The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-02
AUSTIN
 AN ARDENT ADVOCATE
 OF RIVER IMPROVEMENT

Washington, June 2.-Representa- tive Richard w. Austin of the Knox vile, Tenn, district, who resigned the consulate at Glasgow, Scotland, to make the race for Congress, is an un- compromising advocate of river inn provement. believing that water trans portation is one of the solutions of the high cost of living.
 Realizing that antagonistic camps are springing up in Congress looking to the prevention of floods which de vastated so large a section of the country during the early months of the year and appreciating that diver gent interests will endeaVor to secure legislation for pet projects during the coming winter, MT. Austin sounds the key note for the advocates Of river navigation
 we want to do in this country what they are doing in Germany by making every river that possesses merit an artery for trade and com merce. No transportation is cheap CT than water transportation and no agency so effective for the reduction of railroad rates as the establishment of competitive water raten.
 "As far as the South is concerned and especially Tennessee, and thS same thing will apply to, every section of the country, the improvement of our waterways means the develop InSIlI- O1 OOI 1CSOoA OOo" ag ~ AtAO S@A~ - concrete case At the head waters of the Cumberland we have coal. iron, timber and marble which could be shipped by water, in their raw state or in the finished product. to the best markets. It costs from $4.0O to $4.5O to ship a ton of marble or pig iron by rail to St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnat- ii and other points in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, whereas by the utilization of the Tennessee River the same products could be shipped to the same points at a cost of $1.50 per ton, a saving of two-thirds
 sAThe southern furnaces are unable to ship their pig iron to the Pacific Coast, China and England because the railroad rate from Birmingham and other southern points is S10.20 a ton. The rate from China is S2.50 per ton and from England $500 per ton by water or a difference between $4.20 and $4.70 per ton in favor of our for eign competitors.
 with the completion of the Pana- ma Canal and the utilization of the southern rivers we would have direct water transformation for the output of the furnaces of the south to the Pacific Coast and the rail rate of S10.20 per ton on pig iron would be changed into a $2.50 per ton rate by water, or a saving of s7.7o per ton.
 'sIt Is the solemn duty of Congress
 
 ey to take in all the meritorious riv-a CTS of the country and by systematic work make them do their measure of transportation either through locks and dams or slack water navigation.
 "One of the crying mistakes of our law makers is the insufficient amount appropriated for our rivers, necessi- tating long and tedious delays in the completion of projects in every way. worthy of Improvement.
 tHThe development of the interior waterways of the country should be put on a business basis by Congress in order that the people of our day and generation may be able to enjoy the privileges of cheap transportation.
 "It IS with good deal of shame that I am compelled to say that Amer ica is farther behind than any other civilized country in the world in the practical and useful development of its interior rivers. If the Mississippi had been located in England, Ger many or France 1t would have long since had a 30 foot channel with ef- fective methods for the control of flood overf1ows.
 .By the right kind of river improve naerts, the Clyde, which I have been told by old citizens of Glasgow was at one time so shallow that you could wade across 1t in summer, can now float a Mauretanit with 30 feet draft and thousands of vessels are passing from the ocean to Glasgow where many of the worlds biggest ships have been built. They brought the sea to their doors and work shops and if we are wise we will profit by the .exper- fence of these canny Scotchrn en, we will bring the ocean to our mines and farms and factories.