The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-12-10

The cities of the upper Mississippi
river have awakened to the import
ance Of utilizing the great waterwa.
as freight carrier. They have be
gun to appreciate the necessity OF CO
Operating with the federal govern
ment in the rehabilitation OF the rtv
er, to understand that modern term
inals and the proper type Of boats arr
Just as important as IN adequate chan
mel and to realize that while the i'm
provement OF the channel Is gov
eminent function, that the building o.
terminals must be undertaken by thu
cities themselves and the construc
ton Of boats by private capital.
Well informed people in the upper
river cities no longer waste time his
cussing the reasons why freight Ii
not carried on the stream under pres
emit conditions. They are more con
cerned with remedying those condi
lions. They are familiar with the
evolution from keels and flats to the
present type OF river steamers and
understand how 1t happened that the
railroads, paralleling the river, having
excellent terminal facilities and being
uncontrolled IN the use of competi-
tion-ktlling rates and methods. were
able to absorb the business and re-
duce the amount Of river freight to a
negligible quantity. But Of much
greater moment, the public Of the up
per river cities has come to see that
at the present time the real obstacle
in the way of an immediate revival OF
river transportation is the absolute
lack of modern freight handling facil-
tiles at Industrial centers along the
river.
Project Came In for Criticism,
During the recent fight in congress
against river and harbor appropria-
tions almost every project undertaken
by the government In recent years
came in for a share of criticism. The
project for the Improvement Of the
upper Mississippi probably was SUBJ
jected to less abuse than many other
waterway improvements but doubt
was nevertheless expressed in some
quarters as to the governments justi-
fication for carrying through the plans
for a six foot channel from st. Louis
to st. Paul at a cost Of $2o,o00,000, of
which approximately $5,G0O,000 has
been spent since work was begun In
1867.
The Justification of this project may
be discussed under three heads: Is
there sufficient potential water freight
along the upper Mississippi to justify
this expenditure: second. viii the
cities Of the upper Mississippi. by
building terminals and installing ma
make 1t possible to handle
this freight rapidly and economically
and third, will the enterprise of priv
ate capital keep pace with the efforts
of the federal government and the
cities. SO as to assure the building OF
a sufficient number of boats of the
proper type.
Freight Possibilities.
Let us consider these questions In
order. That as to the freight pos
sfbilities OF the upper river is readily
answered by available figures. From
Alton. ILL.,, just above st. Louis, to
there are sixteen cities
with an aggregate population of more
than 100000, housing 1870 factories
which produce more than 10000, 900
worth of manufactured products an
yohA e., -
.hese cities amounts to about $4,000
700 tons annually Of which 33,500,000
.ons now move by rail and 100000
,ons by water. A study Of the classes
If freight that go to make up this
:otal indicates that there are approx.
mately 100000 additional tons OF
freight that at the present time could
De and should be carried by water
and that would now be carried. II there
we're terminals at which 1t could be
rapidly and economically handled and
boats in which 1t could be cheaply
moved.
With reference to the second ques-
ion, the attitude of the upper river
cities toward terminal improvements
It is only stating q fact to say that
most Of them have begun to realize
The economic necessity of putting the
die river to work. The river has |
.ong been rate basing point, even in |
Its idlest periods but its effect upon |
rail and water combinations on traf.
&c passing through the Panama canal |
will amount to very little. Indeed I
quite agree with the statement OF the |
secretary OF this organization in a |
recent circular letter, to the effect that
the operation Of the Panama canal
will impose an actual handicap upon
Mississippi valley shippers unless the
water link to the sea Is rendered ef- /
icient and is actually operated.
Terminal Question Important.
The Upper Mississippi River I'm.
provement association. whose activ.
tiles were responsible, in part at least,
for thu ho+