The new South-news., 1909-06-19
ADVERSE REPORT IS made
Board Does Not Favor Four
teen-Foot Channel.
SEVERAL REASONS ARE GIVEN
Vould Co-t Sf2S. 100000 and ~
OOO. 900 Yearly. Ocean-s'oins
Vessels Not Adapted 70
River Navigation.

Washington The proposed is-iee'
deep waterway project from 81
Louis to the Gulf received blow
when the Board OF Engineers report
ed TO Congress that such a waterway
is not desirable The waterway
is not desirable. The waterway /
would cost si2s. 100000 for con-
struction and ss.O00,o0o annually
for maintenance. the engineers say
The report was based on survey
OF the Mississippi river by a speciai
Board OF Engineers, created by ac'
Of Congress. The conclusion reach
ed by both the special board and the
regular Board Of Engineers are pr-c-
tically the same.
The report OF the regular board
that 1t is not desirable to construct
naylgable channel fourteen feet deep
from st. Louis or from Chicago to
the mouth of the Mississippi, was
based on the conclusion of the spec
ial board that only commerce or
iginating from sources that do not
at present ship by river would 1usti-
fy the great cost of fourteen-foot
waterway.
IL Is claimed that the present de-
mands of commerce between st. Louis
and the Gulf win be adequately met
by an eight-foot channel from st.
Louis to the South of the Ohio and
channel OF not less than nine-feet in
depth below the mouth of the Ohio.
| The boards belief is that an eight
foot channel from Chicago to ST.
Louis corresponding with the present
eight-foot project from St. Louis to
Cairo is the least that would ade-
quately meet the demands of COM
merce. 1t adds that such waterway
would be desirable. provided its cost
Ia reasonable. Present and pros
pective demands of commerce be-
tween Chicago and the Gulf would
be adequately served. the board re-
ports. by through nine-foot channel
to the Gulf Estimates for the chan
mel have not been completed, but
promised to Congress by next De-
cember. Mr.. Marshall. Chief Of En-
gineers. informed Congress in trans
mtting the report, that he could not
state definitely whether either OF
these channels was desirable until az
ter accurate estimates were made.
The special board found that by
means OF constant dredging a deptf
OF eight feet is now practically main
trained In the channel from st
IA
Cairo TO the GUY. Rtver regulation
is counted on by the board to max
permanent an eight-foot channe
from St Louis to Cairo. By dredg
, ing fourteen foot channel may b.
. obtained.
. The board rejected as opposed t
all reason. all propositions requiring
q the abandonment of the already goo
0 open river navigation, or the sub
0 stltution of a lateral canal for an
part of the river below Cairo. Dredg
= ing and bank protection. with tn
;. addition at certain localities of con
A tract works. as an auxiliary will achi
eve permanence of channel. whic
!. can not be obtained by dredgin
alone, the report declared.
In considering the commercii
phases OF the question. the specii
board reported that although II ha
sought to obtain from commercii
5 organizations facts as to the pro-
pectivc commerce, which requires
fourteen-foot channel, it has recei'
u ed very little definite Information.
., added that no actual large future d
y velopments of commerce are yet
sight.
n The position was taken that oces
d and lake vessels, such as would r
% qulre l4-foot channel instead of
9-foot channel. would not be an eco
=. omic means OF transporting produc
~ on the river.
a. Due to the necessity of buildil
an ocean vessel OF sufficient streng
to resist storms, its costs in the Uni
=. ed States was estimated at SAIL
~ per ton freight carried. The Nj
sissippi river steamboats, and barg
capable of transporting 10000 to
l. of freight on an S 12-foot draft c.
Is be built for about $12 per ton
e freight carried, II was estimated.