The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-07-19
COOPERATION
Of WATERWAYS
AND RAILROADS
Plan Is Necessary to Secure
Efficient Use of Water
Courses
TRAFFIC NECESSARY FOR THE
development Of WATER COURSE
River Transportation on the Missis.
sippi Has Fallen From 100000 Tons
in 1890 to $4,000 Tons in 1906-Rail.
roads Have Gained Accordingly.

in 1890 to $4,000 Tons in 1906-Rail.
roads Have Gained Accordingly.
Washington, July 19.-Cooperation
between railways and waterways
seems absolutely necessary to insure
reasonable and efficient use of the
INLAND water-courses of this country.
This conclusion is reached in the
report of Herbert Knox Smith, COM
missioner Of corporations. in part two
of his discussion of the subject of
transportation by water, which his
bureau has been investigating for
many months. The second part of the
report was transmitted to President
Taft today. 1t deals with traffic by
water, and portions Of it are particu-
larly suggestive and significant.
1t is pointed out by Commissioners
Smith that ut is a public evil that the
entire transportation system of the
United States should be, as now, at
odds with itself through destructive
competition. while the transportation
needs of the public suffer-
Traffic in ITSELF" the report con-
tinues, ''is a necessity for the proper
development of waterway. State
and federal work must be supplement
ed by private initiative, especially in
terminals and equipment. and private
Initiative will come in only when
there is reasonable chance of enough
traffic to make 1t profitable. One of
the great questions, therefore, is the
question of how to secure for the in
land rivers and canals a reasonable
share of the country's traffic"
In the body of the report, Commits
sioner Smith points out the predon,f-
nance of bulk traffic by water, and the
reasons therefore. Then he outlines
the. practical results to be obtained
from thorough system of waterways.
The entire transportation system of
the country is divided into three great
classes:
(D Rail.
(2) Deep water, that is, coast wise
and great great lakes.
90 Rivers and canals.
An enormous increase has been
shown In the rail traffic. There also
has been an increase in the coast
wise traffic. On the other hand, the
river and capal traffic shows mark
ed decrease. Discussing this situa-
tion, Commissioner Smith, in his re-
port. says:
THE great mass of the coast aud
great lakes traffic Is bulk. The enor-
nous developments of the great lax. S
business is largely due to the vast ore
and grain trade moving eastward and
the coal trade moving westward.
About 45,000,000 tons of ore were
transported in 1907 eastward, and
about 100000 tons of coal were
moved westward in 1906. These great
freights. being all bulk and Of l,hform
character, received and delivered at
few central ports, have produced there
a very highly organized system OF
transportation and terminals, and
consequent low transportation cost.
"The river and canal system, on
the other hand, has been losing stead
lily. The New York canals and the
Mississippi river system illustrate it.
Up to 1855 the traffic on the New York
canals was more than twice that of
the railroads crossing New York state.
1t is now less than three per cent of
that total. The situation on the Mis-
sissippi Is illustrated in the traffic
history of st. Louis. River shipments
there in 1890 were over 100000 tons;
in 1906, $4,000. Rail shipments, on
the other hand, increased from 5O0O.-
900 tons in 1890 to 1900, 900 tons in
1906.
".The coal traffic downstream from
the vicinity of Pittsburg, over fifty
six per cent of the entire vessel traf-
fic on the Mississippi system, is the
one striking exception to the general
decline on that system. Its success
is due to the great deposits of coal
practically on the banks, and cor
responding demand for it along the
river. But even this traffic is practic-
ally confined to the banks of the riv-
ers, and goes neither inland nor along
the gulf coast for any considerable
distance.
1.-THE situation of water transporta-
ton in the Mississippi valley is Sig
nificant and serious. 1t shows best
both the limitations and the possibili-
ties involved in the present waterway
problem. There is no lack of freight
in that valley, and there has been at
times extreme traffic congestion there,
and yet the river is getting only an
insignificant and decreasing share of
that traffic. 1t is true that physical
conditions, such as extreme changes
in water level and enormous DEPOSITS
of sediment, affect TRANSFORMATION Sc
riously. But probably more serious
is the competition OF the parallel rail-
roads. The situation thero justifies
the general conclusion C. tho report
that rail competition Is one Oh the
r1cst important factors in water traf-
Ec".