The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-01-30

WATERWAYS {

uuHlll s]L.,!l!.l1unt,U
NATIONAL RlvERs.AND HAIR BORIS
CONGRESS rs AGlTATlNG THE
j MATTER ERlousLY.
! WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. so.---
/. '9F'or years.lt has been apparent to
the friends of improved waterways
3 that unless terminals were secured by
either mQnIciRallty or state that the
improvements ofsour rivers and har.
bors would proceed 'lnanythins but an
expeditions and satisfactory manner.
I said Col. John L. Vance. president or
the Ohio yalley5lmprovement Associa-
ton, who Is in Washington carefully
looking after the river and tarbor bill
/; To- the end that nothing shall go into
4 the sbill thatsmight ;jeopardize It's pas.
sage and its approval BY the President.
$50 important has this subject be.
! come that Herbert Knox Smith. CON.
missioner Of corporations, has made
an exhaustive study OF the subject and
in a succienct statement Of the qucs.
5tion gave 1t as ibis opinion that ter
minais were as important as channels;
I that localities should be as rule re-
qulred to furnish and maintain ade-
,quatc terminals.
Equally as pronounced on this sub.
ject are. the views Of President Taft,
who, in his address before the last
convention OF the National Rivers and
/ Harbors Congress, maintained that the
improvement Of our great water.
courses depends In the final analysis
on what the people do toward secur.
ing free and untrammelled terminals.
He was equally pronounced in an en-
Iihaustive address made In Cincinnati.
Ilast September. No less emphatic on
this subject have been the utterances
of COL Alexander, chairman Of the
Rivers and Harbors Committee OF the
House, and Senator Burton, for many
years chairman of the same committee!
and now a member OF the commerce
committee Of the upper branch of Con.
gress. "a 4 ,,fi T. go
The agitation which has been going
on for free!iermInals for a deeade.or
more | am pleased to say is bearing
fruit and look for greater benefits
along these lines in the future. New
Orleans practically owns It's entire wa,
ter front. St. Louis has seven miles
of public wharves. Louisville has
ample public wharfage for all demands
that may arise, while many other
cities and towns along the Ohio are
the owners of extensive wharves and
other municipalities, are acquiring
them. Trenton, N. j, has Just obtain.
cd u considerable space in order to aid
It's river, in! the solution Of the great
problem Of transportation. Now comes
Cincinnati (which has taken great
step forward through the recent decis,i
ion tof Judge "a. NJ, Warner, Of the
Court Of Insolvency. in the case Of the;
Louisville g. Nashville Railroad Cons
pany against the, City! Of Cincinnati, in
(which itheirailroad sought tosbuild an
elevEtel track across tbesonlyGpubllc
landing In 2tlieEeity, thereby cutting
lof5freei access ito and from the Ohio.
The decision, which was. againstS the
Erailroad has attracted widespread and
favorable comment / in Congress- and
throughout the country os - Nh
"ln the exhaustive brief filed by Mr.
Albert Bettlnger, .of counsel for the
Eclty; as well sriyerSSinterests the
whole range Epf< municipal terminals
Twas q sse.ssea IN az & mast scholarly.
Eand convincing man a D
66s;'Judge yaFner'e decision went to
the crux Of the situation He held
TINT tos permit the railroad AZ build
/ the yiaanct desired would result iii
tpraets block Ing the terminal Ito
fFlYer tratI a I'D me further said that
1.-THE dams now completed and those
fbeiiir constr II, u ia Il, IN IA