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'.,',', .... "'" """, "I ,000373 MISSOl;RI RIVEn, KANiOAS CITY, KAXS., TO FLORENCE, XERR. 3 r~ach under consldemtion is a part. Some bank protecti!l~ Rnd regulating works hR\'e been built in the past at isolated localItIes. 3. The total expenditure on this section has been abollt $2,70?,?00, but, generally speaking, the ri,-el' is still in its natll\'31 condlt~on. The channel changes frequently in position, the ban.ks are subject to erosion, snags accumulate. and the bottoll1 lands adjacent are gen- erally subject to overflow. The navigable depth at ordin.ar." low water is taken as 3 feet, but occasionallv at very low stages It IS less. 4. There is no commerce at present, except th~ sand that is dred~ed from t.he river in the immediate vicinity of the towns and carrIed fohort distances to the local landings, and there appears to be no prospect of any change in the near future. :'i. 'Vhile no estimate of cost of a permanent or systematic illlpl'?Ve- ment is submitted, it is known from experienl'e on thl' 10\\'1'1' l'l\'er that it would he approximatel~' $!iO.OOO per mile. or a totul of nhout $14.000,000. .6. In view of t,he expensh-e project now under way from Kans:ls CIty to the mouth. I'ouplecl with the fact that commel'ce l!()('s not p;om,ise to develop t.o an extent commensurate with the cost, the dlStTlct officer reports that it wouM be premature to tnke IIp nnothel' ]~nl! section of river, ann he express('s the opinion, in which the dn'ision engineer concurs. that impro,'eml'nt is not. advisable t.o a I!r~ater extent thnn continuing the snagging operations. which cost about $12,000 n veal' on this reach anll are now carried on under existing appropriations. 7. Interested pnrties w('re dulv advised of the tenor of the district officer's report nOlI gin'n nn op'portunity of presenting their \'iews.' Two eommunicat.ions on the suhject haY(' heen rl'cei""o. and gi,'en Consideration. " 8. Much has been written of the splendid commerl'(\ that WIlS once carried on this riYer, and of the great fleet of boats that tra'-ersed its Waters, but little has been heard of the difficulties and hardships at- ~nrling navigation in those days, or of the consequent high cost of transportation which exceeded many times the present rnil rates. It Was the ]rnowled~e of these conrlitions. rnther thnn any denrl'riat.ion or lnck of navigahle capacity of the strl'nm. that gradnall." Iro. the Pl'ople to desl'rt the ri\-er for the railroads. The rin>r is in as good con,lition to-day as it ever wns. hut there is no thl'Ough trnffic nnd bn]~' a small local cnmmel'ce that wOIIM not he gre.aU." he\J(.fited ~ Improveriwnt. The continuation of the snagging now cnrried on WIll Iwrmit light nraft vessels to use the ri\'el' if t.hey rll'sire t.o do so. nnrl there, iR no otlwr form of imprm'ement thnt wO~11d give com- n;;;nsnrat(' rl'tul'lls. The hoard therl'fol'e concllrs with the rlistrict I. ('(,I' and the di\-ision engineer. nnrl reports thnt in its opinion i,t IS not ndvisnhle nt this time fOl' thl' lTnited States to IInnel'tnke the Irnpl'O\-ement of the :Missouri Riwr between Knnsas Citv. Knns., ~nl! Florence. Nehl'.. except to continu,> the snagging now c:inil'rl on. fhls wOI.k is 1'0n~.;jrlel'l'rl I'ssl'ntia I hoth in 0]'(140'1' to 1))'1'81'1'\'1'. the bnntliral na\"igahll' capncitv of this reach and to pmtl'ct the rh-I'r elow Kansns City. . 9. In complinnce with law. the hoal'd reports th:lt the1'(' al'l' no ~liestions of terminal facilities. waterpower, or other related sub- Jects which could he coordinated with the suggested impl'O\-ement in