Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-12

The Dual Alliance
transportation Of all commodities The
more bulky and cheaper commodities
cannot be handled by the railroads to
their entire satisfaction nor to the
satisfaction of the public, There is
room for waterway transportation
without cutting into the most prof
table railway transportation. This sit
uation, believe, is accumulated and
intensified in the Mississippi valley.
particularly by the opening Of the
Panama canal
Reyolutionizing Commerce.
THE opening Of the Panama canal
is revolutionizing the commerce of the
western world Since its opening it
has been found by manufacturers in
the state of Illinois and surrounding
states that it is cheaper and more
satisfactory TO ship certain classes of
merchandise from the state of Illinois
and surrounding states to- the east
ern seaboard and thence by ocean
steamer to the Pacific coast, than 10
ship it direct by rail from these same
states to the Pacific coast This sit
uation creates a serious handicap for
the manufacturers in the northern
section OF the Mississippi valley. In
other words, eastern manufacturers
in the Mississippi valley have an ad-
vantage in shipping to the Pacific
coast of the difference in the cost Of
transportation between the Mississippi
to eliminate this handicap is to de
Velop the waterway transportation Of
the Mississippi valley down the val
ley to New Orleans That city is
nearly one thousand miles nearer tba
Pacific coast than the city of New
York, and shipments from New Or
leans through the Panama canal will
necessarily be cheaper than the same
shipments from the eastern seab0ard.
THE manufacturers OF the Mississ-
ippi valley are alive to the Importance
Of the situation. and I AM pleased TO
say that it was largely through the
ardent and intelligent support that
they gave to the governor and iegisla-
ture of my state that the last legisla-
ture Of Illinois voted for the issuance
of s5,000000 worth Of bonds for the
construction of a waterway between
Jocbpprt and Utica in the Illinois riv-
er. The importance of the opening
Of this waterway TO the state Of ILL
nois and TO the cities on the Miss
issippi river Is almost incalculable.
f,400 Miles SayIgahie.
From the city OF Chicago to the
city Of New Orleans there exists to
day nayigable seven foot waterway
stretch OF So miles between the cities
Of Lockport and Utica. Ill Over that
65 miles the Illinois and It's tributary,
the Des PLANES river. which runs
through Lockport and Joliet, there Is
a rocky ledge with a declivity Of 100
feet which makes it impossible, even
for rowboats.
For years the construction of q
navigable waterway through this gap
of 65 miles has been earnestly advo-
Gated in the state OF Illinois, Eight
years ago the people of the state Of
Illinois, by popular vote, authorized
the issuance of $20.000,000 worth Of
bonds for the creation of this water
way Subsequent TO this authorize
ton, discussion arose between those
who advocated the canal or waterway
as to the dimensions of the same. Some
advocated d "a foot depth. the same
depth as the sanitary district canal be-
tween Chicago and Lockport, others
advocated II foot depth and still 9TH
ers advocated simply the rehabtlita-
lion of the old Illinois and Michigan
canal, which was constructed three
quarters of century ago. with a depth
of six feet, with locks Of a capacity
suited for commercial boats Of that
remote time. propelled by horses and
mules. In the midst Of this contro-
yersy the people became confused and
no progress was made in the way of
actual construction. The engineers OF
the federal government were called
upon by the secretary Of war to make
an investigation into the subject and
TO report 10 the secretary of war.
Report OF Engineers.
In 1911 these engineers reported
10 the secretary OF war. who transmit
ted this report to the next session Of
In substance this report
calls attention 10 the fact that there
Is only an eight foot depth in the
Mississippi river between 81. Louis
and Cairo, with no likelihood Of secur-
ing a greater depth in the near fg- |
lure. They also suggested that q wa
terway in the Illinois river between /
Loekport and Utica should he con-
structetf with depth of eight feet. /
: