The Washington herald., 1918-04-26
WAR IMPROVES
CANAL SYSTEM
Calhoun S Century-old Plan
Gets New Impetus, says
Holland.

Almost a century has passed since
John c. Calhoun. as Secretary OF
War In the Cabinet of President Mon
roe. advocated a system of water
way and internal improvements,
which IL now, in part at least, to be
adopted by the government, chiefly
by reason Of the exigencies Of the
war. Calhoun wrote and spoke with
much fervor Of q project he had
worked out whereby system Of
canals skirting the coast and stretch
ing from Massachusetts, Bay to the
Savannah River, or possibly to the
Gulf of Mexico, should be undertaken
by the Federal government He was
also emphatic in his recommendation
Of internal improvements. including
q great national highway from the
Atlantic to the Ohio River.
There were also other features of
his recommendations which are now
TO be adopted. after a hundred years,
by the government, whereby internal
waterways, both artificial and nat
ural, and the Improvement of navi-
gable rivers. can be so utilized as to
supplement railroad transportation
and act in cooperation with the rail-
roads -
MeAdOo Starts Ball Rolling.
The first indication of, this purpose
of the government to commander and
aid artificial waterways was made
through the announcement that Di-
rector General McAdoo had decided
to take over the new Erie barge
canal. This canal will be ready for
use probably by the 1st of June. GER
tainly not later than July 1. Mr..
McAdoo has been informed that there
is no reason why at least 10, 100000
tons Of freight should not be trans
ported 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 Pres
ident Monroe. The construction and
future influence of this canal upon
national prosperity interested CAL
houn greatly and the project itself
undoubtedly inspired him to make
his recommendations for the con-
struction of a great coast line canal
which would parallel the Atlantic
coast, and which would make use of
Long Island Sound the Delaware
River. Chesapeake Bay and the
which were to be connected by arti-
flcial waterways.
From Cumberland to Washington.
- Director General McAdoo Is to au-
thoriZe. IL he has not already done so,
the governments operation of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. which is
the largest waterway constructed
after the Erie Canal was built, so
that upon this waterway may be car
ried coal from the coal regions in
Cumberland. to the Potomac River
at or near Washington.
Furthermore. under governmental
authority. it is proposed to build a
large fleet of canal barges for navi-
eating the Warrior River in Alabama,
so that large amounts of coal can be
transported from the bituminous re-
giOn Of the South to the Gulf ports
where the coal can easily be placed
upon steamships.
Last winter. when the railroads
were congested and last summer be-
fore there was full appreciation of
the danger of the shortage OF coal,
and Of freight congestion, some of the
men who look far ahead were per-
suaded that the government should
H ttAiAAC lOE duulllOHdl transportation
facilities all of the existing inland
waterways during the open season
which lasts usually about eight
months. and Furthermore should i'm
prove the waterway facilities.
These improvements and the utflza-
tion Of existing waterways, artificial
and natural. should. in the opinion Of
the authorities. prove of the utmost
value after the war Is ended It is
certain that there will be a very great
demand for transportation and dis
tribution facilities whereby our COM
modities can be moved to the markets
and TO the seaports, especially those
commodities which will enable 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. Rhet,
was recently informed by Richard II.
Edmonds. who has made a careful
study of transportation facilities, that
Inadequate transportation facilities
have shackled the very life of the ma
tion. and if We could overnight spend
S5.G0O. .000.00O in the enlargement of rail-
road mileage, railroad terminals and
rolling stock, we still would not have
the facilities equal to the needs Of
the hour"
This being so, II Is inevitable that
IL We are to meet our opportunities,
transportation facilities by water, by
improved highways, and particularly
by the development of the motor
truck. is OF the utmost Importance at
this time and will be of equal i'm
-portance after the war is ended.
Quick Development Now.
1t is a fact spoken Of as extraordi-
narily interesting. and one of which
the Director General of Railroads,
Mr.. McAdoo, has knowledge, that aft
er the lapse of 100 years the govern
nent of the United States is beginning
to- undertake the establishment of in
ternal waterway Improvement along
the lines advocated by John C. Cal-
houn, when he was Secretary of War.
Probably the reason why Caihoun's
plan lapsed was the sudden and
speedy very great development which
began a few years after Calhoun re-
tired from the office Of Secretary of
War to become Vice President of the
United States.
Very likely, as a result Of the ex-
perience which the extraordinary
emergency occasioned by the war will
furnish, the people all over the United
States, especially east Of the BIissis-
sippi River, will find that at last
adequate transportation and distribu-
tion facilities have been procured by
wise operations Of the railroads in CO.
operation with and by the Utilization
OF existing artificial waterways and
the wise and economic improvement
of natural waterways. supplemented
perhaps by the construction Of excel
lent highways over which motor