The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-07
Vast Traffic and River
Control System Planned
For Central States

= =
ment for waterway to the Gulf of
Mexico is attracting the attention of
city governments and civic organiza-
tions along the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers.
Steel companies are showing their
practical interest by shipping as much
as possible of their products in
bargcs to southern points; farmers
are urging the creation or trunk
line river system, and city councils are
passing resolutions urging their con-
gressional representation to support
and government movement the pro-
jcct may have. Already the councils
Of Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Louisville
Parkcrsburg and Cairo have taken
action, while resolutions are pending
GufCre the Councils of Wheeling, Gin
cinnati, Evansville, Memphis, Kansas
City, ST. Paul, and Minneapolis.
Chambers Of Commerce in Cincinnati,
Pittsburgh, Parkersbure, Louisville,
Evansville, Memphis and New Or
leans have passed similar resolutions.
The project is based on plans pre-
pared by the corps of engineers o.
the United States army calling for the
completion of the Ohio river slack
water system which is an open river
below Evansville; deepening the chan
mel of the Mississippi to six feet be-
tween Minneapolis and st. Louis;
q, I.r;n ,,l,
Mississippi between st. Louis and
Cairo; the maintenance of a nine foot
channel in the Mississippi from Cairo
TO New Orleans, and the opening of
the Missouri to navigation between ST.
Louis and Kansas City. These plans
when carried out, the army engineers
say, would give a 1000 mile water
highway between Pittsburgh and New
Orleans and one of equal length be-
| tween Minneapolis and New Orleans.
Projects for a canal between Lake
Erie and the Ohio River are now be-
ing urged from Pittsburgh, Cincin-
natl and other points. Congress has
alread" made some provision for sur
veys for these waterways and their
propor cnts are uring speedy decision
as to the best route and commence
ment Of the work
Coordinate with these river naviga
ton proposals are projects for stor-
ing food waters to be released IL
periods of dry weather, thus aifordng
protection from flood damages and as
surinG stream navigation in times of
low water. In part, for this purpose
Pennsylvania has permitted the Unit
ed States government to enter and
purchase cut-ovcr timberlands at the
headwartcrs Of the Allegheny river
one Of the principal feeders of the
Ohio. The territory thus set aside is
to be,lFnaA,n 81 the Allegheny Ma.
tional Forest, and will be supervised
and managed exactly as forest re.
serves in the far west. One million
acres have been aic ed to this res
ervat!on, of which abllt 100000 arc
now being taken over by the federal
government.
Hydro-electric power pro iects in the
Allegheny and Blue Ride mountains
Of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and
Kentucky, are also under way which
it is anticipated by men experienced
in river navigation and flood control
Will DO their part toward decreasing
flood risks and assuring full time nav
liability of the rivers. One of these
projects is situated on the Clarion
river, tributary Of the Allegheny
in Pennsylvania, and is already under
construction. IL proposes to impound
all the water of the river in the sea
son of full banks, and after using it
for generating power, permit it to
flow out in dry weather a; a given
rate per day which, it is stated, will
materially benefit water transporta
| ton down the Allegheny and Ohio
rivers.
During the past year the Ohio river
has sen the sudden development Of a
heavytonnage of steel products trans
ported from Pittsburgh and Wheel
ing in steel barges, to points along
the Mississippi and Ohio for local use
and for transhipment by rail into
western and southwestern states. The
Jones & Laughlin Steel company has
been regularly sending out tow of
bargcs once month, each transport
ing many thousands of tons of it's
products at considerable economies in
transportation costs. Other large
| producers Of steel have been making
use Of the Ohio and Mississippi i'm like
manner.
Incident to the general scheme are
proposals from Ohio river points and
| from Chicago and other Illinois cities
! for connections to be made between
the great lakes and the river system
of the Mississippi basin. Such con-
nections, it is staed, would give this
country system of waerways as
freight carriers which could not be
duplicated in any other country in the