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Transportation on Inland Waterways Improvement of Channels—Savings in Freight Resulting—Commerce Moving Over Rivers and Canals—Future Work—Proposed and Projected Waterways NLAND waterways area vital aid in the industrial development of the United States. Economically there is every justification for a sound improvement of inland waterways. One has but to look at a map of the United States to realize the necessity. Economical interchange of raw mate- rials and finished products depends on water transportation. Money. spent on development of the more important waterways has been saved many times over in the very substantial reduction of freight rates which have come about through the creation of greater depths and the consequent operation of deeper draft vessels carrying larger cargoes. Improvement of inland waterways should be looked upon as conserva- tion of natural resources. Developing them is, in the last analysis, nothing more or less than taking fullest ad- vantage of what has been given us by nature. It is just as though some- one had said, ‘Here is a great system of transportation. All that need be done in order that you may use it is that it be improved and maintained.” In other words, there it is—use it! Approximately $53,000,000 were al- lotted March 12 by the secretary of war for work on rivers and harbors. The total allotments for this work are: $52,819,245.75 from the $60,000,- 000 provided in the war department appropriation act approved Feb. 23, 1931, and available balances of the act of May 28, 1930, and of the $22,- 500,000 emergency appropriation for relief of unemployment. The following table gives some idea of the growth in the movement of freight over the inland waterways for ten years. This table shows an in- crease of over 96 per cent. NET TONS OF COMMERCE ON RIVERS, CANALS AND CONNECTING CHANNELS— CALENDAR YEARS 1920-1929 INCLUSIVE Year TONS (2000 pounds) 125,400,000 116,300,000 111,800,000 153,700,000 173,200,000 .. 204,569,000 .. 217,000,000 .. 219,000,000 227,300,000 245,894,000 The Mississippi-Ohio system has been referred to as the backbone of the program for inland waterway de- velopment in the United States. In 1928, the total ton-mileage of this huge transportation system amounted to 5,662,743;000 ton miles. This fig- ure was 60.65 per cent of the total in- Part | BY E. Ce POWERS land waterway traffic of that year. In 1929, total net tonnage for this sys- tem after eliminating all known du- plications was 61,893,916 net tons valued at $770,253,321. COMMERCE ON MISSISSIPPI-OHIO SYSTEM Year GROSS TONS REPORTED 51,132,004 44,350,986 35,033,441 52,779,088 55,750,689 67,531,478 77,036,480: 75,674,305 79,794,356 78,117,545 Mississippi River HE Mississippi river has its source in northern Minnesota. It flows south a distance of 2470 miles and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Over the section of the Mississippi river between Baton Rouge and New Or- leans, a channel depth of 24 feet or more with a width of several hundred feet has usually prevailed. The river and harbor act of Jan. 21, 1927 au- thorized improvement of this section to secure a channel 35 feet deep and 300 feet wide at low water between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, a dis- ITH a total commerce in 1929 of 245,894,000 net tons and an increase in the last ten years of over 96 per cent, the inland waterways of the United States are of vital importance to the country asa whole. The ac- companying article on the im- provement of 15 important inland waterways is the first part of a comprehensive article covering the business of transportation by inland waterways. The second part which is to appear in the May number will cover develop- ment of river boats, present day types, particulars of lines and where they operate, and discus- sion of savings in freight rates. The third part, to appear in the June number, will deal with the subject of terminals and cargo handling facilities. MARINE REview—April, 1931 tance of 132 miles. Improvement of this section has resulted in the con- tinuous operation of deeper draft ves- sels. The portion of the river be- tween the Ohio and Missouri has been improved to a channel depth of nine feet with a width of 300 feet and ad- ditional widths at bends to be even- tually provided. Improvement has permitted operation of deeper draft boats and has reduced greatly the hazards of navigation. Depths of the river between Cairo and New Orleans have always been greater than the nine-foot project so that the only work required has been for maintenance. The 1929-30 project for the section between the Illinois and Missouri rivers provided for se- curing a depth of nine feet and width of 200 feet. Deeper-draft vessels are now operating over this section as result of improvement. In the original state, the section of_ the river between the Illinois and Wisconsin river was navigable, but at periods of low water, the operation of larger vessels was seriously hindered and in some cases entirely impossible. The improvement project underway during the last fiscal year has been to secure a channel with depth of six feet and varying width between the Wisconsin and Illinois rivers. Be- tween the Wisconsin river and Min- neapolis, navigation has been possible as far north as St. Paul but was seri- ously retarded at low water stages. Between Minneapolis and the Minne- sota river, the current was swift and the channel obstructed by bould- ers. The improvement project under- way for this section of the river dur- ing the last fiscal year was to provide a channel with a depth of six feet with widths varying between 300 and 700 feet. This improvement was be- ing carried out by open channel work through dams and dredging. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1930, work on the construction of Hastings lock and dam was carried on, the project at the end of the year being 81.9 per cent completed. In addition, considerable wing dam construction was done, besides regulating works and dredging. Total cost of work during the year was $6,626,457.34 of which $5,070,066.58 was for new work and $1,556,390.76 for maintenance. In the 1930 rivers and harbors bill signed by President Hoover July 5, 1930, all projects between the mouth of the Missouri river and Minneapolis 69