The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-08
WATERWAYS As
COMPETITORS
!: OF RAILWAYS
National Waterways Com
mission Makes Report on
Two Important Features
COOPERATION Between /, S..
AND FEDERAL INTERESTS Uko%l..
National Government Must in the Near
Future Assume Control of Some
Features Of Water Power Regula.
tiou-some Proposed improvements

d00-SOme Proposed improvements
Washington. April s.-Further Leg
aelation to protect waterways against
railway competition: to establish ami
cable relations between the two and
to promote federal cooperation with
als are urged in the first report Of
the national waterways commission
made public today.
The report declares that the feder-
al government within the compara-
lively near future must inevitably as
sumo control Of some features of wa
ter power regulation
The commission recommends that
army engineers be assigned to super
the Ohio river near Pittsburg will,
Lake Erie when $10.000.000 cash and
$o,000,000 in bonds are made avail
able by the communities interested.
The secretary of war, however, may
demand that these amounts be in
creased. The commission recommends
that when work on the canal is begun
quate harbor in Indian creek on the
Lake Erie end and to improve the
Ohio river in the Pittsburg district.
These improvements are to be COM
pleted when operation of the canal
begins but the government is not to
be required to buy any land and Is
not bound to assume any financial
responsibilities whateve
A survey for a canal from Lake
Erie to the southern end of Lake
Michigan is recommended and the
commission concluded from its pres
ent Information that the most FEAST
bic route would be through the Maui
NEE river by way OF Fort Wayne and
that fourteen feet would be a practi-
cal depth.
More Power Needed.
It recommends increased power for
the interstate commerce, commission
routes between rail and water lines.
TO compel physical connection be-
tween them and to compel railways
to. charge less 4hen. local rates to all
lake and river ports on through traf-
Acv exchanged. with domestic boat
lines.
other Recommendations are for leg.
tslaaon % controi public terminals;
federal participation with localities in
Hood control; prevention Of deforesta-
ton on UNCONSTITUTIONAL lands and re-
8orestation Of denuded tracts; amend
mentS Of laws controlling water pow
or. on navigable streams and within
the public domain.
The commission points to the trafiic
possibilities Of the Lake Erie and Ohio
canal and says substantial reductions
follow Its operation The Lake Erie
Michigan canal would obviate the de.
tour around the Michigan peninsula
and Give a more direct water. route
from Chicago to New York.
TO Prevent Rate Raising.
Legislation is necessary to prevent
tho elimination Of water competition
and to prevent the raising Of water
rates under railway control, in the
opinion Of the commission. It be-
iieves the interstate commerce laws
transportation and foster its growth.
II urges that every water carrier in
interstate commerce be under control
OF the interstate commerce commits
sion TO enable the commission. to es-
tablish through routes. joint rates and
through bills Of lading, without
which, the commission believes, the
be complete.
The report arraigns the inadeouacy
Of water terminals and urges that fur
Sher river and hafbor improvements
be avoided without assurances of pro-
Per terminals on completion. Federal
contamination Of private property for
public terminals is not recommended
except where locality establishes it's
inability to deal with the terminal
Ohio River Plans.
It is recommended that the federal
government investigate, and report to
the next session Of congress whether
reservoirs are needed to supply water
IN the dry season to operate present
ana the proposed locks and dams in
the aAleghany, Monongahela and
Ohto rivers and the extent to which
the federal government should par
etruction. by the commissions flnd-
1ngs, should be considered on its mer.
Its. -. ''
Other recommendations are to sub
9ect mining entries to the paramount
!1eht OF water power uses; land en-.
tries to the right Of construction Of
Transmission lines or other works, and
of forests and reforestation Of their
own lands not acquired by the govern
Inent.
The commission recommends that
questions between operating water
power companies and consumers Of
their products or service Be left to
state control. except where local pow.
no0oQuato 10 project public in.
tersgt With the understanding that
within the comparatively near future
this feature Of It's regulation must
inevitably psss to the federal govern:
The report 10 signed by Senator
Burton the chairman; Senators Gal
nneer, Smith OF Michigan: Simmons.
Lorimer. Clarke Of Arkansas, and
Representatives Stevens OF Michigan,
Spaekhnan Of Flopida Moon 40 ~.
nesee. former Senator piles OF Wash.
anSton and former Representative
Alexapder Of New York. and WanRer
Of Pennsylvania.
/ 70 BJoRNsoN
minneapolis Norweelans Want to
Honor tho Great Poet.