Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-20
'NAVIGABLE RIVER
SHOWN PRACTICABLE
TContinucd from First Page.1


the conference together.
Continuing Major Gray said:
What OF the history OF the
attempts to make the Susquehanna
navigable? We are not the pioneers
The early settlers found in 1t
ready and practical means of COM
munication and transportation. In
1854 to 1867, George Washington
made a survey for the canalizing of
the stream from the bay to the Great
Lakes, urging the improvement as
an important development. AS
early as 1853 to ITO it was a sub
ject of investigation and legislative
action. In I771 1000 pounds were
appropriated and the Susquehanna
river was declared u public high
way and a navigable stream. In
1880 the War Department assigned
an engineer TO make surveys and
estimates. We are told this was wei
and carefully done but Congress dld
nothing. In 1889 5000 pounds were
appropriated, and from 1871 to 1893
$4,000 was appropriated. In 1895
an ad in the Oracle OF Dauphin,
the ancestors of the arrisburg Tel
egraph called for men who could
handle explosives to blast the rocks
out OF the SusQuehanna between the
mouth of the Juniata and the Swa-
tara creek stating they would have
generous wages. We learn that
large fiat boats were built and
loaded with hay, oats. corn, wheat
and other farm products and were
fioated down the river and delivered
not only at the towns along the Sus-
Quehanna, but as far away as Balti- !
more, Wilmington, Philadelphia ana
New York"
Rafting of logs was an industry |
and they were seen on the river
until recently. While building the |
Rockville bridge in 1901 several
large RATS came down the river
"In 1884 the question came up
again and survey by army en-
gineers was made, but both state
and National legislature refused to
act. Maryland took up the matter
in 1928 and IA party of enthusiasts
tic men made trip from Oswego'
New York state, to Harrisburg in
a fiat boat Harrisburg lead in the
efforts from 1927 to 1888. From
500 to /. 400 bushels of wheat We're
carried down the river on one boat
In these early days sometimes a dis
tance of 800 miles. Later came the
canal along its banks, mute eVi-
dence of which is still visible eX-
cept where the site of the old canal
is occupied by the right-of-way OF
the railroad. Filling up the canal
was a crime. The old canal was a
means at one time by which Phila-
delphia, New York, Wilmington.
Baltimore and other towns Nfare
supplied with coal. lumber. farm
produce and cattle. As recently as
1903 exhaustive study and compre-
hensive report on making the Sus-
quehanna navigable was made TO
the Harrisburg Board of Trade by
e. Z. WalIower, Benjamin Mead,
John w. German for the Committee
on Navigation. They declared 1t
feasible. possible, necessary. At
that time the manufacturing in
terests of Harrisburg represent
cd 446 industries. total cap
ital, $S,749.516. their output equaled
16,O54,597. Dauphin county totaled
UP capital of about $20,OOO.OOO !
with an output OF $40, 100000. After
fifteen years of steady growth, with
no statistics at hand. L venture to say !
they have more than tripled the cap
ital and the ouput. But what came
of it? What was the fruit of their
labor? Nothing. Why? Well the
time was not ripe, the subtle oppos-
ing influence was too strong, or both,
but the real reason was that the
people were not back OF 1t, the
necessity of a cheaper means of
transportation was not so pressing.
Railroads Expand
IS, mere we are with the his
tory \rougnt up To date. The rail-
roads were showing signs in 1903
of congestion. We were fevershly
completing and four-tracking long
stretches of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road: rushing the completion of the
Enola yards; starting the low grade
freight line along the river and
across the state from Pequea to
Trenton. Freight was increasing.
Two tracks would not carry it.
Larger locomotives, longer trains
were necessary. Additional rights
of-way were costing more, construc-
ton was becoming more expensive,
so had operation. Freight charges
have increased. You are paying for
all this. The railroads are doing
their best. They have reached their
limit unless they buy additional |
rights-of-w Build more tracks,
more and larger bridges, more and |
larger classification yards, more roll |
ing stock, more terminal facilities, I
more everything, all costlier than |
ever before, and always subject to |
rapid deterioration. We know it, |
Every businessman, every working |
man, every housekeeper in this audi |
ence has knowledge of the failure of |
our transportation. 1T is your fault |
and my fault and we must remedy 1t. |
What is the remedy for this sec |
ton of the keystone state? The !
canalizing of the Susquehanna river. |
Is it necessary? Yes. Can it be |
done in a reasonable length of time |
at a justifiable cost? 1t can. Those !
are uIrect questions and direct |
answers. 1t is necessary to increase |
our transportation facilities. 1t is |
necessary il for one reason only, and !
that is that coal, anthracite and |
bituminous. may be assured at lower
cost, and a certain supply shipped Z,
TO the New England states, New |
York, New Jersey, Eastern Penn
sylvania and Maryland"
Cheaper Transportation
THE Eastern coast is menaced !
with cold and priVation, their eX-
perielce last winter is likely to be |
repeated this. Pennsylvania out !
put of coal must not be restricted |
by inadequate transportation and !
the earnings of her people cut down. |
1t is necessary and justifiable If for
coal only.
1917-Bltuminous coal 100000
900.
1917-Anthracite coal 100000
600.
Second Justification
This is the second justification"
"It is over 300 miles from the !
mouth of the Susquehanna river |