The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-01-19

they would relieve the railroads Or sup"
plement them in respect to the bulkier
and cheaper comm odities is matter or
conjecture. No enterprise ought to pe
undertaken the cost Of which is not oeI-
initely ascertained and the benefit and
advantage Of which are not known ana
assured by competent engineers ana other
authority. When, however. 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 tra11lc
which will be accommodated is reason
ably probable l think 1t is the duty OF
congress to undertake the project ana
make provision therefor in the proper APP
preparation bill.
One of the projects which answers inc
| description l have given is that or intro
| ducing dams into the Ohio river from
| Pittsburg to Cairo. as to maintain at
all seasons of the year, by slack wafer
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 50. Inc re-
manning cost is known to be $500 900.
1t seems to me that in the development
| of our inland waterways it would De
| wise to begin with this particular proJcct
and carry it through as rapidly as may
| be. I assume from reliable information
that it can be constructed economically
that the public lands. in river and mar
Dor bills make provision for continuing
| contracts to complete this Improvement.
and l shall recommend in the future. If
it be necessary, that bonds be issued to
carry it through.
What has been said of the Ohio river
is true in a less complete way of the I'M
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 a constant
depth of six feet and from St. Louis te
| Cairo of depth of eight feet. These
projects have been pronounced practlca
by competent boards of army engineers
their cost has been estimated and there
is business which will follow the i'm
| provement.
AS these improvements are being made
and the traffic encoura ged by them shows
itself of sufficient Importance. the i'm
provement of the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down to the gulf, which IS nov
going on with the maintenance or depti
of nine feet everywhere. may ne chanse'
to another and greater depth II the ncces
sity for it shall appear to arise out or tn
, traffic which can be delivered on the rive
at Cairo
Cheap Raj! Rate Necessary.
am informed that the investigation
| by the waterways commission in Europ
| shows that the existence of WaterWa
: by no means assures traffic unless Their
, is traffic adapted to water carriage a
5 cheap rates at one end or the other q
-. the stream. 1t also appears in Europ
that the depth of the streams is rarel
| more than six feet, and never more tina
2 nine But it is certain that enormou
2 quantities of merchandise are transporte
over the rivers and canals in German
l and France and England. and it is ais
S certain that the existence of such metz
\ DDS of traffic materially affects the rate
e which the railroads charge, and 1t is tn
$ best regulator of those rates that "
y have not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the 1ntersta1
I commerce commission. For this reason
I hope that this congress will take sue
c steps that it may be called the 1nauSl
r rator of the new system of inland waite
q wavs For reasons which it is not net
a essary here to state, congress has see
g fit to order an investigation into the IL
terror department and the forest servit
y, of the agricultural department. The r.
u suits of that investigation are not needle
& to determine the value of, and the ~
y cessity for. the new legislation which
: have recommended in respect to the pu
e lie lands and in respect to reclamation.
earnestly urge that the measures be ia
= en- up and disposed of promptly witho
s awaiting the investigation which has BET
:. determined upon.
t. WILLIAM n. TAFT.