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<br />000408 .
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<br />MIS,,;Ol'HI mYER FilUM KAN~A:; CITV, MO., TO THE MOUTH. 5
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<br />[,.fool cho.nnd and if any improvement i,,; undl1rt.akl'n, asidl' from
<br />~no.gging, it should he un'fler the prNll'nt plan of cOlllpktl' improv('-
<br />m('nt., ltt a prohahll1 total cost ot not. less than $~O,OO(),OO(),
<br />!1. A mattl'r consid('red of great importanco in connection wit.h thl'
<br />Pl'('s('llL in~est.igat.ion is thl1 existence of the recently organized Kansos
<br />Cil~- (Mo.) River Navirration Co. This compa.ny WIiS incorporutl'd
<br />in ](l()fl with a capital'"'stcck of $1,20~,OOO, of which morl' than a
<br />Illillion has heen coll('ctl'd in ca.',h. It. is claiml'd by those intl'l'l'sted
<br />t h:l t tIll' incorpomt ion and upl'ro.lions of this navigat.ion company werl'
<br />lIlHI<'l'tulwn us the fl'SUlt of, an under"tanding with the Rj.er Ilnd
<br />llllrhor Committee of the H. ouso o. f Roprosentativm" that the projl'd
<br />for t Iw improvoment of tho Missouri River from Kanso.~ City to t 1",
<br />lnOlltll would he adopted and vigorously prosecuted under adequptl'
<br />:Ippropriations, proVId(,l1 t.ho localit.y first show its faith in thl' 1111-
<br />port rmce and necl'ssity for the improv(,lllcnt by the expenditure ~f its
<br />0\1-11 funds in the actual l'stablishment of commerco on the nver.
<br />J\a,'igt\t.ion wos comnll'nced in 1911, with cert.ain ploot securcd h.v
<br />pUrl'hase, and at. the same time it was dccidl'd to invl1stigatc the
<br />types of bOltts best. suited to Sll('cessful and economical use ou the
<br />11issouri RiYl'r. Thl' il'rvices of l'xpl'rts WI'I'P. sl'eured and careful
<br />slmlyof navirration on sht\llow-draft rivers Wo.'l mado, resultinf!: in the
<br />adoption of the to\,-h,)o.t llnd harge ml1t.hod ~f na.igation with im-
<br />prnwd steel vl'ssds of fire-proof construl'lion and suitahle size, draft,
<br />and motive power for till' Missouri Hiwr, These investigations havl>
<br />111"11 ,:al'ripd on at ('OIL,idel'lIhll' l'x]wnsl' uno hllvc far more t.han local
<br />:-Ubll', as they contribute .ery RubsLantinlly to the solution of the
<br />IIllj10rlltnt prohlt.ms of l'cononlic,J trnnsportation on this and olhl'l'
<br />IIlJand wat.cl's of t.he Unitet\ Stutes, 1'111' l'ompany is satisfied with
<br />the l)J'og~ess ,nltt~k, UI\(~ it propo~(:s to continue .t~e in.estigatio~s and
<br />stUt ~', With Its !fil'rl'llslI1g aet l>It.ll'S, and to ut.Ihze thl' results III the
<br />('Onst ruction of additional plant from timl1 to timo. The results of
<br />t hl'sl' inyesti~ltlions n.,rl' fUl'Ilishl'd without cl:arg~' to other cities con-
<br />tplill'lrrtmg tne estahhshnwllt of l.mnsportatlOll 1101';;,
<br />10. Tho company has takl'll st<,ps to rl'medy cl'rtain condition;;
<br />that have contributed largely to tho dedinl' of river transportation.
<br />It hlls sl'curedthl' est.ltblishment uf terminal facilities at Kansas City
<br />1\1 HI llt East St.. Louis, luwing rail connection at both plnCl'S and
<br />~1ll'I.'hr.nica1 devices for tl](1 tmnsfN of frl'igh1. It has l'ntefl'd into
<br />)olnt traffic arrangl'll\l')lts for the in(('r('han~l' of frl'i~ht with conn eel-
<br />IIlg l'n.rriers, bot.h rail and w'Ltl'r, 1\11<1 is now hm1<IJing I'Oll\mcrl'C on
<br />through bill" of lading, It reccivl's awl ddivers gouds in ea)',; on
<br />shippers. sidings, raying switching charges wit.hill. l'l':rtai.n I.imits.
<br />trllllSfeITlIlg to an< from the boat, assummg CUITI<,rs I'Isk m hell of
<br />marme insuran('.p, Ilnd transporting bl'tweell tl'rminals, all at a rllte
<br />of 80 pl'r (,l'nt of the corrl'spolHling mil rate. The presl'nt float ill"
<br />~l:tnt eonsists of 1 stel'l Pllcket boat, 2 stl'el towhoats, alld 12 stl'1'1
<br />~rf<'s, Thl'se hargl's aro of ..\ryin~ sizl's, tl](1 !ar""r o III'S , pro\'id,,,1
<br />W1l 11 steP! firn-pro<lf, \\"l'ntlwr-proof, and IIH'kl'll ~('ekhow:;('.~, heilw
<br />jlS:-d for ,through eOll1ll1l1rcl', ami llw smnlll'r ~()I' eillwr thruu~h 07-.
<br />.0< al hUSIlWSS, III the In.t.tl'r C'.n.so thn ImrgC'.; bl'lIlp; ll'ft at. way land-
<br />dIg>> fo~ loading, and being picked up by the next hoat up or dOYnJ,
<br />op~ndlllg upon tho destination of tho cargo. So far tho traflic
<br />receipts of the company have not fully covered operating costs, but
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