The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-05-31

Lakes -Tidewater association, an or
eanization pledged to making of a
waterway from the Great Lakes
ports to the Atlantic ocean. Mr..
Craig knows his subject from every
angle and while an enthusiast over
the possibilities, he keeps carefully
10 moderation in his printed word.
The benefits from such a waterway
are vast. the opposition not great
and there is every reason to believe
work on the project will soon be
under way)
THE west seeks the way TO the
sea. 1t Is the age-long desire of
land-locked people. Hon. w. B.
Mckinley.
This movement to give the middle
west a direct outlet to the sea by
way of the Great Lakes and the st.
Lawrence has been under way for
more than generation. Indeed,
there has been no time since the fur
traders first began going up through
the lakes and rivers to the north
west but that some project was
'nooted for broadening and smooth
ing the channels by which their
traffic moved. The foolish little
canal that would barely flot q Cana
feet of water; Clinton's ditch, con-
Meeting the port OF New York with
the lakes 100 years ago; the Cana
dian channels thrice deepened, and
the progressive deepening of rhe
passages between the upper lakes,
have all been steps toward the long
sought purpose of n way from the
west to the sea large enough for
ships.
Montreal as a Port.
Today boats come up from the
ocean thousand miles as far as
Montreal, which has become in tom
mage the second port on the north
Atlantic seacoast. During this last
season Montreal handled twice as
much gram as ever before in its his
tory and approximately as much as
all other American ports. Even
with the handicap OF the present
obsolete canals between Lake Erie
and the head of ocean navigation,
the st. Lawrence route Is the most
economical from the middle west
and northwest to the ocean.
From the head of the lakes to the
foot of Lake Erie vessels go a thou
sand miles. the cheapest water car.
riage in the world: When Canada
has finished building the Welland
Lake Ontario, they will add $50
miles between the western lake
ports and the deep sea channel.
Ono Dam Needed.
To pass the rapids in this 100
miles IL needs only one dam to
make the Upper reaches of the river
into a level pool and two short ca
mails. 33 miles of canal in ALL to
connect the natural pools OF Lake
st. Francis and Lake st. Louis above
Montreal. The cost has been esti-
mated by the engineers for the two
governments at $3.50, 100000 or
s270,O00,000, and the proposed dam
will develop 1,464,000 horsepower
OF electric energy, which will yield
revenue great enough to pay for the
whole cost OF the undertaking.
Eighteen states and any number
OF organizations within these states
have associated themselves to gain
fulfillment of this age-long desire
TO find the way to the sea. The in
ternational joint commission TO
which 1t was referred by the two
governments has declared unequiv-
ocally that the project is ecpnomi-
cally sound and feasible. 1t was
referred TO the international Joint
commission because. as the major
part of the proposed improvements
lie along the boundary, it is neces-
sarily an affair for international
Jurisdiction.
Executives Approve.
President Harding and several
members of his cabinet, notably
Secretary Hoover. are as definitely
committed to the improvement and
conversations have already begun
looking to an agreement between
the United States and Canada as to
the steps to be taken by the two
countries in concert for making
this improvement. Whenever such
an agreement is perfected, upon it'
ratification by congress and by the
proceed.
1t is needed. II is desperately
needed. Two years ago the trans
portation system of the United
states broke down. Two years oil
-FOUR years hence. when bushes,
comes to something like its norma
volume, me transportation system
OF the United States is confronted
oy another catastrophe. The vol
lme of railroad business" say
Elisha Lee, vice president OF tn,
every 10 years" The railroads
have made no provision. can max,
no provision. for carrying a doubl,
load, Within the decade ever,
possible transportation facility will
pe sorely needed. No scheme o
Iallroad construction is possibl,
mat will meet the need without IN,
help OF waterways and there is NJ
other waterway project that cal
ease the railroads OF much of thei
burden, and especially the burdel
OF the peak load. as this improve
ment which will admit ocean goinl
commerce 10 the lakes.
By the reed of 40,000.0 900 peopl,
tnls remedy is to be sought. Thl
Improvemt mt is to be authorized
ana completed at the earliest posi-
Die moment.