Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-01-20

they would relieve the railroads or sup-
plsment them In respect to the puiA'oI
and cheaper commodities IL . matter
conjecture. No enterprise ougnt 70 -
undertaken the cost of which Is NOT GEL
initely ascertained and the oenent 81.
advantage of which are not known IN
assured by competent engineers ana o.noI
authority. When. however proJec. y.
a definite character for the improvement
of a waterway has been developed 20
that the plans have been drawn the cos.
definitely estimated. and tne ue
which will be accommodated 10 reAso
ably probable I think 1t IL the duty o.
congress to undertake the project ano
make provision therefor In the proper ap-
preparation bill.
One of the projects which answers the
description have given Is that OF intro-
ducing dams into the Ohio river IRON.
Pittsburg to Cairo. so as TO MAINTAIN d.
all seasons of the year. by SLACK watefs
a depth Of nine feet Upward OF seven
of these dams have already been con-
structed and six are under construction.
while the total required Is 50. The re-
naming cost Is known to be $6S.O00,OV.
n seems to me that in the development
of our inland waterways 1t would %
wise to begin with this particular proJect
and carry ii through as rapidly as may
be. I assume from reliable information
in ten years. / recommend. therefore.
that the public lands in river and har-
Dor bills. make provision for continuing
contracts to complete this Improvement.
and l shall recommend in the future. II
ii be necessary, that bonds be issued 10
carry 1t through.
What has been said OF the OHIO river
Is true in less complete way OF the I'M
provement of the upper Mississippi from
Do n "a constant
of six feet. and Of the Missouri. from
Kansas City to St. Louis to q constant
depth OF six feet and from st. Louis to
Cairo Of a depth of eight feet These
projects have been pronounced practical
by competent boards of army engineers.
their cost has been estimated and there
is business which will follow the i'm
provement.
As these improvements are being made,
and the traffic encouraged by them shows
itself of sufficient Importance. the i'm
provement Of the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down to the gulf, which is now
going on with the maintenance OF depth
Of nine feet everywhere. may be changed
to another and greater depth il the neces-
traffic which can be delivered on the river
at Cairo.
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
i Am tnIOImeu tnaI the 1nV0Sll&2t1On
by the waterways commission In Europe
shows that the existence of q waterway
by no means assures trafic unless there
Is tran1c adapted to water carriage at
cheap rates at one end or the other OF
the stream. 1t also appears in Europe
that the depth of the streams Is rarely
more than six feet. and never more than
nine. But 1t Is certain that enormous
quantities of merchandise are transported
over the rivers and canals in Germany
and France and England. and it In also
DDS Of traffic materially affects the rates
which the railroads charge. and 1t is the
best regulator of those rates that we
have. not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the interstate
commerce commission. For this reason.
I hope that this congress will take such
steps that 1t may be called the inaugu-
rator of the new system of inland water
ways For reasons which 1t is not nee
essary here to state, congress has seen
fit to order an investigation into the in
terror department and the forest service
of the agricultural department The re-
suits of that investigation are not needed
to determine the value Of and the ne
cessity for. the new legislation which
have recommended in respect to the pub
lie lands and In respect to reclamation I
earnestly urge that the measures be TAX
en- up ard disposed OF promptly without
awaiting the investigation which has been
determined upon.
WILLIAM n. TAFT.