The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

lem. It must be admitted that such canal would vastly benefit Birmingham in the matter of railroad rates on in- coming traffic, but 1t could never handle the outgoing heavy freight for which the district desires to find market because of cheap rates The commerce would have to be assembled by rail to boat landing at an increased cost of trans portation. The cost to assemble by rail to the canal or it's terminal would be almost, if not as much, as to assemble by rail on the Warrior river, as once on the railroad cars the difference would be but little, if any. The engineers who have made the preliminary Investigation estimate the cost of such a canal by either route proposed at about 15,000. coo and it is apparent how difficult it would be and the years of delay that would fol-
 low, to induce Congress to make the necessary appropriation. The report of the government engineers, made pursuant to a resolution of Congress, was filed in May. last year. and though never pub lished, I have it before me- A number of obstacles are pointed out, and it is so conclusive as to the impracticabiity of such scheme. that a delegation of citi- zens from Birmingham, who appeared in Washington, concluded, after discussing it. that no good purpose would be gained by it's publication. The construction of a canal is many years in the future, if it Is ever authorized so that it is inn prudence to delay preparation for use of the Warrior upon the faint hope that in the distant future a canal may be con structed into the heart of Birmin gham The question is shall patriotic Alabamians begin to prepare now for the use of the river, or shall they await a canal not even in contemplation. Indeed, Congress
 would never authorize a canal of this character until the wisdom of the inn provement of the Warrior has been dem onstrated by it's general and public use as an artery of commerce.
 Must Utilize Warrior
 If the Warrior is not utilized, and the commerce developed is insufficient to justify the cost of improvement, we can | not reasonably hope to persuade Con- gress of the public necessity for the com pletion of the proposed improvements on the Coosa and Tennessee and the develop ment of the vast water power on both streams, which 1t is hoped may be har- messed in connection with the improve | ment of navigation, will for years and years continue to run lily and wastefully to the sea. Water power, unlike coal. may reproduce the same energy at points down stream, as well as carry the com | merce it. helps to produce to the markets of the world. It is the greatest con- servation factor with which we have to dcdit anu SCiiOuSiy Odi tuod6hl- ful attention.
 What reason can there be for Congress to continue to appropriate funds for Ala
 bama rivers and the harbor at Mobile | if they are not made to serve beneficent use to the general public? Senator Bur l ton of Ohio, one of the best authorities | on river and harbor work, has always
 been friend of the Warrior. and has
 often remarked that he regarded it as l the best illustration in the United States
 of the value that may follow the canali-
 zation of river, and that if the inn provement of this stream does not vim
 dicate the wisdom of Congress as to
 such projects, the whole scheme is a | failure
 ] The enterprising merchants and manu- lecturers of the Birmingham district | should provide for the construction of
 double track railroad to some con venient point above lock IT, and operate
 it in the interest of the shippers of the district at the lowest possible cost of
 transportation. The pool above lock IT., will extendsup the river 40 miles, mak- | ing it one of the largest bodies of arti-
 ficial water in the south. Manufacturing
 plants would spring up on both sides of
 the stream and it would become a great | hive of industry and activity. There are beautiful sites along the river for summer homes and pleasure resorts This pool would be filled with pleasure craft | and the fishing would be unsurpassed.
 The passenger traffic on the road would 1 be a considerable item in the cost of maintenance and operation
 People Must Act
 The government has created a great
 highway of commerce in Alabama travers- ing a wonderfully rich mining and agri-
 cultural section, affording an outlet to the great markets of the world. It is
 stated that within five miles of the river. from Squaw shoals to the Frisco railroad,
 there are 2.5OO,000 tons of coal, to say
 nothing of the available supply further iremoved. or the iron ore, limestone and