The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-01-21
l. A

E0U0Akt0tb&~
INLAND WATERWAYS
come now To the Improvement OF
the inland waterways. He would be
blind. indeed. who did not realize that
the people of the entire west. and
especially those OF the Mississippi val
ley. have been aroused TO the need
there liz for Improvement Of our In
Lard waterways No enterprise ought
To be undertaken the cost OF which Is
not definitely ascerfaire1 and the
benefit and advantages OF which are
not known and assured hy competent
engineers and other authority. When.
however. q project OF definite charae-
ter for the Improvement OF a water
way has been developed 50 that the
PLANS have been drawn. the cost de-
fnitely estimated and the trafic which
will he accommodated is reasonably
probable | think II Is the duty Of con
rYess To undertake the project and
make provision therefor in the pro-
per appropriation bill.
One OF the projects which answers
the description ! have given Is that OF
Introducing dams into the Ohio river
from PittShGrg to Cairo. SO AZ 10
maintain ri all seasons OF the year,
by slack water. a dsrfh OF nine feet.
Upward OF seven OF these dams have
already been constructed and six are
under construction. while the total
required is 6fyy-four TIE remaining
cost is known to be $es. oae. 900.
TT seems 10 me that in the devel-
cpmenf OF our inland waterways 1,
would BIZ wise tn begin with this Ear
ficular project and carry IL through
81 rarfdiy as NAV be. | assume from
reliable information that IL can be
constructed economically In twelve
years.
What has been said OF the Ohio
river is true In q less complete way
OF the improvement Of the ppe Mis-
sisssppi from ST Paul 10 st. Louis
70 a constant depth cf six feet. and OF
the Missouri from Kansas City to St.
Louis to a constant depth OF six feet,
and from ST Louis to- Cairo Of a depth
of eight feet. These projects have
been pronounced practical by eompe-
tent boards of army engineers. their
cost has been estimated. and there Is
business which viii follow the i'm
provement-
II recommend. therefore. that the
present congress. in the river and
hsrhor bill. make provision for con-
finuing contracts to complete these
improvements"
Az these improvements are beine
made. aud the frafic encouraged by
them shows itself Of suffcient import
ance. the Improvement OF the Miss
issippi beyond Cairo down TO the gulf
which is now going on with the main
tenanee OF . depth OF nine feet ey-
erywhere, may be changed to anoth-
er and greater depth IL the necessity
for II shall appear TO arise out Of the
frafne which can be delivered on the
river al Cairo.
THE INVESTIGATION
For easons which IL Is not neces-
sary here TO state. congress has seen
Ht / order an investigation into the
interior department and the forest
service of the agricultural department
The results OF that investigation are
not needed TO determine the value Of
and the necessity for the new ~legisla-
ton which have recommended In
RESPECT TO the public lands and in re-
srecs TO reclamation. I earnestly urge
that the measures recommended be
taken up and disposed of promptly.
without awaiting the Investigation
which has been determined upon.
William III. Taft
The White House, Jan. il, 1910.