The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-09-19

IloH 10 CLUES Will eIHClenl interior
harbors.
There is also another worldwide
tendency Of bringing ships as far as
possible into the interior of country
so that international commerce may
be carried on with the least possible
expense, by the avoidance Of lighter
+. age. trans-shipment, delay, etc. The
economic basis for this modern world
wide tendency is we'll illustrated in
Europe by the city of Hamburg, Ger
many, IS miles inland on the Elbe riv-
er. This river originally was only
nine feet deep, but was deepened and
! improved from time to time as yes
! sells grew in size. A very important
experiment was made some years ago
/! by leading steamship line, which at
that time thought it would not pay to
continue to dredge and deepen the
Elbe river to accommodate the con
tinued increase in size of vessels. A
large sum of money was expended in
constructing a harbor at Cruxhaven,
near the mouth of the Elbe river. but
charges from Hamburg to Cruxhaven
large part of the revenue for haul
| ing the goods from Hamburg to for
! eign ports was consumed. AS the
vessels increased in size. the lighter
age and rehandling expense and delay
constantly grew more serious. The
economic solution was clear; that Is,
obtain the maximum usefulness from
the river by continuing to deepen and
straighten the Elbe, taking large yes
sells with their cargoes inland direct
ito Hamburg. This is already being
done for vessels of $4,000 tons, and
| the river is now being deepened for
the new Imperator vessel to sail next
year from Hamburg with a capacity
of $4,000 tons.
On the American continent the
same process of carrying the vessel
inland is exhibited at Montreal, Can
ada, where the St. Lawrence river has
already been deepened to 80 feet and
will soon be extended to 80 feet, en-.
abling very large vessels to traverse
1000 miles inland to Montreal with
out breaking bulk. AS international
commerce is growing by leaps and
bounds, this process of cities obtain
ing the maximum use from rivers
flowing through them is becoming
more universal. A river can play
great part in the upbuilding of city
and the prosperity of its inhabitants
and the consequent prosperity of its
railroads and other means of COM
munication, all of which should be co.
related, and aid each other in an eff
! cient city plan.
AS the river is usually the most
prominent and permanent feature in
! cities fortunate enough to have a riv-
i er, its utility and transportation posi-
bilities are worthy Of very careful
consideration. If the river is neglect
| ed it is often a source of great loss
and injury, flooding out adjacent
| property and industries, and some
times causes loss of life. If properly
| controlled, improved and utilized to
! its maximum capacity, it may be the
means of bringing vast industry,
commerce, population and wealth. In
cities having river, would it not be
desirable to have the center of the
river form the base line from which
all civic improvements are projected?
A second point to consider would
be how the city can obtain the maxi
mum transportation service from the
river, and avoid blockading or neglect
ing the river so it can only render a
minimum service. A city may have
many paved streets, many railroads
and street railways, but nature usual
ly endows city with only one river,
and its use for transportation is its
greatest function The auxiliary uses
may be to convey sewage, to furnish
water supply or water power or for
pleasure purposes, but its highest
service consists in its maximum de-
velopment for transportation. While
city street may be able to accommo-
date the transportation of few hun
dred thousand tons annually with
great wear and tear of pavements. an
improved waterway can accommodate
the transportation of many millions
of tons with the minimum of wear and
tear and expense.
In contrast to the maximum or deep
water transportation use of the
! Thames, and resulting commerce.
wealth and population exhibited by
London, Paris has taken limited
view and sought only primitive
barge use from the Seine river. The
resulting limitation in industry,
population and wealth has been very
great. and in recent years added pen
atty has been exacted by great floods
at Paris The flood losses of Paris
alone would more than pay the cost
of deepening and improving the Seine
for the accommodation Of deep
draueht ocean-going vessels. eliminat-
ing floods, and plans for this great
Improvement are now being developed,
The city of Berlin appreciating the
great value of ocean-going vessels to
London, and having the experience
and object lesson of Hamburg in view,