The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-07-05
THE IDLE RIVERS

If any Kenuckan should take position upon promontoy
overlooking spend the day searching the stream with
field glasses of its participation the prosecution OF
the carrier of freight he would see an occasional steamer
of small capacity smaller carrying freight and pas
pgs landings excursion steamer or so taxing
oatoads Of women and children airing He would find the
river idle the important work of America concerned "
would see no evidence of reached the stream run
ming silently wooded shores its bosom bare OF the ees
of freight barge might support In the of the sixties some OF
the fighting upon the rivers In this war as yet hardly any
of the shipping upon Them although the Mississippi ana M
tributaries from which must come large part OF he
war supplies of all kinds draining the convenient gulf ports
The St Dispatch reminds Director General McAdoo
Of the Federy Railroads. that the Inland and Coase
Waterways Committee appointed by him approved plan to establish
an eight foot which engineers said would be feasible
naugurae freight hauling in bargs between OF LOUIS anu ~
Orleans The Dispatch points that the same committee rec
commended spending 100000 provide for the use OF the new
acna and that this has been DONE out a ~
Mississippi project has been neglected
following appeal is made:
Unless transportation other than the railroads. ut
ing congsed Eastern harbors and terminals fouhu ana
utilized be increased shortage OF cars an
congestion transportation the lines open to frame Inc
other transportation lies ready to your hand IN the water
ways Mississippi Valley If these waterways are reVeopeu
and will take the coal to the industries ana t poue
of the factories the seaboard.
Mississippi Valley asks to utilize the great system OF
waterways has provided The people OF the valley urge
you develop possibilities of the rivers and the territory
they drain , go
The Mississippi and its tributaries sweep by lmes
coal They pass the greatest grain fields IN the world h
reach vast ore deposits forests of umer they tap
districts in the heart of coal fields which can be developed
indefinitely
The Fuel Administration has recognized the urgent requirement
of the situation by prohibiting further industrial development IN the
East and Northeast except absolutely essential extensions 1t is
dverng the West where there is an abundance OF
coal and other unused DVrng mdS
tries to the West however solve the transportation problem
The Ohio tributary Mississippi natural outlet from
the coal fields Pennsylvania West Virginia and Kentucky and
from timber the region The ONO skirts the
southern boundaries Indiana and Illinois and the northern
is
ory products it bore freight oil all
kinds and passengers great coal fleets single tug transporting
more coal than freight with mOgu engines could pull
Nowadays shortage of is referred to when sucen co
remains bare can fly
That Mississippi its tributaries could be made TO pear
freight than be borne by the railroad equipment winch
provided with the outlay and IN the same time seems
the will necessate recogm
ton strategic the system OF the Middle west
seems certain its value recognized the better for
the the freight problem of the war-Courier ourna