The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-04-08

When barge starts from st. Louis
to New Orleans it doesn't tie up until
it gets there. Between here and New
Orleans, railroads change engines as
often as six or seven times.
"There is no truth in the contention
that the development Of the river
menaces the railroads. In fact. such
development will aid rather than ham
dicap the roads. 1t will increase their
business in time; that fact has been
again and again in the history Of wa
terways development the world over.
Continental Europe has developed
%, 900 miles of waterways while
America has a paltering little 1000
miles that may be said to be in use,
"St. Louis is the hub and center of
the greatest system of waterways in
the world, as the Mississippi River
and it's navigable tributaries embrace
5000 miles of navigable rivers. With
this great system of water highways
put in to use as mediums of transpor-
tation, St. Louis would inevitably be-
come one of the greatest industrial
centers in the world. This desirable
consumption is obtainSble, and ev-
cry loyal citizen of St. Louis should
work for it's accomplishment.
1.-THE development of the Mississippi
river as the traffic artery Of America
will not only help st. Louis, it will in
time make the Mississippi Valley the
greatest industrial district in the
world. It will make New Orleans Sec
ond only to New York as a port for
foreign shipping. E
"The new equipment for the upper
Mississippi will also be completed
within the next three or four months,
and the proposed movement for carry
ing Illinois coal to st. Paul and Mime
apolis for distribution in the North
west, and bringing the Minnesota iron
ores to st. Louis for use in our fur
naces, will then be fully established.
This arrangement will enable st. Louis
furnaces to obtain the Minnesota ores
at much lower freight rates than are
now enjoyed by either Cleveland or
Pittsburgh, which fact will lead to the
possibility of st. Louis becoming one
of the great iron and steel centers of
the United States.
"Three million acres of land now
untouched in the South will get their
first chance for development when riv-
err navigation opens. The value Of
, the project to the entire Mississippi
, Valley in dollars and cents staggers
the Imagination. In time it will rur
into the billions of dollars. 1t is sig.
nificant that both political parties rec.
p ognize the need for waterway develop
ment. Encouragement of the pro.
:. gram was an outstanding feature o.
e Ine parry pidI1orHS'
A zone other point should be mad,
f clear. The opening of river naviga
q ton makes St. Louis the nations new
est seaport. 1t has the effect of plac
e ing the city OH the coast This is tn,
n time for st. Louisans to make an eff
g fort to expand their foreign trade ia
e cilities. With proper effort st. Loui
o can become internationally known a
|. foreign trade center of America
Il perhaps on equal rank with Chicag
: and New York. It is only question
e Of seeing the opportunity and gettini
d headstart on other American cities
q "The operation of the Federal Barg
q line opens up tremendous foreigl
v trade possibilities. Their proper de
h velopment will make the city one o
y the foremost in America. Think o
1.-The new industries that will be at
e tracted here because of st. Louis ia
i vorable location, her proximity to ra,
is materials and lower transportatio
~ rates. The barge line should be re
g garded as means enabling the cit