Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-16
To Make Lake Cities Ocean Ports

part in moving high tonnage values
over long distances: the highways will
carry high tonnage value over short
distances and the tonnage of low
value will be carried for long distances
/ hy the Nations waterways.
And as he refuses to compare the
value Of rail. water and highway
transportation filing its own
role-so he refuses 10 he beguiled into
comparison of the economic value
ut the country's various waterway
! developments or projected develop
ments. Sitting at his desk last week,
ouffng Il cigar and drawing trlangleS
on scratch pad while he talked, he
mentioned four great waterway pro-
lects necessary for development, but
which do not lend themselves to COM
parison among themselves because
lhev all are necessary.
There is the Mississippi inland
waterway system. for instance, which
will he completed within five or six
years. which has received it's appro-
priations from Congress. and which
will open a waterway of 5000 miles
from Chicago TO the Gulf.
There is necessary engineering work
needed to stabilize the levels of the
Great Lakes. ffuctuation of which
hampers navigation. \ definite pro
gram is called for there.
There is the completion of the
inUacoastal canal system, another
economic necessity
And there is the st Lawrence
waterway, to give egress TO the sea
from the great Middle West.
X
OF the advantages to he derived
from the latter, Mr., Hoover mentioned
the resulting Strengthening of our
merchant marine. one subject upon
which the United States St Lawrence
Commission. does not touch. But
it's significance becomes apparent
upon study of statistics. In inter
coastal and coastwise traffic. n chan
mel connecting the Great Lakes with
the Atlantic. Gulf and Pacific coast
ports would promote a minimum
transit of traffic, it is estimated
totaling 100000 tons. Opening the
Great Lakes to ocean going ships
would add in effect. an immense
stretch of sea coast to the Nation.
There are ~ cities bordering the
Great Lakes. with population of
1920 census. On the Atlantic Coast
there are 81 such cities. with 12,717,-
S4S people On the Gulf there are
IA such cities. with population of
2,645. 431 people. and on the Pacific
Coast there are % such cities, with
a population of . .2S5, sos. The annual
coastwise and intracoastal trade OF
the United States would be increased
through the st. Lawrence River by
90 per cent. The merchant marine $
strength comes from such intercoastal
and coastwise trade. Upon. its sur
vival and hardy growth depends the
expansion of the merchant marine as
a whole.
The savings in the cost of trans
portation of fuel and the consumption
of coal are other factors which con-
stitute a tremendous item TO be CON
sidered, AR. Hoover said. in the
development Of the st. Lawrence
waterway. The industries requiring
coal would receive power generated
by the river There would be no dele
terious effect on the coal business by
cutting off the huge consumption of
coal, because the transfer from fuel
10 water would be gradual, taking
place over period of years and
ments. AS a conservation measure
alone this change would be important.
Mr.. Hoover bluntly disposed of the
question of cost by stating, as he
rapidly drew another triangle and
paused a moment while a street car
banged loudly over the switches on
the streets far below, that the values
to the farmers alone in a single year
would pay for the capital cost of con-
structing the seaway. The method
Of meeting the cost must be determined
later. he said, but apparently he con-
siders that a question of less impor-
lance. Nor has there been any dis
cussion thus far of the proportionate
to be borne by the United States and
Canada, should they agree
X ); *
Designed to accompany the com
missions report on the feasibility of
the ST Lawrence project. the Depart
ment of Commerce has completed an
exhaustive study OF the economic eff
fects of constructing the st. Law
renee seaway. This report win be
available in a few weeks and will
show some interesting facts. Among
them, for instance, are the following:
The ST. Lawrence waterway would
carry approximately So, 1919, 900 bushels
of wheat for export from North Da-
kota, South Dakota. Nebraska. part
of Montana, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana.
Ohio, Minnesota, large part of Kan
sas and Missouri, small parts of
Oklahoma and parts of other Mid
western States. This amount would
be 81 per cent of the total of wheat
exports.
The waterway would carry 1896
per cent of the total export meat
products provided the proper refrig-
Grating facilities were made avail
able, from the Midwest amount
equal to 304,732 tons.
Seventeen and nine -tenths per cent
of the total wheat -four for export, or
3,044 1875 barrels, would be available
for shipment through the st. Law
renee.
Sixteen and seven-tenths per cent
of iron and steel sheets for export. or
1921 tons, would move over this
route.
Forty-two per cent of certain types