New Britain herald., 1922-05-25
DISCUSS PLANS FOR
 IMPROVED SHIPPING
Would Make Conn. River NaYi- gable for Unlimited Commerce

Hartford May 25.-"We are soon going to improve your Connecticut river so that you can bring lumber from Oregon and other products from all parts of the country" said Con gressman s. Wallace Dempsey of New York, chairman of the congressional committee on rivers and harbors, at the Hotel Bond in this city last night during the course of his remarks while taking the negative side of a debate conducted before a large and interested audience as one of the principal events of the annual meet ing of the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce now being held The af- firmative side of the question was taken by former Congressman J. Adam Bede of Minnesota Both speakers were eloquent in support of their claims.
 The debate was attended by be- tween 800 and 500 persons, including large number of women. The Colonial male quartet sang several se lections. during the evening.
 Railroad situation.
 E. Kent Hubbard, of Middletown, presided and gave a brief introduc- tory talk telling of the initiative taken by Connecticut in getting the CO., operation of the other New England states in an effort to improve the rail- road situation. Of equal importance was the st. Lawrence project, the topic under discussion at the meeting. MT. Hubbard then introduced the first speaker, Mir. Bede,
 In opening his argument MT. Bede said his cause was just and that it was not intended to put anything over on anybody" Buffalo waA against the project because of
 rakeof' on freight transfers. Mon- trea objected on the same reason, and New York too, because that city wanted all the commerce to go through that city. The farmer and producer. of the West have much cheaper transportation because of the projected improvement. There would be a saving of seven cents a bushel.
 Cent Mile.
 It is now possible to ship grain from Duluth to Buffalo, 1000 miles, for a cent a mile. Buffalo was nearer Liverpool than New York. The cost to ship grain from Buffalo to New York was 13 cents a bushel for only 400 miles. The consumer in the East would profit just as much as the farmer in the west. Wheat was from Argentine to Liverpool for 10 cents bushel. The cost from Duluth to Liverpool was 23 cents. fai, to h o nd n on the American former?
 Benefit to Country.
 If the St. Lawrence canal were opened the country at large would profit greatly. If was not fair to inn pose a handicap on the producer on account of the sefshness of New York. Cars to ship products were to obtain and cattle died on the plains in large numbers be- cause food gould not be obtained for them. Lakeland canal transportation was much quicker. There were tie ups on the railroads and troubles at loading points. The Panama and Suez canals had done much, and the canal from Liverpool had helped both cities. Claims of the opposition that the 1reeZlnE or tne ot' Ld"lehee would hinder greatly were not sup ported by facts The canal would also give New York and New Eng land a large amount of electrical energy. Claims of costs in excess of estimates were not true. Ships could l be used both on the canal and on the | ocean. The canal would be 30 feet deep, thus allowing 99 per cent. of all ships to enter, he said.