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<br />0004 -,F,
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<br />MISSOURI RIvER FROM KANSAS CITY, MO., TO THE MOUTH. 13
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<br />the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors June 8, 1908, and by
<br />the Chief of Engmeers December 2, 1908, in action on survey report
<br />puhlished in House Document No. 1120, Sixtieth Congress, second
<br />sl'ssion. The views of the board as to the futility of partial improve-
<br />By'nt and the wastefulness of inadequate and irregular appropria-
<br />tIO!lS, are of particular interest. The Missouri River, Commission
<br />11\ It.S final report also expressed the opinion that there was no middle
<br />('OIlrSC hctween mere snagging and thorough systematic improve-
<br />B~t. .
<br />17. I rccommend that the present project bc modified so as to
<br />pl'llyide for snagging alone at an estimated cost of $40,000 per year,
<br />:tlld that all other work be stopped.
<br />. HERBERT DEAKYNE,
<br />Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers.
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<br />!First Indorsement.]
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<br />OFFICE DIVISION ENGINEER, WESTERN DIVISION,
<br />St. Louis, Mo., May 22, 1915.
<br />To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY:
<br />1. Forwarded, concurring in tho opinion of tho district officl'r that
<br />the l'xisting river comll?-erco ~s n?t sufficiont to justi~y tho pormalwnt
<br />Illlpl'oyement of the Mlssoun Rlvor from Kansas CIty to'lts mouth,
<br />l"lI. not approving the recommendation that the work should bo
<br />I'll t m'l y abandoned.
<br />2. It IS believed that there is still opportnnity for t.ho revivnl of
<br />\\htern river commerce, but t.hat it should first bo sought not in t.he
<br />tnhutaries but in the main river. There is neithor tho donsity of
<br />POPulatiol!-.no.r of-material s~eking shipme.nt on tho tributaries ot .th..
<br />:\IISSISS\PIll, With tho excoptlOn of the OhIO, to eause such a reVival
<br />wludt will bo in tho naturo of a revolution of the oxisting methods of
<br />; I'allsportation and will naturally originate at largo centors of popu-
<br />al/oll, such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and New Orloans,
<br />~~:h,'rl' IJI.rge amounts of manufactured products aro secking shipnlt'nt,
<br />..'~l' 1l~l'I~ult!lfl1I products orig.inatillg on a . river bank aro not s~ffi-
<br />"11t Ill. to Justl!y a larg~ expendituro for the Improve!Dent of th!l rIver'
<br />. 1:t111ll'I. With a reVIval of commorce on t.ho mam stroam Its ex-
<br />t"llsioll 10 the tnbutaries will gradually follow.
<br />;l; Tho f,!-ct, howevor, that there has been a. fail~ro to propm'l.v
<br />IItl!lZ(' tho Improved channel that has been malnt.amed dllrmg tho
<br />pa't II) years from St, Louis to New Orloans ~hould eanse Con~re~~
<br />,t,o Iw,itiLto befor,o continuing tho largo appropriations it is making
<br />or th.. W,.stern rivers. .
<br />. 4. In the opinion of tho division onginl'cc, tho problom fif dovelop-
<br />11I~ our W('stern rivers should bo treated a~ a singh' onc, IIl~tead of
<br />.,'tt.tprllIg !Lppropriations ovor the '\lItiro western ((.rritOl'v IL ..JlIlIlnel
<br />~') t'" or !! (,'ot depth should ryrst ho provided fr0111 C!!i(';\go to :'\i,'w
<br />{ '.II1S !Lnd tho offer of asslstanco In the construction of 1\ emllu
<br />a Ollg the Dos Plaines River from the Stato of Illinois accepted. An
<br />opportunity should thon bo affordod tho American peoplo to deter-
<br />1,11111(' Whelhert.hoy want waterways not by rlwloricol efforts in rivN
<br />f onl"'1\110ns, but by a practical utilization of tho channol thus af-
<br />t' ('(I. Until such revival occurs appropriations on tho tributll,rios
<br />, luuld ho confinod to maintaining tho eXisting status. . The oxisting
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