The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-03-11
by Arthur M. Evans in Chicago
Record Herald. i

While Chicago is wondering how
the opening of the Panama canal is
going to affect its commerce and hop
| ing that business will not be hit toe
hard by the establishment OF new
trade routes. other cities are awake
to the need and the possibilities OF
developing water traffic in the Mis-.
sissippi valley
davenport, Iowa, furnishes an illus
trous example For the last two years
1t has been industriously working on
definite. constructive project to reap
benefits from the opening of the Pan
anna canal. 1t has issued bonds and is
building modern freight terminal in
the expectation that within the next
few years the upper Mississippi will
develop into great highway of com
merce in fact as we'll as in theory.
and also that the improvement of the
Old Illinois and Michigan canal be-
tween Joliet and LaSalle and the
enlargement OF its locks to the capac-
lily OF those in the Hennepin canal
VIII result in the passage of a great
annual tonnage between Chicago and
the tri-cities and intermediate points.
Many shippers and manufacturers
along the Mississippi and Illinois riy-
ers entertain the view that it Is fool
lsh to build freight terminals before
there are boats to use the terminals
and water sufficient to float the
boats. Davenport, however, takes the
opposite view. 1t is working on the
theory that unless the cities along the
water routes build terminals where
1relght can be handled economically
and expeditiously the millions spent
by the government to deepen the chan.
mel viii be largely wasted.
As Irving Nortl1wood, secretary of
the greater Davenport committee, ex-
presses it:
we In Davenport do not know off
any philanthropist or philanthropists
VINO are going to build a barge line
and run barges up and down the riv-
er, empty. waiting for the river cities
10 provide terminals where freight
can be handled On the contrary. we
believe that if the terminals are furn-
lshed there is plenty of capital ready
and waiting to build the barges and
put them into commission. That's
why We are busy providing such ter
mlnal facilities. for Davenport real
ICES that the opening of the Panama
canal means much to the industrial
development OF the Mississippi valley.
The Davenport terminal project
proposes the reclamation of ISL acres
OF land at cost of between 500, 900
and $l,0O0.000. Following the ex.
ample OF many German cisies where
harbor improvements have been made
profitable ventures for the municipal
tiles, Davenport will reap direct
financial returns from the undertake
Ing, as the land reclaimed will be
worth, according to conservative
estimate, at least 100000.
1t is interesting to note that all
ready Davenport business interests
have applied for sufficient space in
the Industrial terminal section, which
at the rates tentatively proposed, willl
take care Of the principal and interest
Of the entire cost of the improvement
within twenty years.
At present the project is about half
completed. The western wall, in
closing park section, has been fin
ished and the Enclosure turned over!
to the park board for Identification.
The eastern wall is now being built.