The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-05
REPORT MADE IN TOMB|GbEE WORKADVERSE
Government Engineers Claim CanaIization Of River Even Between DemopoIis And Co., lumbus Is Not Practicable NOT ENOUGH FREIGHT IN SIGHT TO JUSTIFY COST Major North Points Out That Even Warrior, With Rich Birmingham District, Has Not Paid Expenses


 The proposition submitted to the federal government for improvement of the Tombigbee river, Alabama and Mississippi and canal connecting the Tombigbee and Tennessee rivers, has received adverse report from the board of engineers for rivers and harbors at Washington, according to announcement received Wednesday by The Age Herald from Major Eari North, United States district engineer at Mobile. The engineers stated that the Mississippi river is sufficient for present and prospective needs of gulf port commerce originating beyond the mouth of the Tennessee river
 A preliminary examination was au- thorized by Congress September 22, 1922.
 Adverse Conclusions:
 Major North's communication gave the following adverse conclusions:
 The Mississippi river Is sufficient for the present and prospective needs of gulf port commerce originating beyond the mouth of the Tennessee river.
 The improvement and develop mont of the Tennessee river and contiguous territory is in its infancy and cannot reasonably be expected to furnish any important commerce for the proposed waterway for many years to come.
 "The country contiguous to the pro- posed waterway has no large indus trial enterprises and the commerce which it could be expected to fur nish the waterway would consist mainly of such agricultural and tim Der products as are produced in the comparatively small areas which are inaccessible to the railroads.
 While there is a large supply of timber that might move on the water way because of the present lack Of railroad transportation in certain To- calities, 1t is doubtful whether the an nual shipment of timber would be greatly increased as a result of the improvement.
 Shippers accessible to the rail- roads prefer rail transportation as evidenced by the fact that there is at present practically no river com merce, while this commerce was ex- tensive during the high-water samson before railroad transportation was available.
 The commerce that might reason ably be expected from the areas not provided with railroads would be too small to justify so extensive a sys- tenn of locks and dams.
 Benefits Purely Local.
 For these reasons it is believed that the proposed waterway should be considered as having only local benefits so far as immediate pros pects are concerned. Any improve ments for such purpose should natur- ally begin at the present head of the slackwater on the Tombigbee river near Demopolis and be eXtenN . gradually upstream, the fir7 section to be improved being that between
 
 as the canalized Warrior river has much greater resources from which to supply river traffic than the Tom bigbee river, and the fleet of boats being operated by the Misslsslppl- Warrior service of the war depart ment between Mobile ana the Dir mingham coal and iron district has not vet been able to show proflt after several years of operation, no Justification can be seen at present for canalization of the Tombi gbee river, even between Demopolis and Columbus.
 Privilege Of Appeal. .,
 You are further notified that all interested parties have the privilege of an appeal from this conclusion to the board of engineers for rivers anu harbors. permanent pody sltelns Washington, D. C., to which all eX- animation and survey. reports of this character are referred. Parties de- siring to do so may be heard, on ap- neal by the board, either orally or Tn writing. Written communications should be addresse to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors' Room 2711, Munitions building Washington, D. C., and should be mailed in time to be In the possess sion of the said board within four weeks from the date of this com munication. If, however, you have important data to communicate to the board, which cannot be collected r and put in shape for proper presenta- tion within four weeks, the board should be informed of this fact with out delay and request made for an extension of the limiting date for submitting information. If oral hearings are desired, dates for the same may be arranged for by cor rsspondence with the board.
 f'Any further information needed nay be obtained by application to
 (Continued on Page Two)