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

4 and adequate terminal improvements
The greater Davenport committee ha
spent much time and money in sim
liar missionary WORK. The effects o
this continuous agitation are becomin!
apparent. There are few cities OF
the upper river in which a healthy, in
telligent sentiment in favor OF tn
reclamation of river fronts and thu
construction OF terminals, is not being
/! developed. There Is now much larg
er. understanding Of the Fundamental
! proposition that no matter how deel
and wide the rivers channel may .bt
made. no matter how numerous and
how perfect the aides to navigation
that may be installed, no matter whai
type OF freightess may be built, tbs
river will never carry large volume
Of freight until the cities themselves
build and equip their own terminals.
To some Of you gentlemen this MAY
seem like placing undue emphasis up
/; on clear and simple proposition. But
emphasis is necessary for 1t has only
been Of comparatively recent date tina,
the general public in the section I'M
der discussion has been willing to ad
NIT that the lack of terminal facil'
tiles has had anything much to do with
the lack Of freight movement. The
railroads. the federal government, the
Mississippi river steamers all have
been blamed. The federal government
is doing it's share on the upper Mis-
sissippi river; whatever the railroads
may have done In the past they are
fective obstructive tactics; the present
Mississippi river steamers are not
ideal freight carriers but have been
abused beyond their desserts. The
truth Is the cities of the upper river
are just reaching the point where they
are willing to admit that the decrease
in river freight tonnage has been
largely their own fault. They have
bartered away their river frontage
and their riparian rights. they have
turned their levee into dumping
grounds for city refuse and anchorages
for river junk. they have refused to
provide storage facilities for wen the
small amount Of port to port freight
carried by the river steamers and
laboriously and extensively loaded
and unloaded by deck hands. But
nowadays they are holding tightly to
what is left Of their frontage, they are
cleaning up their levees and those
cities which, by reason of lack Of
frontage, or lack Of money find them
selves unable to construct industrial
terminals, are at least contemplating
the building of docks and warehouses.
Situation at Minneapolis.
Let us see what the situation is in
the principal upper river cities In
the progressive city OF Minneapolis.
with population Of 01,40s. soon to
be at the head Of navigation on the
Mississippi, conditions are excellent
The federal government has appro-
priated funds to complete the high
dam which will make navigation pos
sible to the loot OF the washington
avenue bridge and the legislature has
authorized the city council to issue
100000 in bonds for the acquisition
and improvement Of municipal termin-
ais. OF these bonds $4,000 have al
ready been issued and sold and the
money is being spent by the city in
erecting a;sea wall preparatory to the
rise in level that will accompany the
OF the dam next summer.
The installation of handling devices
and the construction of q municipal
will follow, answering In
plain terms the question as to what
this particular city will do to take adj
vantage Of the improved river. And
1t must not be forgotten that Minneap-
oils has 12,t,O,00c tons OF freight in
and out annually, much or which
should logically be moved by water.
Winona, MINI, city Of $4,000, has
thought we'll enough OF her river front
to build sea wall and create a park
but has no freight terminal and no
handling facilities. There is frontage
available for terminal purposes but no
work is contemplated in the Immediate
future. The same may be said Of La
Crosse, WIS. city Of 10000 which
has parked q portion Of the river
front but has gone no further.
Dubuque. Iowa, although having no
public freight landing or terminal
facilities at the present time. will not
be long without them. Plans have
been prepared and sentiment is de-
veIoping with q rapidity that will en-
sure the beginning OF work on a.
iefnite Improvement project in the
near future.
Clinton, Iowa, q city Of $4,000, has
parked the waterfront in beautiful
and commendable manner but has
made no PROVISION for handling
freight. This latter question has re-
Gently been taken up. however, with
every indication OF active work being
begun next summer.
Moline and Rock Island, ILL.,. ad-
mn - ~