Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-17
Colonel Vance, President of Ohio
Valley Association, Talks of
River Improvement
CONGRESS is NEGLECTFUL
Outlook Better and Bill introduced
by Colonel Alexander
Is Approved

of the Ohio Valley Improvement asso-
citation and one of the directors of the
National Rivers and Harbors congress,
is q type of the business man who has
labored indefatigably for the improve
ment of the waterways of the United
States. For upwards of forty-five
years he has labored for the improve
ment of the Ohio and for fifteen years
as president of the Ohio Valley I'M
provement association has devoted his
entire time to the effort of making
the rivers work. Now at the end of
these years, according to his own
statement, for the first time in all
these years can see the dawn of sue
cess"
Speaking of the work that has been
going on to improve our waterways
and the crying needs for improved
water transportation, Colonel Vance
said today:
"The waterways of the country are
the most valuable assets possessed by
the government, and their permanent
improvement is demanded by every in
dividual arrayed on the side of the
material advancement of the people as
a whole and the national progress.
1.-The inland waterways have been
neglected by congress. Such appropri-
ations as have been made prior to the
bill have been inadequate and largely
of a dribbling, piecemeal character and
not on a broad and result-producing
scale. When the enormous extent OF
our inland rivers is considered this
neglect appears the more fragrant.
"These rivers should be made the
means of reliable navigation the year
round thus forever solving the ques-
ton of transportation, thereby lessen
ing the burdens Of the people, enhanc-
ing the commerce and contributing
more than all else to the prosperity
of the country. All this has been said
so often and in much stronger words
that argument is unnecessary.
OUTLOOK BETTER
1--WE have now before us better and
a more encouraging outlook. Inc Dill
presented BY Colonel Alexander, from
the committee on rivers and harbors,
marked a new era in legislation in be-
half of waterways. For the first time
in the history of the government proper
recognition was given a number of the
rivers of the Countrywide great chan
nels of trade destined to play the most
important part in the future develop
ment of the country. A time limit was
fixed for the completion of the i'm
provement of the most important
IS.
it was decided, so far as is possible
to decide, that hereafter there shall
be an annual river and harbor bill.
"The passage of this bill after amend
rnents by the senate-mostly rendered
necessary by reports of engineers that
came in after the framing of the house
bill-aroused the interest of the country
and awakened unbounded enthusiasm
1.-THE message of President TART, rec
to congress during the early days OF
the last regular session, met with gen
eral approval, and his views were later
emphasized and vigorously expressed
regarding a comprehensive policy look
inc to the early completion of meri-
toTious projects in the special message
ACCOMMODATING his signature approving
the bill.
''AIl that the president has said re-
garding the completion of merltorlous
projects applies emphatically to the
Ohio river. In saying TINS no LaulI 49,, 20
RI he found with the action Of the house
committee. 1t gave us all we asked IN
view of present conditions, famlllar TO
all who are informed regarding leglsla-
ton in the past affecting the Ohio.
OHIO's GREAT TONNAGE
'It is fact undisputed that the
ohio. in its unimproved condition, car
ries more freight than any rives IN the
country; that the Ohio and It's direct
tributaries (these tributaries depen-
dent on the Ohio to reach marketsl
produce more tonnage than any lnlanu
Waterway system In the world its
neglect by the government is one OF the
11nsoluable problems of the age. In
one asnect-that of the interests of the
naonIe at home and abroad, affecting
ali branches and lines of trade-th1s
NEGLECT has been practically criminal.
one of its chief tributaries, the Ale
ghenv. has been almost entirely cut OH
9t and near it's mouth by the bridges
that prevent traffic, ond the develop
ment of one of the richest valleys IN
the country is arrested until these OBJ
structions are changed so as to permit
free and unobstructed Navigation
bridges across the Ohio nave oeen
nermitted that interfere with transport
tation. and in at leasts one case the
edict of the courts is not executed by
reason of delay in the department or
iustice. To such an extent has prop
erty been destroyed that, IN pupllc
address. one of the most influential as
we'll as learned men of the valley, said
that the bed of the Ohio river Is paved
with coal lost by reason of the orldges
with navigation by steam
ers.
ENGINEERS EXAMINATION
"The Ohio is a striking illustration of
piecemeal work. After struggle COW
ering years, a survey was ordered ana
made from Pittsburg to the mouth OF
the Muskingum; more years OF strug-
gle, and a survey was made from tle
mouth of the Muskingum to the mouth
of the Big Miami; still more years, and
in the river and harbor act approved
March 8, 1905, a general examination OF
the river was ordered, with view to
its canalization by locks and movable
dams at both six and inc feet; the
present and prospective commerce and
whether such improvement should De
made.
"This examination was made by
board of engineers of the united states
army. composed of able men, famlllar
with river work, and an exhaustive
report was made December 10, 1906.
The recommendation of the board was
that in view of the enormous interests
to be benefited the Ohio river should be
improved by means of locks and NOV
able dams to provide a depth of nine
feet from Pittsburg to Cairo. This re-
port was referred to the board or en-
gineers for rivers and harbors, and
their report was even more comprehen-
sive than that made by the former
board. pointing out that the plan sug-
gested was on a scale not hitherto at
tempted in this country. And the inn
of the Ohio is but one OF
number of important projects which at
last are about to be realized.
For the building up of the wide