The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-08
Supporters Of the Former Pro-
~ JONATHAN WINFIELD.


Washington, May PRECEDENT Taft
Is being urged by those behind the
good roads movement to oppose the
deep waterway from the Great Lakes
to the Gulf program. Howard H. Gress
of Chicago, representing the good
roads enthusiasts, has filed with the
president documentary proof that the
deep waterway is a colossal blunder
and a political crime
THE propaganda is made up he as
serts, .'of many politicians, soldiers of
fortune and few high grade business
men," Reciting the requests upon
congress for vast sum, which it is
said may run into one-billion dollar.
to complete the proposed fourteen-foot
channel in the Mississippi river. Mr..
Gross says: 1.-THE only justification for
this colossal expenditure is based upon
the supposition that given the improy-
ed channel commerce will develop upon
the waterway and provide greatly in
creased shipping facilities. the result
of which will be a large and general
reduction in freight charges through
out the country
Upon no other theory could the ex-
pense be justified.
THE deep waterway plan demands a
fourteen foot channel from the lakes
to the gulf, via the Illinois river six
foot channel from St. Louis to st. st.
Paul. and a similar one from st. Lou
| is to Omaha. These are the principal
features. of which the Lakes-to- the
Gulf stretch is the main stem Or arte-
ry. That the channel should be four
teen feet, no more or less, passes un-
Outstanding. 1t is at least six feet
deeper than is necessary for modern
barge traffic, based upon European ex-
perience If it is to be an ocean wat
erway. as the people have been led to
believe, 1t should be from twenty-eight
to thirty feet. If lake steamers are to
use it. the depth should be at least
twenty feet
Reduced to the last analysis, the
channel is nothing more or less than
a barge proposition. and for this pur-
, pose nine feet is all that is necessary
and all that can be economically used.
The cost OF nine foot waterway, as
against a fourteen foot, will be as
dimes to dollars.
Mr.. Gross lays emphasis on the fact
that the United States army engineers
with years OF experience with the Mis-
sissippi river behind them and with
no axes to grind, unanimously reported
against the so-called deep waterway
on the ground that fourteen-foot
channel is unnecessary and that nine
foot channel will take care of present
and prospective commerce.; that the
cheapest way to move commodities is
the only kind of traffic that means
cheap freight and fourteen-foot chan
mel is deeper thansis required for barg-
es. while it would not admit lake or
ocean vessels. That lake and ocean
steamers could not safely navigate the
crooked, swift-flowing bottom-shifting
Mississippi river, even il he channel
had twice the proposed depth of four
teen feet. aid If it were in fact a deep
waterway, is evident to engineers
Admitting that there is a glut In rail
road and water facilities for handling
freight in the grain moving periods-a
condition that presents serious ques-
tions. Mr.. Gross adds: When one re-
calls the fact that very very little grain
is produced within wagon hauling dis
lance of any navigable river, and that
the one and only way to reach the mar
ket from the grain fields is first by
wagon and then by rail, it is difficult
to understand how the steam boats
would relieve the glut on the rail
roads, unless they were amphilious
and able to call at the farm for the
grain, thus eliminating the necessity
for a rail haul.
4If a remedy is sought for the glut,
then build good wagon roads. so that
farmers will have with a certainty a
smooth hard road throughout the Win
ter. Then many of them will hold
their crops for better prices, and in
this way prolong the crop moving time
from sixty days to six months or more.
Good roads will save the farmers dol
lars in transportation, while water
ways will save only pennies.
If the proposed waterway is to ben
eft the farmer he must be able to get
to it. How many of them can haul
their grain from the farm to the chan
mel? Not one per cent. If the state
or the nation has the money to spend
on internal improvements. let them
assist the townships to build good
roads; the highways over which the
children must go to school, the doctor
to reach the suffering and over which
must pass every bushel of grain and
every bale OF cotton raised The road