Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-15
ENCOURAGE RIVER TRAFFIC.

There is ground for encouragement
| the promise made for the war oe
I ,artment by Brigadier General BLACK
that the federal government will leno
barces to St. Louis firm for transpor'
tatio- of iron ore on the river from St
Paul to ST. Louis. -.
The Importance OF river lraiiic i.as
been dinned in our cars TOT SO man
wears without bringing about revival
of the trade that many men VINO "eie
active in the movement several years
AFRO have given up in despair. 1t ap'
nears that the present war. despite l.s
MANY disadvantages and sacrlhces, is
about to confer at least one beneht on
the United States by bringing rear
ization Of the need for river frelsnts.
Of course, not all the cities aions
the mississippi are ready FOR the
harees and il the installation OF ooa's
should be delayed another decade ,ne
same could be said at the era OF that
time. But there is. at least enough
nrenaration at some of the points
along the upper river 10 Justify barge
ZINC a,d there is little doubt that Ter
n,;,aI facilities will be provided at the
other cities when it becomes evident
th.t boats are to be maintained on the
stream.
I pork barrel politics has been resPoll-
|sible in part for the delay IN reV,Vlns
river traffic: the failure OF state regis
latures to adopt constructive poiio!
has been another contributing cause'
7 ocal iealousies have prevented sever
., towns and cities from proVlahs
docks and railroad interests nave zone
much TO discourage the movement.
For several recent years, oHers D!
nror,oters 70 establish barge lines on
condition that docks would be ouilt
have met with counter proposals iroh.
c;tv councils for the construction Oh
docks provided assurance oil the Darse
line could be obtained.
Thus the deadlock has continued
and only few communities nave
themselves of the opportunity
~ nrepare for revival OF river tral-
Ar in advance of that revival.
davenport and Lacrosse are notaDie
.xamnles. The docks and wharves De-
ing built there will make the cities I'M
nortant river shipping points practical
~ the same day the operation OF
barge line begins.
Minneapolis has made a good start
toward a municipal dock. counting Oh
the opening of boat channel GOMEZ
don't with the early completion OF the
high dam between that city and 81
Paul.
ct Paul. which has been the nortn-
ern terminus for Mississippi river trai.
fc for wears and must remain so until
the high dam and its locks are COM
Melted and extensive dredging can De
done on the way to Minneapolis. has
no modern machinery for loadlng OF
unloading and has failed TO develop
either of two excellent sites Tor ware
houses and extensive terminals lor 'ne
transfer of freight from water 10 raii'
and from rail to water
ST Louis has ample docks. equipped
with modern machinery, and tardy
steps are being taken at st. raui
which will provide at least makeshlf'
facilities this summer, with improve
ments later.
The thing Iowa cities along the river
need is encoura cement from the legls-
lature. and, through that body. from
the other Iowa cities which. although
not located on the main waterway, Will
receive benefits If river traffic is re-
yived and water shipments can be
made to Iowa ports from Atlantic and
Gulf coast cities and from Ohio ana
lower Mississippi river points.
Persistent efforts thus fer have
failed to bring about legislation either
enabling cities along the river to issue
bonds to- pay for docks or appropriate
ing state funds to aid in the local pro-
iects. Either step would be wise one
ON the part of the entire state and 1t
Is to be hoped that the partial revival
of the traffic which the war depart.
ment's promise makes possible VIII
spread through Iowa proper realiza-
ton of the importance OF river iegis'
iation so it may be enacted not later
than the next biennial session