The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-05-13

of the proper boats or otner craft fol-
its handling.
The steamboat operator cannot in
stall these wharf and terminal faciit
ties at the various points. for the rea
son that these matters are controlled
by state and city laws. and the ex
pense of their construction must OF
necessity be borne by the public fol
the reason that the public will profit
to a greater extent than any one else
by the economy Of water Transports
ton.
The price of any commodity oil
COMMON use. is its cost II production
plus delivery charges: and If delivery
charges be reduced. the price OF that
commodity is correspondence re-
duced.
Therefore, should there become
available to the general public, water
transportation facilities. which would
reduce the cost of transportation 20
per cent. every member of the general
public would profit thereby to just
that extent.
The fact that rail rates between
river points today are approximately
fifty per cent less than rail rates ap.
plying for like distance between
points not located on the river. is
due absolutely and entirely to the fact
that the river is navigable, and has
boats in operation upon it.
The rail rates applying now, were
put into effect and are maintained at
the lower basis between river points
because Of actual or possible river
competition.
BY this means, the Mississippi river
and the steamboats, upon 1t. save to
the general public. every year, many
millions of dollars in freight charges
by their influence upon the rail rates.
To illustrate:
TIE rail rate between St. Louis &
St Paul, GOO miles, frst-class. now
is So per cwt.
The boat rate is 4oc per cwt.
These points are both located on
the Mississippi river
The frst-class freight rate from
New Orleans TO Houston. Texas (3s5
miles, is s1-oe per cwt-
There is no boat rate. for the reason
that water transportation between
these points is not possible.
The rail rate on apples from ST.
Louis to Fl. Worth, Texas. il 31.05
per cwt.. a distance of about TOO
miles
The rate on apples. from St Louis
to ST Paul. is 20 per cwt-. distance
of 7as miles
Tie thing which does not seem to
be clear 10 the public generally. is
the fact that this influence is now
actually exerted on rail rates by boats
on the river: and the enormous saw
ing to the public each year, seems not
to have been considered OF much Inn
portance-
This extremely favorable condition.
you understand. has been brought
about by TIE fact of water traneporta-
ton facilities being available on the
Mississippi river continuously, and
that a mere river without boats be-
ing operated upon it, win exert the
SO AhC Ah4A&GaNSr ~ dS tlcpAosCu w A1CA
the Missouri river was abandoned as
a naTigable stream some years ago.
Immediately following complete
stoppage OF navigation on the Mis-
souri, river. the rail- rates advanced
sharply. and Kansas City found 1t
necessary to invest a million and a
half dollars in establishing wharf IA
cilities. and in financing water trans
porta;ion before it was possible for
them to get any rate reduced or to
prevent further actual increase in the
rail rates, which threatened the pres
ttge of Kansas City as market.
For the upper Mississippi river ship
tie river has brought and kept avail
able for him, it is going to be neces-
sary for this shipper to take hold of
this water transportation matter as a
thing which ne himself must work
out for his own salvation.
The shipper controls the local
wharf and terminal matter, for the
reason that his local government is in
position to finance the installation Of
the proper shore facilities, and no one
else, under the law. can do this.
And until the shipper or the public
has undertak ken the correction Of
these conditions. they are going to re-
main about as they are today.
The foregoing circumstances have
reduced the volume OF freight move
ment, to such an extent, as has short.
ened the season of navigation to the
summer months. when passenger pat
ronage makes the operation OF a
steamboat possible: but that the pres
ent boats can and will move freight
at a rate less than rail, is evidenced
by the fact that every boat in opera
ton on the river today, has in effect,
a schedule of rates. at from 20 TO 40
per cent less than the corresponding
rail rates
The river shipper is neglecting his
welfare and one Of his most important