The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-26
CALHOUN'S WORK
FOR WATERWAYS
BY HOLLAND

ny
New York, April 25.-(Special.) ALMOST
exactly a century has passed since John
c. Calhoun, as Secretary of War in the
ca binet of President Monroe, advocated
system of waterway and Internal inn
provements, which is now, in part at
least, to be adopted by the government,
chiefly by reason of the exgencies of the
war. Calhoun wrote and spoke with
fervor of a project he had worked out
whereby a system of canals skirting the
coast and stretching from Massachusetts
bay to the Savannah river, or possibly
to the Gulf of Mexico, should be UNDER
taken by the federal government. He
was also emphatic in his recommended
ton of internal improvements including
great national highway from the At
lantic to the Ohio river.
There were also other features of his
recommendation which are now to be
adopted, after 100 years. by the govern
mont whereby internal waterways, both
artificial and natural, and the improve
ment of navigable rivers can be so util-
lied as to supplement railroad transpor-
tation and act in cooperation with the
railroads
The first indication of this purpose of
the government to commander and to
aiG artificial waterways was made
through the announcement that Director
General McAdoo had decided to take over
the new Erie barge canal. This canal
will be ready for use probably by June
/, certainly not later than July l. Nc
Adoo has been informed that there is no
reason why at least 100000 tons of
freight should not be transported on the
improved Erie canal to and from the
great lakes before frost comes next fall.
The original Erie canal was open for
operation about the time Calhoun became
Secretary of War under President Mon
roe The construction and future influ-
ence of this canal upon national pros
perity interested Calhoun greatly, and
the project itself undoubtedly inspired
him to make his recommendation for the
construction of great coast line canal
which would parallel the Atlantic coast,
and which would make use of Long
Island sound, the Delaware river, Ches-
apeake bay and the sounds of North Car
DINA, all of which were to be connected
by artificial waterways.
Director General McAdoo is to author
government operation of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal, which is the larg-
est waterway constructed after the Erie
canal was built, SO that upon this water
way may be carried coal from the coal
regions in Cumberland, Md, to the Po-
tomac river at or near Washington.
Furthermore, under governmental au-
thcrity it is proposed to build a large
fleet of canal barges for navigating the
Warrior river in Alabama so that large
amounts of coal can be transported from
the bitumnous region of the south to the
gulf ports, where the coal can be easily
placed upon steamships.
Last winter when the railroads were
congested and last summer before there
was full appreciation of the danger of
the shortage of coal, and freight conges-
ton, some OF the men who look far ahead
were persuaded that the government
should utilize for additional transporta-
ton facilities all of the existing inland
waterways during the open season, which
lasts usually about eight months. and
should, Furthermore, improve the water
way facilities.
These improvements and the utilization
of existing waterways, artificial and nat
ural, should, in the opinion of the au-
thorities, prove of the utmost value after
the war is ended 1t is certain that
there will be very great demand Tor
transportation and distribution facilities
whereby our commodities can be moved
to the markets and to the seaports, espe-
cially those commodities which Will en-
able the United States fairly well to
compete. with Great Britain for the
worlds trade after the war is ended. The
president of the United States Chamber
| of Commerce, r. G. Rhett was recently
| informed by Richard H. Edmonds, who
! has made a careful study of transporta-
/ tlon facilities, that inadequate transpor-
7! tation facilities have shackled the very
| life Of the nation, and if we could over
night spend s, 100000 in the enlarge
ncnt of railroad mileage, railroad ter
minals and rolling stock. we still would
not have the facilities equal to the needs
| of the hour -, .
we are to meet our opportunities, trans
portation facilities by water. by I'M
proved highways and particularly by the
DEVELOPMENT of the motor truck, IS OF
the utmost Importance at this time and
will be Of equal Importance after the
war is ended.
| 1t is fact spoken of as extraordinary
| interest and one OF winch tuc uh 49,
| general of railroads, Mr.. McAdoo, has
Knowledge, that after the lapse OF Ivy
wears. the government of the United
States is beginning to undertake the es-
jtabishment along the lines advocated by
Johr c. Calhoun when he was Secretary
of War Probably the reason why Cal
nouns plan lapsed was the sudden and
speedily very great development Of rail-
road construction in the United States
!. 5~x.elcpr,anf which heRan n few wears
after Calhoun retired from the office Of