Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-08-27
IOWA RIVER TRAFFIC OF THE
FUTURE.
IClinton Advertiser. ]

Ciintons opportunity to profit by q
legislative act permitting cities to vote
bonds for construction Of river termi-
mails and the far-reaching effect which
the Inauguration Of proposed new river
fleets will have on the ciry's future are
interestingly treated in the last Bulle-
tin Of the commercial club. The artl-
Gle follows:
The port of Clinton. Sounds well
doesn't 1t. You may say that this Is
only the title OF a dream, but it Is
not a dream but rather the foundation
for one of Clintons greatest possibili-
ties.
The state legislature last year passed
law providing that cities upon
navigable streams might vote long
term city bonds for the purpose OF
building self sustaining river termi-
nails whereby the freight that is now
being loaded and unioaded from river
boats by hand could be handled by
modern equipped terminal facilities.
Clinton should be the port for all COM
moditles of the northwest territory
| destined up and down the Mississippi
river, thru the Panama canal and to
any foreign port. 1t could also De
| the port Of entry for the imported pro-
! auctions Of the world coming into this
vast territory tributary to Clinton and
her railroad facilities. This would help
:! TO make the Iowa towns especially
Clinton, the busiest manufacturing
| cities in the country, working bene-
! fit far in excess of the cost OF such
construction.
| A river harbor should be constructed
at Clinton where not only one but a
number Of river crafts could draw
alongside, anchor and by electric
| cranes deliver their cargo into storage,
| into freight cars or to the wharf Tor
team distribution. The cost OF hand
| ling this freight would BIO reduced
| from the present rate OF so cents to
81 per ton to an approximate average
| of 10 cents per ton. A part OF the saw
ing thus effected would be set aside
| by the commissioners appointed In
! charge Of this harbor to pay for the
construction by retiring the bond issue.
In this way it would not cost the
people Of Clinton cent to bring to her
door the greatest asset
The only question yet to be settled
is the one will there be boats to
handle the freight" The answer is al
most conclusive at the present time,
| there Will De pleuty VI UooSo. ~>Os
the old style packet steamer" but
those constructed on the barge idea
Barges could be constructed that
would carry 1000 tons that would draw
less than four feet of water. They
would not be equipped with power
plants but would be handled by high
power tug boats sufficient to draw five
Of these barges At good rate OF
speed up stream. These power boats
would make trips from the upper Mis-
sissippi to New Orleans. leaving and
! picking up barges either empty OF
loaded as the requirements would de-
mand.
4 Shipments for foreign ports would
be carried to New orleans in the
barzes there to be trans shipped Il
ocean liners at very trihing cost b,
means of modern facilities already II
operation in the port Of New Orleans
Assurances OF such constructed boa
lines have now been given. Companie'
. are in the process Of formation to carr,
on this line ss es business. 1t wouit
be a profitable business to boat owners
. and consequently the boats would b.
: ready az soon rs the terminals couls
| be completed. From ST. Pau! to 81
! Louis the cites on both sides OF IN
] i river are making progress upon som
!. such plan ~ here outlined and VII