Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-10
Modern Terminals Need of Cities Along
Upper Mississippi, Norwood Tells Congress

covering a given section within 70
years of their issuance, and this
without asking the Davenport taxpay-
er to contribute one cent toward the
Improvement, AT the same time the
completion of each section adds ex-
tremely valuable acreage to the list of
city property.
The levee commission has fixed
January, 1915 as the time when for
NAL applications may be made for
lease of the thirteen units in the COM
pleted first section. Already more
than twenty preference claims have
been filed with the commission for
these units.
Now as to the third and last ques-
ton, whether or not private capital
will become interested in the building
of boats and thus complete this neces-
sary link in the rehabilitation of the
river. With the Improvement of the
channel by the federal government
and the construction of terminals -
the cities, ample private capital VIII
be provided for this purpose. An ex-
cellent concrete illustration of this
fact is contained in letter l received
just a few days ago from John H.
Bernhard of New Orleans, a successful
builder of steel self-propelled. light
draft barges. Mr.. Bernhard has devel-
0ped a cargo carrier that is ideal for
use on the Mississippi and in his let
Ter informed me that he had raised
$4,000, 900 with which to finance a
Mississippi River Transportation com
plny to operate between Minneapolis
nrl
terfnediate points where terminal IA
cilities were provided. The building
of barges will be begun in May OF
1915 and the company will begin OPP
Grafton in May of 1916.
Mr.. Bernhard is not a dreamer. He
is hard-headed, successful business
man, thoroughly familiar with inland
waterway transportation problems in
this country and abroad. He proposed |
to run on the lower Mississippi river, |
between New Orleans and ST Louis |
barges of 5000 tons carrying capacity, |
with four propellers. seven foot draft. |
weather proof. cargo boxes and AN |
upstream speed of Is miles per hour. |
On the upper Mississippi he expects |
TO run barges of 1000 tons carrying |
capacity. with two propellers, and /
one center stern wheel and an up
stream speed of 10 miles per hour.
This company is already an as
sured fact" said Mr.. Bernard in his
etter to me. 81 am at present en-
gagged in the preparation of plans,
specifications and organization, while
a firm of attorneys is engaged in the
preparation of a charter. bylaws,
through bills of lading and contracts
to the various laws of the
arge number of states in which we
will have 10 do business"
Even lacking this announcement
rom Mr. Bernhard, l am confiden-
hat in Minneapolis, in Davenport anu
n most of the cities on the upper riv-
IT very material sums could be raised
With which to finance an upper river
reight line. In fact, Davenport ship
,ers have repeatedly suggested that
company be formed in Davenport to
,uild barges and operate as a trans
company and that the ship
'ers of other upper river cities be in
tied TO cooperate by investing money
n the stock of this company and by
hipping their freight by water.
ave been inclined TO wait however.
,efOre undertaking the organization
{ such a company until the first two
ections of our terminal were entirely
ompleted and until there were indica
ions that other upper river cities
-ould soCn have terminals and hand
ng facilities.
This announcement of Mr.. Barnard
as very welcome at this time how
yer. and simply serves as an indica-
ion that there is plenty of available
aptal for this purpose. With the
overnment doing its share in improv
lg the channel and the cities taking ;
old of the terminal question, private
apital will not be backward to invest
the securities of Mississippi river
companies.
The day is not far distant, in my t
Idgment. when those cities on the ,
Mississippi river which have not been I
Irsighted enough to build and equip /
heir terminals, will labor under
cry heavy handicap indeed and will q
2 left far behind in the race for in i
lstrial and commercial supremacy 5