Omaha daily bee., 1921-11-05
Father of Waters
Again Artery Of
Transportation
Government Barge Lin
Proves Mississippi River
Can Be Used as Traffic
Carrier at Profit.
BY HOLLAND.

'pt oHsS ~ iCdst TIC SHiteu SNa'Ne
government has made money in a
business enterprise which II started
when the war vas in progress. Ac-
curate figures obtained by the Manu-
facturers Record OF Baltimore show
that the government barge line on
the lower Mississippi river from ST.
Louis to New Orleans earned In five
months OF this year, beginning with
April, $4,000 more than il cost to
operate this line. These are mo-
mentous figures for they dem
ons,ra,e that once more the Mis-
sissippi river has become one OF
the great arteries OF transportation as
it was until railroad competition i'm
paired il.
The Mississippi and the Hudson have al
ways been chief In waterway transporta-
ton In the United States. running from
the north to the south. and both empty
ing into the sea. For many years. how
fell off upon the Mississippi It seemed 20
have permanently ended. In 1852. which
was the year when traffic by means OF
the mississippi was at Its height, a little
over 900 steamboats, found their northern
terminal ut ST. Louis. each boat capable OF
accepting a load OF 26 tons and that was
thought great achievement. But the
mover. s. S1Tss line wh sos
tons capacity, has handled more freight
In and out OF 81. Louis on the river in
the five months since April Of this year
than was handled by all the steamboats, In
the entire year OF 1882. This has been
done at . profit and the success OF this
enterprise initiated by the government Is
regarded as making 1t certain that the
Mississippi valley. which is bisected by
the river extending to st. Paul, taking
In the Missouri. the Ohio and the Illinois
rivers. u sure to become the center OF
one OF the greatest Interpretations move
ments In the United States.
For many years the belief was main
tained that as transportation carrier ex-
ceptlng Tor some small craft the Missis-
pean war compelled the government to
take advantage of every active or inactive
transportation facility, The government
officers considered the Mississippi and dis
four miles an hour and this over the
nfn miles between New Orleans and st.
Louis.
Need Of Transportation.
Nevertheless the government. facing this
obstacle, decided to quicken the Misslssippi
PEELED to build a vast amount OF equip
Inent The cement industry before the
European var began had already utilized
with success the upper Mississippi De
> traffic was trifle in comparison with
that which the government sought to
secure. Congress aided the government
by enactlng a law whereby the Interstate
roads from making rates upon the lines
which parallel the navigable rivers so
small as to put river competition to an
end. The government barge line also Sc
cures a differential Of 20 per cent under
railroad rates.
This barge line has saved shippers in
the five months since April $l75.OoO.
The total river tonnage at st. Louis in
1859 a. reported by the Manufacturers
Record was nearly $4,000. The gov
eminent barge line will have this fall
capacity OF 1900. 900 tons
One Immediate effect of the demon
stration made by the government that 1t
is possible to transport heavy traffic up
and down the Mississippi and to do 1t
is a saving for the shippers, Is shown by
the utilization Chicago Is now making of
this barge line. Both Chicago and st.
Louis have learned that they can cans eas NY
trade upon the Pacific coast by way of
the Panama canal II they utilize, these
waterways which the government is now
90 successfully operating upon.
The government officers wondered at
first whether 1t would be possible to Sc
cure profit-earning freight both ways. that
10 to say. that which Is delivered At s.:
or the Pacific coast and on the other
hand gain equally profitable return freight.
But in the five months since April 1t has
been found that the movement OF freight
both ways 10 about equal, that is to say
from ST. Louis southerly and from New
Orleans or the Panama canal northerly.
The farmers have been sending freight
and grain in large amounts by the govern.
ment barges, for they have learned that
they can save about cents o bushel IN
the cost Of grain movement. The barges
take on at New Orleans molasseS, Oil,
sugar and eisal.
Now that the demonstration has been
made OF the recovery OF the MISSISSIPPI
river to It's former position as one OF the
great traffic carriers of the United states,
confidence prevails throughout the entire
Mississippi valley respecting the available
itv Of water transportation. The state
OF Illinois realizes this and feels justifed
in spending $40, 600. 600 so that the Illinois
and the Chicago rivers can be connected.
ST. Louis is so firmly convinced OF the
permanent recovery of the Mississippi that
the city IL building modern docks when
are very large, with admirable freignt
handling machinery. New Orleans when
formerly was the second American port;
will spend all the money for dock ana
freight handling facilities that Is needed
il 1t can in that way regain It's former
prestage. By-and-by the government,
having demonstrated the Transportation
value Of the Mississippi and its tributaries,
will probably aell the ownership OF us
barge line to private interests and these
upper Mississippi. the Ohio. the Missouri
and the Illinois The recovery of the
Mississippi and It's tributaries Is one OF
the unexpected and perhaps the most
highly gratifying results which have come
from the emergencies which the govern
ment was compelled to meet anu OVER
come In war days.