Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-14

for the disposition OF the timber at
public sale, the lands after the remov al
Of the timber to be subject to appro-
prfation under the agricultural or min
eral land laws.
Forest Reserves and Waterways.
The forest reserves of the United
States, some 10000, 900 acres in extent,
are under the control of the depart
mert of agriculture with authority ado
ore to preserve them and to extend
their growth so far as that may DE
practicable. The Importance of the
maintenance of our forests cannot be
exaggerated. The possibility of a
scientific treatment Of forests so that
they shall be made to yield q long re-
turn In timber without really reduc-
fng the supply has been demonstrated
in other countries. and we should work
toward the standard set by them SO
far as their methods are applicable to
our conditions.
1t has been proposed, and bill for
the purpose passed the lower house in
the last congress, that the national
government appropriate a certain
amount each year out of the receipts
from the forestry business of the gov
eminent to institute reforestation ct
the sources Of certain navigable
streams to be selected by the geology
cal survey with view to determining
the practicability Of thus improving
and protecting the streams for federal
purposes. think a moderate ex-
penditure each year for this purpose
for a period Of Eve to ten years would
be Of the utmost benefit In the devel-
opment Of our forestry system.
come now to the Improvement Of
the inland waterways. He would be
blind, indeed, who did not realize that
the people of the entire west and es-
pecially those Of the Mississippi valley,
have been aroused to the need there
is for the Improvement of our inland
waterways. The Mississippi river,
with the Missouri on the one hand
and the Ohio on the other, would seem
to offer a great natural means of in
terstate transportation and traffic.
How far. II properly improved, they
would relieve the railroads or supple
ment them In respect to the bulkier
and cheaper commodities is a matter
Of conjecture. No enterprise ought to
be undertaken the cost of which is
not definitely ascertained and the
benefit and advantage OF which are
not known and assured by competent
engineers and other authorities.
When, however, a project Of definite
character for the Improvement OF a
waterway has been developed so that
plans have been drawn, the cost
definitely estimated and the traffic
which will be Accommodated is reason
ably probable, think it Is the duty of
congress to undertake the project and
make provision therefor in the proper
appropriation bill.
One Of the projects which answers
the description 1 have given is that
of introducing dams into the Ohio
to maintain at all seasons of the year
by slack water a depth of nine feet.
Upward Of seven of these dams have
already been constructed and six are
under construction, while the total re-
quired is ffty-four. The remaining
cost is known to be $50 100000.
It seems to me that in the develop
ment OF our inland waterways It be
wise to begin with this particular
project and carry 1t through as rapidly
as may be. / assume from reliable in
formation that It can be constructed
economically in ten years. recon-
mend, therefore, that the present con-
gress in the rivers and harbors bill |
make provision for continuing con-
tracts to complete this Improvement |
and 1 shall recommend in the future |
If It be necessary that bonds be is |
sued to carry 1t through.
Improvement Of the Ohio River.
What has been said of the Ohio river |
Is true in a less complete way of the |
of the upper Mississippi
from st. Paul to ST. Louis to a con-
slant depth of six feet and of the Mis-
souri, from Kansas City to ST. Louis
TO a constant depth of six feet and
from St Louis to Cairo of depth of
eight feet. These projects have been
pronounced practical by compete
boards of army engineers, their cost
has been estimated and there is puSi-
ness which will follow the improve
ment.
AS these improvements are being
made and the traffic encouraged by
them shows itself of sufficient import
ance the improvement of the Missis-
sippi beyond Cairo down to the gulf,
which is now going on with the main
tenance Of a depth Of nine feet every
where, may be changed to another and
greater depth IL the necessity for 1t
shall appear to arise out of the traf-
1c which can be delivered on the river
It Cairo
/ am informed that the investiga-
ion by the waterways commission in
Europe shows that the existence of
by no means assures traffk
1nless there is traffic adapted to water