The Washington herald., 1913-06-15


locality. He is fifty-four years old. was
educated at Union College. at Schenec-
tady, n. Y, and is a lawyer and a cot
ton planter. Just now he is trying to
beat free sugar in the Senate.
What is the dream" asked him, ''of
the men who are laboring so tirelessly
to develop the waterways OF the coun-
| try"
The Beginning of the Dream.
THE dream has grown until it has
become the biggest thing on the con-
tinent,'' he said. AT first We only saw
an annual rivers and harbors appro-
priation by the lawmakers Of the Ma
tional government. Up to that time We
had been getting a bill every third year.
The navy, which Is being put on Tight
ing basis, is voted money at each ses-
sion of Congress. When men come to-
gether for a large enterprise like tun-
nels under the Hudson River or a rail-
road from st. Paul TO the Pacific Ocean,
they push the work and get il done as
soon as possible. II the undertaking
dragged. il would probably become bank
rupt. Sound business principles are just
as essential in public as in private mat
tiers, though many persons do not seem
TO think so. Our army engineers had
said that certain rivers and harbors could
be improved-needed to be improved. in
fact
We thought. we dreamed, might say.
that the improvements ought to be done
Systematically and as speedily as prac-
ticable. 1t was a waste of time, We said,
to make more than one bite at a cherry.
We spoke of the Ohio River, for in
stance, at which the National govern
ment began tinkering in the year 1876.
Money was doled out in driblets. Every
on agreed that the Ohio should be navi-
gable from Pittsburg to Cairo at periods
of low water, as well as when the banks
ran full and swift.
But Congress held back its appropria-
lions. and hardly any Roadway was
made. Abandon the work." we said.
or finish it The first part of the sem
tence was made strong so as to give
emphasis to our demand that the pro-
ject be completed. AT the present rate
of progress We added, and our esti-
mate was no idle guess, the Ohio will
be dry a part of each navigating season
a hundred years from now
p Pulling I,44O Carloads of Coal.
Things began to move presently. Po-
tential men came into our organization.
Engineers said IL would require SIS, co.,
900 to finish the work begun by Congress
in 1876, and that 1t could be done by the
year 1872 1t is 1000 miles from Pitts
burg to Cairo, on the Mississippi. The
Ohio is a mighty but an imperfect water
way. Steamers sometimes go down the
Mississippi towing lines Of barges loaded
with coal One Of them, hitched to
a fleet of seventy-two 5arges, hauled a
cargo of 1000 tons from the mines of
Pennsylvania to the markets OF the
South and West.
There was coal enough afloat behind
that steamer to load 40 steel railroad
cars of the largest size. Six years from
-. -
channel from the source of the Ohio to
its mouth at Cairo. Freight will pass
up and down regardless of dry weather.
Millions of people will be benefited. This
is what can be accomplished when
money is voted and work is performed
and methodically.
so. returning to what you call our
dream. We argued for an annual appro- |
priation by Congress. Then 1t occurred |
to us that We ought to fix upon a def
mite sum. Our vision, you see, was being |
Finally, We asked for $4,000 |
900 a year. That would mean $500 000, 900 |
evenly apportioned throughout a decade |
and would complete all the projects, |
East and West, North and South, on |
which the engineers had been figuring.
I'VE raised our voices and our BAN
ners and went into the contest hopefully. |
That was seven years ago. We are get
ting an annual appropriation for the
of the country. instead of an
every three years. More
over, the money voted averages $4,000
BOO year more than formerly. A part |
Of our dream, therefore, has been real
zed. -s
The Climax of the Dream.
Now we are looking forward to the
lime when our waterways will be i'm
proved and connected into a great ma
tional system. We think we see three
separate but cooperative means OF
cheap and adequate transportation
wagon roads, railroads, and water
'outes. At places they may be parallel.
First, the wagon road, level and en-
Turing. opeIr to all kinds of vehicles
will use it in hauling their
:rops to market. Carriages and auto
mobiles will pass electric trucks loaded
with merchandise. John Wanamaker ia
Using trucks between New York and
Merchants in London are
oading them and sending them across
he English channel to Paris, Power
rucks will be perfected and a great
ieal of freight will be moved by then in
he future.
Then the river running alongside the
road will float all kinds of craft-skiffs
" fishermen. yachts of millionaires, and
teamers carrying coal. iron, lumber. ,
wheat, and other bulky products. Be-
'ond the river will be the railroad with
Is passenger trains and express trains for
reight Of the finer grades-hardware.
roceries. dry goods, boots and shoes, and Z
o on. Three methods of Transportation. :
Ill profifa ble Mill ha rarEfpr :