The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-11
Topeka STATE JOURNAL 5
INFORMATION BUREAU
FREDERIC j. HASKIN, Director,
Washington, D. c.
THE CASE FOR BETTER CANALS.
Persons Interested in Their Improve
mcnt Say Canals Might Have Pre-.
vented the. Coal Shortage.
Washington, D. c.

the timely claim that if the canals in
this country had been we'll equipped,
adequately deepened and connected
into a well-planned system, the pres
ent coal shortage could not have oc-
.curred, proponents of inland water
way improvement are making an eff
fort to have the government take over
the canals of the country along with
the railroads, and improve and eX-
tend them.
Representative j. Hampton Moore
of Pennsylvania is the leader in the
mouse of the movement for an extend
ed system of canals owned by the
government. He is the president of
the Atlantic Deeper Waterways asso-
citation, which has been working for
decade to induce congress to link
the natural and artificial sheltered
Waterways of the Atlantic coast into
continuous passage from Maine to
Florida.
Representative Moore has also in
trodueed a bill providing that the gov
eminent shall take over and operate
the, old Chesapeake and Ohio canal
which runs along the Potomac river
from the capital to Cumberland, Md.
1t is claimed that with a little i'm
provement this canal would, afford
complere relief from the increasingly
serious coal and food shortage in
Washington. The proponents of canal
improvement are inclined to use it as
an example of what our canals are,
and what they might be. For this pic
turesque waterway once brought to
Washington a large part of it's food
from the rich region lying between the
capital and the mountains, and from
the mountains themselves it brought
coal. In those days it carried eight
hundred boats drawn by mules. Then
this canal, like a number of others,
passed into the ownership of a railroad
paralleling its course, and imm ediate-
ly suffered great decrease in bust
ness. Some of the same canal boats
still follow it, drawn, the observer is
tempted to say, by some of the same
mules. But there are only Sixty-five
boats. The argument is made that if
it is profitable to bring coal from the
mountains in sixty-five boats, it would
certainly be profitable to use several
hundred or thousand of them: there
is certainly no lack of demand for the
coal. But the railroad having been
allowed to kill the canal, Washington
has nothing to fall back upon, now
that the railroads have failed it. The
same story, in all essentials might be
told of several canals and canalized
rivers in Pennsylvania.
The large purpose of the canal adj
vocates. however, is to promote their
inland waterway from New England
to the far South. This project has
been steadfastly advocated for ten
years by the War and Navy Depart
ments, who say it would have great
value in time of war, and by congress
men from the coastal sections which
would benefit directly by the improve
ments. 1t has been opposed to SOME
extent by railroads with which this
waterway would compete in Carrying
coal and lumber, and by the inland
representation in congress which al
ways has difficulty in seeing the value
of coastal improvements. These oppo-
nents have of course brought forward
the familiar pork-barrel argument.
Now that the government has taken
over operation of the railroads, the
question, What about the canals?
naturally arises. The measure which
congress is considering provides for
taking over all systems of transport
ation and their appurtenances. but
the advocates of improved canals will
try to have inserted in the law some
specific clause designating canals by
name. and providing for their i'm
provement and operation by the
government.
Their hands are further strengthen
ed by the undeniable value of such a
system of coastal canals for defensive
purposes. Everyone knows how Ger
many has made use of the Kiel canal
as a safe base for her operations in
the North Sea. The Waterways asso-
ing map showing just how our fleet
might be bottled up, if separated, in
three different harbors on the Atlantic
Coast, and how it would be unable
under present conditions to unite for
attack; while if the projected New
Jersey ship canal were completed, the
Chesapeake and Delaware canal deep
ened and He'll Gate relieved of certain
distractions, the union could be eff
l,fected with ease. This map was such
a of L ecG
that the government requested 1t
should not be given wide distribution.
A seven-foot waterway. such as is
now advocated to connect the two
ends of the Atlantic coast, would not
be of service in maneuvering ships.
But by converting certain parts of the
system into ship canals it could be
made of great service, while all of it
could be used for moving supplies.
Secretary Daniels has strongly advo-
Gated the completion of this canal for
its naval value, and all of the various
projects involved have been approved
by the board of engineers of the war
department
As to the value of such a system of
inland waterways in time of peace,
two principal arguments are advanced.
In the first place it is claimed that
the commerce now carried from
north to south by the coastwise sailing
fleet could be transported much more
safely. and in the long run more
cheaply by barges plying this canal.
In the ten years from 1899 and 1909,
according to figures given by the sec
rotary of the navy, Sis vessels were
lost or damaged along the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts. with a total money
loss of $4,000, 900. Inasmuch as the
total estimated cost of an Atlantic
in+racoastal waterway would be but
SAL 900, it is claimed that the
project would soon pay for itself in
the vaIlle of the lives and property
which would be saved by the use of
the safe inland route.
The other argument as to the in
dustrial value of such a canal system
most commonly brought forward is
that il would greatly aid in the de.