The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-01-21

they would relieve the railroads or sup
plement them In respect to the buitier
and cheaper commodities is matter OF
conjecture. No enterprise ought to be
undertaken the cost OF which IL not def
initely ascertained and the benefit and
advantage OF which are not known and
assured by competent engineers and other
authority. When. however. a project OF
definite character for the Improvement
Of a waterway has been developed so
that the plans have been drawn. the cost
definitely estimated. and the traffic
which will be accommodated Is reason
ably probable think IL is The duty OF
congress TO undertake the project ard
make provision therefor in the proper ap-
preparation bill
One Of the projects which answers the
description I have given Is that Of intro
ducing dams Into the Ohio river from
Pittsburg 10 Cairo. so as TO maintain at
all seasons Of the year. by slack water
depth OF nine feet. Upward OF seven
OF these dams have already been con-
structed and six are under construction,
while the total required Is 80. The re-
naming cost is known to be S63.ooo.o0o.
II seems to me that in the development
OF our inland waterways II would be
wise to begin with this particular project
and carry II through as rapidly as may
be. assume from reliable Information
In ten years. I recommend. therefore.
that the public lands. in river and har-
Dor bills. make provision for continuing
contracts to complete this Improvement.
and I shall recommend In the future. IL
IL be necessary. that bonds be issued to
carry II through.
what has been said Of the Ohio river
is true in a less complete way of the Inn
provement Of the upper Mississippi from
St Paul to st. Louis to constant depth
OF six feet. and Of the Missouri. from
Kansas City to St Louis to constant
depth of six feet and from st. Louis TO
Cairo OF a depth of eight feet. These
projects have been pronounced practical
by competent boards of army engineers.
their cost has been estimated and there
Is business which will follow the Inn
provement.
As these improvements are being made.
and the traffie encouraged by them shows
itself of SUFFICIENT Importance. the i'm
provement OF the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down to the gulf. which Is now
| going on with the maintenance OF depth
| Of nine feet everywhere. may be changed
| to another and greater depth IL the neces-
| sity for II shall appear to arise out of the
trafIic which can be delivered on the river
| at Cairo.
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
I am informed that the investigation
Dy Ine WaleTWhyS IN FsuTOp6
shows that the existence of waterway
by no means assures traffic unless there
Is traffic adapted to water carriage at
cheap rates at one end or the other OF
| the stream. II also appears In Europe
| that the depth of the streams Is rarely
| more than six feet. and never more than
nine. But II Is certain that enormous
| quantities OF merchandise are transported
over the rivers and canals In Germany
| and France and England. and II Is also
| certain that the existence of such meth
DDS of traffic materially Affects the rates
which the railroads charge. and II Is the
| best regulator of those rates that we
have. not even excepting the govern
| mental regulation through the Interstate
| commerce commission. For this reason.
| I hope that this congress viii take such
| steps that II may be called the inauGY-
| rator OF the new system of inland water
| essary here to state, congress has seen
| ut to order an investigation into the in
/ terror department and the forest service
| OF the agricultural department. The re-
| suits OF that Investigation are not needed
| to determine the value of. and the ne
| cessity for. the new legislation which !
have recommended in respect to the pub
| lie lands and In respect to reclamation.
earnestly urge that the measures be TAX
| en- mp and disposed of promptly without
awaiting the investigation which has been
| determined upon.
| WILLIAM n. TAFT.