The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-10-10
WILSON CANAL
THROUGH GEORGIA
THIS is BELIEF OF 2. GILLIAN,
WHO IS GETTING UP GREAT
MEETING OF ADVOCATES

Macon. Ga, Get. l2.---B Gilman, who
! is undertaking the TASK OF getting a
/ great meeting of the advocates Of
better waterways in Georgia at Ma
! con Oh November q and next, stated
| ,hat he had received assurances from
/ a majority of the Georgia delegation
in Congress that they were greatly in
terested in the objects of the Water
| was Congress for Georgia, and would
! be present
/ \ large number Of prominen, bust
ness men from all pCinis accessible
/ to river transportation are preparing
/ to attend and report for their respec-
| tive communities
Great interest is being shown in
! the prcposaG "W0odrOW Wilson Ca.
nal Through Georgia" which is to
ink he Ocmulgae and Flint rivers to-
ge'her almost in the very heart of
Georgia. Mr.. Gillian regards this pro-
jcct. which was first thought by many
to be mere dream. as sure to be
completed He says that when Judge
Frank Park who has devoted several
years Of patient thought and constant
labor on this remarkable project,
| brings the canal to reality, with the
cooperation of his colleagues, it will
the greatest piece of constructive SER
vice ever rendered to the state. There
is not a point i'll Georgia which will
not be benefited by the the complet
ted canal and the operation of mod
ern river equipment on the route, to
say nothing of the benefit derived by
adjoining states.
The completion of this canal would
mean the devoopmnt Of several
great power plants, incidental to
locks and dams, and hydro-electric
power for manufacturing raw mater
ials at home. lighting prosperous cit
les and main highways, and for the
numerous economical purposes to
which such cheap power could be dc
voted Cooperation in the proper
utilization of natural means for trans
portatiOn will unquestionably help
the railroads also. There was time
when the railroads could lower
freight rates to meet the rates OF wa
ter lines, but this is thing of the
past The cost of fuel, labor and ma
terials makes it impractical BILE The
cost OF transportation must be lower
cd by cooperation between boat lines
and railroads, otherwise it will in
crease with the increased cost Of the
things necessary to successfully OPP
crate railways. The people of Georgia
would be helping the railroads if they
could use to greater degree other
means Of transportation, because
there is more traffic than there is
ready means to move it, and it must
also be remembered that we have a
vast wealth Of resources along the
rivers OF Georgia, inaccessible to rail
service, which would be brought to
market by boats. manufactured and
turned over to the railroads.
The Improvement of the rivers
means that the greatest farm section
Of the state will be developed. Thou
sands Of acres of rich farming prop
erty will be reclaimed. We are ask
ing good citizens men disposed to
handle big problems. with brains to
conceive, eyes to see, and energy to
develop things. to come to Macon for
the two days get together" The
success of the Georgia Waterways
Congress is assured. when 50 many
progressive citizans seem awakened
to the importance Of the work.