Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-09-17
WATERWAY DELAY
CAUSES CHICAGO.
LOSS OF MILLIONS.
NEWS WRITER POINTS OUT HOW
TRADE SUFFERS AS RESULT or
HIGH FREIGHT RATES.

That the delay in the construction
OF the illinois deep waterway is cost
Ing Chicago millions of dollars an.
nualy is an assertion made by Claude
o. Pike, "A stan correspondent, of the
Chicago Daily News, in an article il
that paper, Here is Pixies article.
Manufacturers ana shippers Of mer-
chandise which could be shipped by
water between Chicago and New Or,
leans, II proper transportation facili-
ties were available, are losing mil
lions OF dollars annually because OF
high railroad freight rates, according
to waterway engineers. On the basis
OF their figures there can be a saving
OF from $75 to $40 ton ON freight
brought up the river to Chicago from
New Orleans by barge "a against ship,
ment from New Orleans to New YORK
by water and thence by rail to Chi
cago
The importance Of such a saving
to manufacturers and others whose
requirements OF raw materials which
can thus be shipped aggregate thou
sands OF tons every year has been
called to the attention of state Of
ficials together with the request that
work be started at once deepening the
Illinois and Des Moines rivers.
ness see the saving of hundreds of
dollars in every one of the big barges
planned for Chicago-NeW Orleans
commerce. These barges will have a
capacity of 100 to $50 tons per trip,
and the saving. il is estimated viii be
at the lowest $50 per ton Nine such
barges viii make a tow for single
power boat.
Advantages Of New Type Baraes.
Proponents of Mississippi River
freight traffic development are max
ing much OF the advantages to be
derived from the new type Of river
barges In reply TO claims of rail-
roads that river traffic is too SLOW
they point out that the enormous
cargo capacity of the barges will en-.
able them to make up for the loss
OF a few days in deliveries Of ship.
ments
Each of the new type barges will
carry five freight train loads each 81
hny cars, each car loaded with thirty
tons, However. government figures
give fifteen tons az the average
freight ear load, so based on these
figures il will take ten freight trains
to transport such a shipment.
Engineers in close touch with The
plans for the new Illinois waterway
project suggest the proper barge 10.
Chicago to New Orleans operation
should be IA feet long and "a feet
wide, This would draw six feet three
inches of water and have a carrying
capacity Of 80 TO $50 tons
The locks 10 be constructed in the
Illinois and Des PLANES rivers under
present plans viii have suitable
length OF 600 feet. width of 10 fee;
and will be II feet deep. Engineers
believe docks of this size will be large
type OF barges that il will be pra,
ticable to operate on the Mississippi
River and its tributaries. The char
mel in the Desplaines River is to bf
dredged eight feet whore the bottom
is earth and ten feet where it is rock
as provided by the act authorizing tn,
waterway This depth will permit III,
passage Of 1850 tons of freight in on,
cargo shipment.
How Trade Will Be Benefited.
"Chicago's best know business an.
industrial heads, who have been study
ing tho problems Of the city's railroad
congestion, see in the coming water
ways development welcome relief
Traffic up and down the canal will re
lieve the freight terminals of the cit,
of heavy load and reduce drayae,
expenses of loop firms without TUNE
connections. II will also give III,
city an opportunity 10 compete witt
other river towns Of the state an,
with cities along the Mississippi.
southern Illinois wheat, corn an,
ether grains, which formerly foun,
their way to Chicago are now bein.
bought up by grain operators and sen
down the Mississippi to New Orlear,
for foreign shipment Even the Hen
nepin Canal is utilized by grain buy
ers to ship to Pekin and thence dowr
the Mississippi. These shipments. I
Is pointed out, could come to Chicag,
and through the great lakes when tn,
waterway is completed and bare,
lines are in operation"