The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-11-03
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
SPENDING $275, ooo, 900 ON THE MISSOURI
RIVER

RIVER
| In the % years from 1889 to 1882 the federal
government spent total of lll,299,465 for river
and harbor Improvement, this total including the
expenditures on all interior rivers and all harbors
on the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Great Lakes.
One current waterway project alone, the Fort Peck
dam in Montana designed to provide an eght-foot
channel in the Missouri river below Sioux City, Ia.
will cost $1,000, 900, according to the chief of
engineers. United States Army-a total practically
equal to the 90 year expenditure on all rivers and
harborS in the country. These comparisons appear
in the current issue of the Railway Age in an ar
,cle on the Fort Peck dam project by DR.. Henry
f. Riggs consulting engineer. who was formerly
head of the Department of Civil Engineering of
the University of Michigan.
Furthermore. the cost of the Fort Peck dam is
not the total cost of the proposed Missouri River
waterway. Dr. Riggs article shows From 1914 to
1888 the federal government spent SS3,443,9Io on
the Missouri river. Expenditures during the pres
cnt administration. from 1888 to 1887, for new
work on the river will aggregate $Sl,652,$S2 and
when the $llO.OOOOOO Fort Peck dam is added,
the Roosevelt administrations expenditures for
navigation the Missouri river total $19l ,652,-
$50. or a total in four years about 2-1/3 times
y
When Fort Peck dam is finished says Dr. Riggs
in the Railway Age. 1.-The government will have an
investment in the Missouri river of approximately
$275 900. 900 If the entire cost of previous pref
Gets be assumed to have disappeared, the capital
cost of projects now under way will be $262 800
600 Assuming an annual allowance of four per
cent for interest and depreciation, we have an item
of $40. SOC. 900 per year As river maintenance av-
fo, tbn last 6yn
il appears reasonable to assume that 100000 to
5 OOO, 900 per year will be required for mantcn-
ancc on the fully completed job so that the mini
mum and fixed charge cost will be some Sll 400
600 annually An investment of $262,5 900 and
an annual charge for maintenance and interest Of
SIT 400 600 can only be justified by lot of trans
portation by water.
What IS the traffic on the Missouri river? In |
1884. l,6S0O66 tons of freight, valued at $9.O37,-
4Sl moved on that waterway. The average value
was $5.&S per ton and the average haul was less
than nine miles. OF this total of l6SO,O66 tons.
l.lT9.Sl9 tons represented material used for river
Improvement; l22.692 tons represented lumber,
hardware and contractors plant material, most of
which was probably used in construction; 29O.IS6
tons represented short local movements of sand
and gravel Il044 tons represented coal. some. II
not most. of which was used on government work;
and only 1875 tons represented all other COM
moditcs These figures are clear proof that COM
mcrcal traffic on the Missouri river is insignificant
Obviously 90 per cent more of the total tonnage
other than sand gravel is material which is used
in construction work on the river and which, when
construction work is done, will no longer be moved.
The Missouri river cannot and never will be
great originator of traffic. There are no mines, no
factories no other great of originating traf-
c on the river so we justified in the belief that
many years. perhaps many decades. must elapSe be-
fore any considerable traffic will develop. if it ever
does But fixed charges. maintenance and depreca-
ton never cease to operate These are the facts
that are needed for baSnr opinion as to whether
Fort Peck dam is justified. Railway Age.