The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-06-06

American States and South America
both by way of the Panama Canal and
by way of the Atlantic.
The Railroad Administration and
Shipping Boards are now attempting
to perfect working connecting be-
tween the ports and the railroads with
intent to have commerce more even
ly distributed among the ports. II
that can be done then much of the eX-
cessive volume Of trade with which
the railroads that carried traffic to
and from the Northern ports have
been overburdened, would be relieved
because no small part of this traffic
can, by direction of the Government
authorities, be diverted to railroads
that are not overburdened and that
have direct connection with South
ern ports.
This somewhat difficult problem to
solve has been placed In the hands of
a committee, which is to be known as
Port, Harbor and Terminal Improve
ment Commission. Highly competent
men are members of this commission.
The chairman of 1t is Edward e. Hur-
ley, who is Director of Operations OF
the Shipping Board. So also the army
and navy are to be represented on this
commission. The individual members
are Benjamin l.. Winchell, Samuel NJ.
FELTON,, Captain A. c. HOdgson, George
S. Dearborn, ]. H. Rosster and Edwin
F. Gay.
Should this commission be able, as
it probably will be, to solve the prob
lem speedily, then there will be estab-
lished complete and efficient integra-
ton of the land and water systems at
the Atlantic and the gulf ports. This
should be of almost incalculable ad-
vantage to the Government should the
war be continued another year or
more but it will also be of inestimable
Importance in maintaining and in
creasing our foreign trade when the
time of peace comes. One of the au-
thoritieh who have been considering
this question recently said:
Zone of the big questions with
which this commission is to deal in
wolves the best method of shortening
land hauls, thereby relieving some of
the railroads and at the same time in
creasing the volume Of the traffic
hauled by others"
There are now upon the South At
lantic and the gulf ports as good as
any over which our flag floats to
which traffic, provided railroad coop
Grafton can be perfected, can be eco
nomically and satisfactorily forward
ed. IL this be done no small part of
the congestion at New York Harbor
will be relieved. One of the reasons
why there has been delay in transpor-
ting supplies across the sea is to be
found In the congested condition at
New York.
Before the war much the greater
part Of the imports of the United
States and substantially one half of
the exports were concentrated in the
harbor of New York. Many were the
attempts made to divert traffic to 9TH
err parts, but these were on the whole
unsuccessful. 1t is partly due to that
which was established long
before the war began, and which has
made New York the pre-eminent COM
mercial port that this congestion of
traffic in New York Harbor has con-
tinued.
II should be to the advantage of |
New York If considerable part of the
traffic were diverted to Southern
ports. For in that way New York can
handle commercial business which
comes to 1t, and which will always
be large, more expeditiously than it
Is now possible to handle it.
One of the latest and certainly one
Of the greatest of the achievements OF
the late Norman B. Beam is now visi-
bly, demonstrated at Charleston. II
furnishes an object lesson whereby
4 railroad good Southern port facili-
lies. Mr.. Ream, with few associates,
planned and then constructed one of
he best OF Americas railroads so far
rs science and equipment are con-
,erned, whereby the Clinchfleld coal
district was made available for in
iustry.
The railroad proper terminates at
Spartanburg. S. c. At that point con-
nection is made with another road by
means of which Charleston is reached
Mr.. Ream contemplated the erection
Of great coal terminal facilities at
Charleston. He did not live long