The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-03
For the Good of
 The Community

TWENTY odd years ago the government began the ] improvement of the Warrior river by building series of locks and dams which would eventually open up that stream for commercial operations. Seventeen of these locks and dams have been constructed and navigation the year round by vessels having sixfoot draught is possible from Cordova, 30 miles northwest of Brmin gham to Mobile
 In the construction of these locks and dams the ernment has expended over S17000,o0O, and through this expenditure and the wise policy of the government in fostering water transportation, maintaining the river in navgabe condition without direct expense to the people who might it, it has made available channel through which several million tons of freight may annually be transported.
 Not only did the government build the locks and dams and provide for their perpetual maintenance at government expense, but under the control of the United States railroad administration, brought into ex stence during the against Germany 1t lnaugu- rated boat and barge service at present capable ot caring for between 900 and 500 00 tons of freight one way annually and additional equipment already contracted for and to be put in commission during the present year. will increase the carrying capacity to approximately 1,O0O,OOO tons way.
 In the meantime, Birmingham is producing tonnage far in excess of the present and prospective maximum capacity of the river craft, which must seek markets to the south of along the gulf and south Atlantic coasts in Cuba Mexico, Central and South America, and which by of water transportation, can be laid at the ports of these countries at much less expense than by rail and water. Shipping by water means the annual saving to Birmingham of hundreds of thousands of dollars in the of freight charges
 The government having made the river navigable from Birmingham's door to the Gulf of Mexico and provided vessels to the freight has gone as far as it can under existing laws. is, therefore, to Birmingham to provide of transferring the freight to and from Birmingham and the Warrior river.
 The Warrior river development committee is work ing on this programme at present It is understood that the committee is Investigating the cost of building and maintaining railway and roadways, and its re- ports to be made sometime hence may point the way In the meantime, the plans of the government are gradually developing, too much time cannot be judi ciously be lost at this end of the line.
 It has been suggested that Jefferson county work her convicts on the building of permanent highway between Birmingham and the Warrior river-a road way that would benefit the entire county In line with this suggestion it is stated that by using the county convicts the roadway could be built at much less pense than by contract by the of free labor der the supervision of the county authorities
 Assuming that the cost of the 30 miles of hard road from Birmingham to the Warrior would be $600,00O or about $20,OOO mile, and with the of county convicts this would be materially essened, the cost to Birmingham and Jefferson county would be slight y more per cent of the amount expended by the government in making the river navigable and equip ping it with commercial craft, insignificant when the and the potential development of Birmingham and the Birmingham district taken into consideration Interest bonds to build the highway floated at per cent the legal rate in Ala bama, would be only $48,000 year, assuming the more expensive material used in constructing it. The county however, would be able to borrow at from to per cent, thereby reducing the interest charge to something like SPA 900 to $30,00O year; truly small for this rich county to pay out an- nually for such great enterprise.
 Since powerful motor trucks have come into general use trucks with capacity ranging up to 4000 and 5000 tons each, cargo of freight could be hauled from Birmingham to the river from the river to Birmng ham almost as quickly by raU. nd could be dev- cred at the door of the conslgn. in Birmingham loaded at the shippers dc fr pment to the river, thereby saving the delay and qense of double or treble hauling.