The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-07-23
LAKES WATERWAY
WILL BE FINISHED
! soon, SAYS EDITOR
A. q. Moreaux Predicts All On.
position to Project Will
Vanish Shortly

Not an echo but, in a sense, an an
swer to what was said on the Great
Lakes-St. Lawrence waterway at the
Aberdeen session Of the northwest
shippers regional advisory board
meeting last April, A. O. Marceaux,
publisher of the Rock County Herald,
Luverne, Mimi. today delivered to- the
board a talk on the same project, In
which he indicated that the oppo-
sition to the waterway was giving way
and that the undertaking soon may
become a reality.
The paper at the Aberdeen meeting
was considered u%nfrtendly to the
waterway, In the opinion Of Mr. Mo-
reaux. It was, in his opinion, rather
the view of the railroads. So today
he tried to picture the undertaking
in a more favorable light, moreover
as a certainty. He explained how Sec
tions Of the waterway already have
been built. as the new Welland canal.
and that completion will require little
beyond the construction of the stretch
left to the United States to construct.
Canada is coming around favOrably
to action by this country, and the
power interests are yielding ground,
too, In their opposition, he said.
Farmers Saving Will Pay It
The waterway will be a big benefit
to the farmers, Mr. Moreaux held, as
it will permit cheaper movement of
grain to the European market. He
quoted President Hoover as saying the
saving in transportation to the farmer
in a single year will pay for the ex-
pen5e of construction of the water
way to the United States.
Mr.. Moreaux challenged the figures
Of cost put forth by H. G. Moulton of
the Bookings institute, Washington,
and E. E. LOOMS, president Of the Le-
high Valley railroad. The estimate of
these men is $500 ,OOO, 900 cost to the
United States alone. In contrast, Mo-
reaux offered the estimates Of the en-
tire cost, as made by the international
body of engineers, that the total ex-
penditure required of both the United
States and Canada will be between
$l23, 600, 900 and s14S, 000, 900.
Moulton estimated II 900 900 tons of
traffic IL years hence, and main
tenance cost OF 81 per ton. The en-
gineers estimate 25.O00, 900 tons Of
traffic in sight and maintenance costs
Of 43 cents per ton, Moreaux said.
Correcting Cartcrct's Orevsight
Mr.. Moreaux told the story of
jacques Carteret sailing up the st.
Lawrence in 1885 and being led to lay
the foundations of Montreal, second
largest port in North America. as the
result of thinking he had come to
the head of navigation with the rocky
Lachine barriers in the stream there.
Had 1t not been for that mistake
Carteret right have gone as far as
sthe end of the lakes. and Duluth
would have become the port OF the
future on the great chain Of inland
sNWaterwavs. The wealth was IN the
section Cartcret failed to traverse.
The destiny of the Atlantic coast
fright have been changed had he dis
covered some of this wealth, as the
vast iron deposits Of the Mesaba
range. This would be the great in
ssdustrial section Of the country now,
he said. What Carteret missed Is now
the task Of the midwest, said Mr.. Mo-
,.reaux. It is to open the st. Lawrence
to the navigation Of ocean-going
boats, thus to give this great inland
serapire the opportunity to grow and
prosper.
& "Have we the foresight and the wis
dom to finish this task now, or shall
At be left to future and wiser gen.
serations?" he asked in closing.