The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-04-12

that edcn OF the pFOJectS may oc SoAi-
pleted within a reasonable time, for
while the existing commerce on some
of these waterways is small at present
as compared with that on few other
streams in this country, it is believed
that their completion in accordance
with the projects adopted will result
Immediately in a large commerce upon
each of them and that benefits entire
ly commensurate with the outlay will
result to the country at large. The
resources of the areas contiguous to
these waterways and the rapid de-
velopment of the sections through
which they run seem to justify this
expectation.
The project for the further improve
ment of the falls in st. Marys river
may be said to stand in a class by it
self it being one of the most import
ant arteries of commerce in the whole
country. 1t already accommodates a
large freight tonnage. For the year
1911 the commercial statistics furnish
ed by the engineers show a total of
62,363,21S tons going over this river,
an increase of 30.S17,112 tons since
1904, and from all appearances this
tonnage will continue to increase as
rapidly for several years TO come.
The great industrial interests de-
pending upon this enormous commerce
and the damage that would result from
any serious delay in it's passage to
points of destination made the COM
mittee unwilling to take any chances
of freight congestion at these falls
which ample lock facilities might pre-
tn
provide in this bill for the construc-
ton of another large lock alongside
of the one now being built, and to
wait until this lock is completed be-
fore beginning he enlargement of the
Poe lock, as suggested by some of the
engineers. The committee was in
fiuenced in the course taken in the
present bill and to construct the larg-
er lock by the chief of engineers, who
not only recommended this course in
his report to Congress, but adhered to
the same in an interview had with
him by the committee on rivers and
harbors, he being of the opinion that
the building of the new lock is much
the wiser course.
1t will be seen that the bill con-
tains quite a number of items where
projects have been adopted, subject
to conditions set forth in the reports
of the engineers recommending such
projects. These recommendations
usually take the shape of local par
Iticipation; that is, that the localities
or parties Immediately interested con-
tribute something toward the prose-
cution of the Improvement. Occasion
ally the recommendation is that the
right of way, where such is desired,
be furnished, or that terminal facili-
ties to a given extent be afforded. The
proportions thus recommended to be
contributed by localities range all the
! way from one-fifth to one-half of the
amount estimated to complete the
projects, respectively, and are based
on advantages especially accruing
either to individuals or to the local
tiles where the commerce is more local
than general.
In this connection I wish to call at
tention to provisions in the bill ex-
tending the scope of the investiga-
tions heretofore required of the en-
gineers in preliminary and other ex-
aminations and the reports thereon.
Among these are inquiries into both
and dock facilities contiguous to the
waterways of harbors to be improved
This is subject the Importance of
which cannot be overrated. One of the
most serious handicaps to watertrans-
portation heretofore existing has been
the lack of dock facilities within the
reach of everyone and at reasonable
rates to all desiring to use the water
NxrnN in \
been for many years toward the own
ership and control of such facilities by
railroads, or by them and steamship
companies acting in conjunction, a
practice not conducive to competition
IN freight carriage or to the cheap
handling of freight. The result has
been in many instances to almost de-
stroy transportation by water, as it is
impossible for private enterprise to
compete, in the face of such draw
backs, with railroad transportation or
combinations of railroads and steam
ship lines. This is a condition which
does not exist in European countries,
as the various governments abroad eX-
ercfse a greater degree of control over
railroads than has heretofore been ex-
ercised in the United States; and this,
may say, furnishes an important
reason, If not the chief one, for the
greater use of the waterways of
Europe than is made of those in this
country. A change, however, is now
taking place here. But while many
communities, including several of the
larger cities, have awakened to the
Importance of freeing commerce from
this handicap, by municipal or other
public ownership or control of dock
and terminal facilities, much remains
to be done. Legislation to remedy this
will, perhaps, be necessary, but, before
undertaking, much information not
now in the possession of Congress is
needed, and it is the purpose of the
provision to which I have just referr-
ed to furnish the information.
The plan adopted in this and in the
two preceding bills of fixing a time
limit for the completion of some of
the larger projects should be com
mended. The spasmodic, haphazard
way in which work had been carried
on before by reason of insufficient an