Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-15

state transportation and traffic. How
far, If properly improved, they would
relieve the railroads or supplement
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 en-
gineers and other authority. When,
however, a project of a definite char
acter for the improvement of wa
| terway has been developed so that tho
plans have been drawn, the cost def
initely estimated, and the traffic which
will be accommodated is reasonably
profitable think it is the duty of con-
gress to undertake the project and
make provision therefor in the proper
appropriation bill
Ohio and Upper Mississippi.
One of the projects which answers
the description / have given is that of
| Introducing dams into the chic river
from Pittsburg to Cairo, so as to main
tain at all seasons of the year, by
slack water, a depth of 8 feet. Upward
of seven of these dams have already
been constructed and six are under
construction. while the total required
| is fifty -four. The remaining cost is
known to be S6S,000,000.
| 1t. seems to me that In the develop
ment of our inland waterways it would
be wise to begin with this particular
project and carry it through as rapidly
as may be. / assume from reliable in
| formation that it can be constructed
economically in twelve years.
| What has been said of the Ohio river
/ is true in less complete way of the
| Improvement Of the Upper Mississippi
| from st. Paul to st, Louis to a con-
slant depth of 6 feet and of the Mis-
| r ~
| a constant depth of feet and from st.
Louis to Cairo of depth of s feet.
| These projects have been pronounced
practical by competent boards of army
i engineers. their cost has been esti-
mated and there Is business which will
follow the Improvement
l recommend, therefore, that the
present congress, in the river and har-
Dor bill. make provision for continuing
contracts to complete these improve
! ments.
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 8 feet every
where, may be changed to another and
greater depth if the necessity for ii
SIlall appear TO ARISE out Oh the
which can be delivered on the river at
Cairo.
European Waterways.
I am informed that Il investiea :
ton by the waterways commission In
| Europe shows that the existence of a
waterway by no means assures trait
fic unless there Is traffic adapted tt
water carriage at cheap rates at one
end or the other of the stream. 1t also
appears in Europe that the depth OF
!non-tidal streams is rarely more than
feet and never more than TO- But 1t is
certain that enormous quantities O
merchandise are transported over thu
rivers and canals in Germany ant
France and England, and 1t is also
certain that the existance of such
methods of traffic materially affects
the rates which the railroads charge
and it is the best regulator of those
rates that we have, not even except
ing the governmental regulation
through the interstate commerce com
" mission. For this reason, ] hope tina
this congress will take such steps tina
it may be called the Inauguration of TIL,
new system of inland waterways.
Wants Action Before Investigation.
For reasons which it is not neces
sary here to state, congress has seer
fit to order an investigation into thu
interior department and the forea
service of the agricultural uenartment
The results of that investigation ar
not needed to determine the value of
and the necessity for, the new legisla.
zion which I have recommended in re
spect to the public lands and in re
spect to reclamation, / earnestly urg
that the measures recommended b
, taken up and disposed of promptly
without awaiting the investigation
which has been determined upon.
William Fl. Taft.
The White House, Jan. IA, 1910.