Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-10-20
MAKE MISSOURI
RIVER NAYTGABLE
Delegates from Territory Drained by
the Stream Meet at Kansas City
to Push Project.
GROWTH OF TRAFFIC CITED

KANSAS CITY. No, oct. is-The Mis-
souri, valleys struggle for a continuance
Of government support in improving the
Missouri river was continued here today.
when scores Of representatives OF civic
organizations. shippers and farmers ap-
peared before board OF army engineers
to show why the board should not adopt
the report OF Lieutenant Colonel Herbert
Deakyne. who. in April. 1915. recon-
mended that the 100000 project for
Improvement OF the waterway be aban-
Goned as impracticable.
Over 200 persons from the territory
drained by the river and from tributary
districts affected by a change In govern
ment policy towaSd II were in the Com
mercial club rooms when the board con-
vened. w. p, Borland, representative In
congress from the Fifth Missouri dts
trict. on behalf of the supporters Of the
river. presented lengthy brief review
ing the history of the stream. II con-
tanned testimony from farmers, shippers
and commercial organizations setting
forth reasons for continued improvement
of the river
VIII how the Board.
eve intend to show this board" said
Representative Borland, that the move
ment of traffic on the Missouri river be-
tween Kansas City and st. Louis has
grown more rapidly than the improve
ments OF the river by the government.
have progressed That notwithstanding
the disadvantages Of navigation on a par
TALLY improved river. commerce has
shown a marked increase each season
as the shipping public became familiar
with the advantage and cheapness of
water transportation.
The growth from 1914 to 1915 was ll2
per cent. Much of the traffic moving
down stream Is the surplus agricultural
products of the states west of the river
These products move in their natural
state. as bulk wheat for export, or in a
manufactured state. as flour and feed
The increase of tonnage on incoming
freight has been of high grade merchan-
disc such as dry goods, pianos and shoes.
There is not an inland waterway in
the United States today showing as large
a percentage OF traffic in high grade
merchandise as the Missouri river be-
tween Kansas City and st. Louis. The
stream is in the direct line of east and
west traffic and necessarily influences
rates on all OF the country to the west
and south of 1t. We shall show further
that the growth of traffic in this terri
tory is rapidly exceeding the rain facili-
ties, and the river lie needed as an addi-
tional and highly expansive means OF
communication.
Shortage of Cars.
"a great shortage Of cars Is occurring
this fall on all the western railroads. An
additional line of railroad from Kansas
City to st. Louis would cost almost as
much as the s2O,Ooo.OOO necessary to i'm
prove the river and would not furnish
equal facilities. We expect to show. in
addition, that the sudden lowering Of
rates by the opening of the Panama
canal will force manufacturers and job
bers to the Atlantic seaboard II they are
competing for any foreign or Pacific
coast trade. 1t will be a relative disad-
vantage to the manufacturers in the
Mississippi valley, between the Alleghen-
les and the Rockies, unless a general sys-
tenn of water transportation through the
gulf ports can be connected with the
Panama canal
ITO abandon the Improvement OF the
inland waterways at this time is to kill
the growth in the Mississippi valley"
Today's hearing grew out of an act
passed by congress March L. 1915 provid-
ing for a reorganization Of several river
projects for which congress had previ-
ously made provision.
The report of the board will go TO the
chief engineer in charge of river i'm
provcment and is expected to govern his
recommendation to congress. An adverse
report, it was said. might mean the
striking out of provisions for the Mis-
souri, river in the rivers and harbors bill
OF the next congress.