The Irish standard., 1915-09-01

mere plaCe LOT tranSSn1pment between
lake and railroad. This policy main
tanned for over twenty years allowed
other centers to develop at the ex-
pense of Duluth-in effect the potent
virtues Of water competition as exist
ing at Duluth were transferred inland
and Duluth did not obtain all of the
ADVANTAGES of its splendid location at
the head of the Great Lakes.
Five years ago the Commercial
Club of Duluth began an effort to cor
rect those discriminatory conditions.
AS a result two or three great cases
were fought before the Interstate
Commerce Commission and in each
Duluth won. AS result, now that
Duluth is entering upon the manu-
featuring epoch inaugurated by the
opening of the steel plant, the city is
free of the shackles of rate discrim-
nation on railroads and lakes, the
lakes have been freed by a recent or
der Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission from the domination of the
railroads over the package freight
business, and the lakes are. free to
develop what commerce they may for
the benefit of the whole people,
Few people in the Northwest real
ize the Importance Of the Great
Lakes to the development of this ter
ritory. There is question in the
minds of students of economics as to
the value of Short shallow artificial
waterways. There is no question as
to the economic value of great deep
waterway like the Great Lakes, ex-
tending nearly half way across the
continent The United States govern
/, laI l.,
dred million dollars in the develop
fit of all the people. The theory was
people and in large measure the
Great Lakes the Northwest could not
have attained the great agricultural
development that has come to it. No
railroad man in his most optimistic
moments would claim that the rail-
roads of the country unaided could
handle the grain movement of the
Northwest each year. Equipment
sufficient to handle the grain of the
Northwest from the fields to the At
lantic seaboard could not be main
tanned on account of the short period
during which the grain moves. The
movement by railroad in such short
period would be impossible.
AS it is now, the movement is main
tanned from the fields to Duluth, Mil
waukee, Chicago and other points;
then the thousand-mile haul to Buff
falo and other Eastern points is ham
died by boat at fraction of the cost
of the rail haul and at the Eastern
end the railroads take up the burden
again.
Each year about 1OOO0OOO0 bushels
of grain are handled at Duluth. The
rate for its transportation from Du-
cents per bushel, while the rail rate
for the same haul is 10 cents. 1t is
easy to figure the saving which goes
Northwest. The same saving is ef-
fectcd in other commodities. Each
year about 100000 tons of coal are
handled at Duluth at a saving in
transportation costs from the mines
to the Northwest of over So per ton
Iron ore, limestone, lumber and other
bulk commodities show similar saw
ings, so that the people of the coun-
try are having returned to them
through economies in transportation
charges on traffic from one port more
each year than the entire outlay made
by the United States government in
improving the Great Lakes and all
the channels and harbors there in
volved.
1t has always been the theory OF
TRANSPORTATION experts at Duluth that
similar savings could be effected ir
the movement of general merchandise
which on the Great Lakes is known
as package freight and handled in Z
special type of carrier. Some year:
age the package freight lines passec
into the hands of the Eastern rail
roads and through their control o
1hnse lines aud connecting rail lines