The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-12-22

the diminution of river traffic, deep
water would be of no avail, The OPP
ponents Of deep waterways say that
with fourteen feet of water to st.
Louis, there will be no more traffic on
the river than there is now, and this
view of the situation seems to be
borne out by what has occurred here
tofore. The speaker suggested that
there must be something wrong some
where or else this condition would
not exist, and went on to say in this
connection:
There has been an effort in the
last year, as never before, to deta,m-
inc what it is that has done away
with the river traffic to SO great an
extent, and what is necessary to be
done to restore it. Several alarming
conditions have been found to exist
One is, that in every town of any size
almost, on every river in the United
States, the railroad companies have
secured the river front for their ter
minals, thereby interfering with the
use of that river front for river ter
minals. Now, unless in river traffic
there can be the same opportunity in
terminal facilities that there is on the
railroads, the river transportation is
very greatly at a disadvantage. In
fact, it is absolutely necessary to
change this condition or the general
impression seems to be that river traf-
fic will never be what it should, even
though there may be deep channels
Another condition has developed,
where river competition has had the
effect of reducing the rates of freight.
the railroad companies have met that
competition by reduction in freight
rates by rail. and by reason of the fact
that the railroads run during the
whole year, they have been enabled to
take from the river the traffic which
it otherwise would secure. 1t has been
alleged, and is apparently borne out
by the facts, that where these rates
have been lowered on rivers by rea-
son of river competition, the railroad
companies have raised the rates in the
! interior to compensate for the reduc-
! ton in the river rates. Now, if there
/ is to be permanent river improve
ment this condition must be regulated.
/ / am advised that in the countries OF
4 Europe, where river traffic is sue
cess, that rates between river and
raj, are fully regulated by law. An-
rarently the first step to be taken in
connection with river navigation Is to
place the rates by river under the
4 Interstate Commerce Commissio IN,
lust as the rates by rail, and then the
\ law will have to be such as to pr1
tect the interior cities from the in
creased railroad rate, as well as the
4 RIVER transportation from the -
creased rate"
/ Mr.. Lloyd said in conclusion that
/ he is especially interested in the deer
water scheme for the Mississippi river
and its tributaries, but he is not II
favor of adopting any plan that does
not include the upper Mississippi and
Missouri rivers within its scope. He
is opposed to any greater expendi
ture on the Mississippi that does mo-
give to the upper river it's equitable
share On the upper Mississippi the
survey and estimates have been made
. and a plan of Improvement has beel
adopted. The engineers of the govern
, ment have declared the deepening 0
! the channel for six-foot depth at loy
! water as practicable and feasible
The President is in favor Of this i'm
provement, and the speaker of tn
house of representative does not or
pose it. The river and harbor CON
mittee is favorably inclined, an
t Mr.. Lloyd said that all that is nece:
e sary for us to secure proper recogn
J, ton is to urge, in every possible wa!
q the cause of the upper Mississippi
But he warned his auditors that
: those interested in the upper river d
not actively espouse its cause it wi
I be neglected, while projects les
i meritorious will receive recognition