The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-08

rent to water-terminal advance is the
present adverse attitude Of rail lines
/ toward independent water traffic, In
their exclusive control Of frontage, In
refusal or neglect to coordinate with
/ general water traffic. Until this UNI
DERIVING relation OF rail to water sys-
TENS is adjusted on some common
sense basis, there Is little hope OF
great advance in water-terminal con-
ditions.'
Fortunately some OF these condi-
lions have since been, in measure,
corrected by congressional legislation,
providing for the establishment OF
more amicable relations between the
two agencies of transportation, as
will appear later on.
/ A large percentage ninety percent
or more OF the water fronts of the
country Is owned by private or rail-
road interests, or is under such con-
/ troll. This control of the waterfront
practically controls and dominates the
A water route. The waterfront and
harbors on the great lakes are so un-
der control of private or railroad in
terests. that through manipulation OF
dock and harbor charges independent
4 boat lines have been almost eliminat-
ed. Such deplorable condition could
J not prevail in foreign countries.
In its final report to congress. after
; a thorough study Of the subject and
observation of the situation in differ
ent countries abroad, the national
! waterways commission said:
ct is absolutely essential for the
| growth Of water transportation that
, every port, whether located on the
i seacoast. or some inland waterway,
should have adequate, public termin-
, ais, at which all boat lines can find
accommodations at reasonable rates.
L 1t cannot be too strongly urged that
: in many cases it is not the condition
of channels so much as it is the lack
: of terminals that in retarding the de.
velopment of water transportation.
Z The advantage Of cheaper transpor-
: tation which the waterways afford is
largely nullified by the lack Of such
| terminals"
Thus it is shown by eminent author.
ity, that the establishment Of adequate
port terminals, is absolutely essential
for the preservation and advancement
OF water transportation. They are
: just as essential to the waterway as
adequate stations are to a railroad for
the preservation and advancement of
:
without the other The terminal forms
one of the most important links IN
any transportation system, and con-
trolls it's efficiency.
One of the greatest expenses of any
transportation system is, the cost of
loading and unloading freight on and
off cars and boats at termini This
is called the terminal charge. as dis
tinguished from the carrying charge
1t has been estimated that the ter
mini expense in this country, on the
average railway shipment, is equal to
two hundred and fifty miles OF car
rage. and on the average water ship
pent to two thousand miles of car
riage. 50.
Mr.. Herbert Quick, in his volume
American Inland Waterways" says,
in reference to river terminal charges:
IF the boat could be transported
between the ternini Of these ship
ments by some magic which require
no waterway. and involve no expense
like the magic carpit of the Arabian
Nights-it would still be more eco
nomfcal to ship by rail than to haul
freight down steep bank. labo-ously
unload it by hand, roll it to the edge
of a muddy levee, watch 1t until the
steamboat should arrive, roll it down
a gang-plank or carry it piece by
piece, stow 1t under the towering
superstructure of an American river
steamer. and reverse the process at
the other end Under such conditions
no great waterway traffic can be built
UP. The depth Of the channel and
the capacity OF the boat make little
difference, when the work Of getting
goods 70 and from tho dock moro
than wipes out the difference between
water and land carriage"
For the establishment Of port ter
minal. attention has heretofore been
lcalled to the paramount Importance
OF each municipality securing and
owning its river frontage. No time
should be lost IN securing a good
width Of all the waterfront available.
1t is the connecting link between the
waterway and the shore and it is
necessary to control it in order to