The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-04-07
NAVIGATION
DEPENDS ON SYSTEM
OF BR|QUETING COAL
Colonel Mcclure Evolves Plan
If Making Merchandise for
Commerce.
BY ooANE

BY OOAN6 ROBINSON.
Pierre, S. d., April 5.-The attend
Pierre his week exceeded the expecta-
tions of the promoters. More than IS
prominent citizens Of the state were
present from outside towns II a gem
uine impulse to navigation sentiment
with a substantial promise Of immed-
late practical results came from the
conferences. The key to the situation
seems to lie in the successful briquet-
ing of North Dakota Ignite.
Colonel Pattison F. Mcclure assured
the convention that transportation
would be supplied the briquet-
ed Ignite in cargo lots could be Sc
cured. Parhaps the most interesting
facts developed by the convention were
pertaining to briqueting.
This is not AN experimental PROPOSE
produced to show hat the process a
been employed in Germany for more
than 400 years with the greatest sue
cess: that the brown coal of Germany
is the equivalent of u Ignite; that
last year Germany briqueted more than
10. 200. 900 tons of brown coal: that
other European nations %briqueted pro-
p%ortionate quantities. h fact was
emphasized tat vast quantities of this
brown coal lie exposed on the banks OF
the upper Missouri; that inexhaustible
amounts are so accessible that it can
be loaded directly from the mines
upon river craft: that the expense of
delivery of this fuel at wharves in
South Dakota by river should be but
nominal. Figures were produced to
show hat it can be laid down at Mo
bridge. Pierre or Chamberlain at from
$3.50 to $3.50 per ton. That 1t exceeds
the best anthracite In heating proper
ties in the ratio of 13 to -: that is. the
best anthracite has 10000 British Their
NAL units per pound, while the brfquet-
| nj 1ip,it, l,nc 4 . nn0 prifiSh t1nptno1
units per pound. That 1t is a cleanly,
pleasant fuel to use.
Mir. Matthews. of st. Louis. eXhib-
tied many s~tereopticon views showing
the transportation of Goals and lignites
on the rivers Of Germany which natur-
Missouri.
The proposition opens up possibili-
ties of the greatest moment to all OF
South Dakota. 1t means that a fuel
of the quality of the best Ignite can
be sold at every railroad station i'll
South Dakota for not more than S. per
ton and in many places for a less
1prlce- 1t places the transportation
problem entirely in the hands OF our
own people. 1t is a safe. stable and
complications more serious than those
involved in mining and bringing coal
here from the east.
All hat is required is the same BUSH
ness enterprise and organization which
is employed in the eastern coal bust
ness. What the Germans have done
successfully for centuries we can GER
tainly do with equal success here. There
is no obstacle in the way than which
greater obstacles have been overcome
by the Germans.
Captain L. A. Baker, of Bismarck,
who has practical faith in navigation,
because he has a large investment in
a fleet upon the upper Missouri from
which he derives a fine revenue, dis
cussed the Missouri river in its present
condition as a rate make and showed
very conclusively that it does ave a
very important bearing in the making
of rates by reason of it's potentialities
although 1t is scarcely navigated at all,
and it may readily be inferred what
effect actual navigation would have
upon rates throughout the ours of
the stream.
Hale and hearty after 81 years OF
actual service in navigating the Mis-
souri,. Captain Grant Marsh. Of Bis
narck. was In attendance and added
very much to the value of the counsel
by reason of his long and practical!
experience.
Hon. E. A. Williams. mayor of Bis
marck. though not a practical river
man, has nearly half a century of
observation and intimate relations
With the river traffic to give weight to
his words. BY the way, General Will
Jams was speaker of the Territorial
House. nearly 40 years ago. and was
for many years the standing member
of the Bismarck region.
One of the most Interesting features
of the convention was q paper by JOS
eph Mills Hanson, of Yankton, in which
he reviewed the achievements of the
old Missouri River commission, which
was abolished in 1902. Mr.. Hanson has
n~,,,j,a5 tl,a u.nrL 1nna hy- This c0yr-
mission In the lower reaches of the
river and finds that the revetment
work placed there Is or 20 years ago.
and which for many years has a no
epairS whatever. is in excellent cOndi-
ton and essentially a permanent inn
%prnvement. holding the bank and main-
tanning a deep channel. This stretch
of As miles is practically the only piece
of work done on the Missouri river
with the honest intention of improving
the navigation. Most of the other
money has been spent in a desultory
way to protect a town front or to give
stability to a railroad bridge site. The
fact that this As mile stretch has kept
SO we'll without any attention what
ever justifes The faith thu the whole
9ill require but nominal repairs an
nually. Mr.. Hanson produced figures
to show that the value of the land re-
claimed by the Improvement of the
river at the nominal value OF $5t
per acre would more than pay thu
total expense of permanent revet
ments from the mouth to the source, tc
say nothing whatever of the value OF
navigation.
{ Among the old timers present. was
. Hon. Abe Van Osdel, who has done {
/, good deal of private revctlment WORK
to save his extensive estates along thu
!, Missouri below Yankton, using simply
l brush and fence Wire to prevent thu
erosion of the banks. In this way h,
l has saved his land while many ad.
e joining farms have gon wholly or I,
e part into the stream.
e The president of the State Woman:
Suffrage association coyly slipped VI
o to the chairman of the convention Will
:. a resolution endorsing "Notcl 70
Women which the members weIe to,
gallant to oppose and il was lnsset
Unanimously.