.
Secretary OF War. Important then, Il has
become more so with our growing COM
merce and our military and naval neces-
sites.
It is estimated that the distance from
coast 10 coast will not exceed rs miles,
and the route could be surveyed so as TO
utilize rivers. lakes. and watercourses,
10 such an extent that no DOUBT SOHO
material would be encountered Tor only
about one-half the distance. Some years
ago route was surveyed by dlsun-
euished engineer. Caffalls with a view
to enlsting private capital In the enter
Prise Of building and operating such a
shin canal across the state OF Florida,
and he reported, as ] remember, heartily
IN favor of IL as an investment and esti-
mated the cost at about So 10000
such a canal would be OF lnestimable
advantage 10 the country, and especially
10 the Mississippi Valley and the Gulf
states As a part of great system OF
waterways extending from New York
down the Atlantic coast. across Florida
along the Gulf TO the Mississippi, up that
10 the Great Lakes. thence through the
Erie back TO New York. il must command
the attention. and ought to receive the
support. Of the whole nation.
Any policy Of waterway development
national in scope must include this pro-
feet as q necessary part.
That some plan 81 this kind, in response
TO 4 generous and emphatic public senti-
ment must be worked out in the near
future. is evident The National Rivers
and Harbors Congress and the various
waterway associations all cooperating
are pointing the way assuring the demand
for cheaper transportation and greater
facilities for reaching markets
Need of Cheaper transportation.
Products are valuable II they can be got
10 market when and where there is de-
mand for them. Bulky commodities
heavy freights, move faster and cheaper
by water.
one OF the greatest problems with
which we have 90 deal IS that OF adequate
and least expensive transportation
Freight rates adjust themselves wher
you have water and rail IN competition
There was a time when the railroads OBJ
jected 10 improving the water highways
Not so now. because the railroads can
not without congestion and delays
handle the traffic Of the country. Our
products and traffic are increasing al
tremendous bounds Railways are no
keeping pace with this growth II they
carried passengers, and lighter freight
and the heavy tonnage could move by
water. a far better condition would exist
In Germany the government owns the
railroads. and Germany is spending and
proposing TO spend millions Of dollars upoT
canals, and her canalized rivers, TO IA
cilitate cheap transportation and get hel
products 70 sea without having them seel
out shorter routes through Belgium and
France.
New York Gets Example.
New York is submitting to her peopl,
a proposition 70 build the Cayuga- Senecs
Canal She Is rebuilding the main stem
of the Erie Canal. which has alread,
Welded many millions more than its cost
Its traffic Is almost beyond comprehen
sion, and the freight from the Crea
Lakes finds il an economic outlet which
must be enlarged to meet the demand
Of increased freight which otherwise
would seek the sea through Canada.
Chicago Is spending many millions OF
waterway improvement.
Canada. with a population less thar
one-tenth, and wealth but a fraction o
ours, has constructed a deep waterway
more than 200 miles long. connecting Mon
treal by a twenty-eight-foOt channe
with every harbor and seaport Of tn
world
For war and its rewards our Fedora
government does not hesitate to spen,
annually some S4OOOCO.0OO I see no rea
son why we should not spare so. 0O0. co
annually for ten years for peace and com
marce
President Roosevelt said in his mes
sage to Congress, The time for playing
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