The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-18
R|CHARDSON'S DREAM
 OF THE TENNESSEE.
Will Be Greatest Commerce
 Stream in Country
FERRY TRIP OF 15 MILES
Federal Government Spending Enor- nous Sums Annually - Muscle Shoals Second Greatest
 Water Power
BY WILL w. NELSON

Decatur. October 17-(Special.)-Th trip by ferry boat from Hobbs Island to Guntersyille on the Tennessee river, distance of about 15 miles, is said to be the longest ferry trip in the United States. The Nashville, Chattanooga and -St. Louis railroad has a line of road run ming from Huntsville to Hobbs Island, where the passengers of this road are taken on a large ferry boat to Gunters- vile and there take the train again on to Gadsden and other points south. The ferry boat also pushes a large barge With railroad tracks laid on 1t and on this barge a number of freight cars, loaded with freight, are transferred from Guntersville to Hobbs Island and from Hobbs Island to Guntersville It l requires about two and one-half hours to make the trip. and a most delightful trip it is.
 People who have travelled much say that the scenery along this stretch of To miles of the Tennessee river Is equal to the scenery along the Hudson and any river. not only of this country, but of the noted rivers of Europe All the
 
 some places they come down to the waters edge. and bluffs of solid sand stone and limestone rise up perpendicular from the very edge of the water like solid masonry,
 One of the most famous bluffs along this part of the river is Paint Rock. Here is solid bluff of sandstone sey- eral hundred feet high, rising perpendic- ular from the very edge of the water It Is many colored and looks as if 1t had been painted by some artist who was an expert at mixing and blending the colors. At places the waters have worn the rock away, leaving pillars of solid rock supporting the great cliffs of rock above them, resembling some an- cient castle.
 The river here is very crooked and on this account one can see but a few hun dred yards ahead, in some places not more than 100 yards. The river winds its way gracefully betwt en the noun tains here and there flowing on placidly to the sea. The other day I took this river trip from Hobbs Island to Gun tersvile. Congressman William Rich ardson of Huntsville, the congressman froms the Eighth congressional district. was on board the steamer. He was on his way to the Seventh congressional dis trict to speak in the cause of democracy
 During his term of F years in congress he has taken great interest in the im- provement of the Tennessee river and Of the waterways of the south. He has taken especial interest in the improve ment of the Tennessee river and he took pleasure in explaining the conditions of that portion of the river between Hobbs Island and Guntersville. He said that this part of the river contained sandbars and that the United States government spent $16,0o0 annually on this part of the river alone to keep 1t in a naviga- ble condition. And this appropriation was secured by Congressman Richardson himself. A Sect of government dredge boats were working on the river on the day we passed up on this trip MT. Richardson Is very confident that the day is not far distant when ample ap- appropriations will be made by the gov ernment to make the Tennessee one of the greatest streams for commerce in the entire country. He Is a Tennessee river enthusiast and his hobby in Con gress Is Ithe improvement of the stream.
 We passed along bluff of solid stone, 200 feet long, rising perpendicular from the waters edge. MT. Richardson told how some years ago a railroad proposed to blast this stone out and build track along the waters edge. But the project
  found its way into the courts and Mir Richardson was one of the lawyers in the case.
 MT. Richardson Is alst great believer in the utilization of the power of the Muscle shoals on the Tennesse below the Decaturs. He says that the reports of the government eng show that this power is next to the Niagara Falls, the greatest water power in the United States. He believes that the day Is not far distane when this power will be used and when it is 1t will be sufficient to turn the wheels of every shop and factory in Birmingham, Nashville, the Decaturs, Huntsville. Florence, and every other town and city within 150 miles. The improvement of the Tennessee river for navigation of big steamers the year around from it's mouth to it's source and the utilization of the water power of Muscle shoals is the dream of Con- gressman Richardson's life and the peo- pie of this district are going to give him the opportunity of fleeing that dream come true by returning him to the halls of Congress-