It is the function of the state to provide port facilities in the form
of docks, piers, warehouses, grain elevators, mechanical equipment,
etc. But it is the duty of the national government to improve harbors,
dredge streams, dig canals for navigation and irrigation, erect levees
to protect the back country, and build locks and dams when needed.
These are the premises from which the Hudson Dock Board reasons that
the cost of construction and maintenance of the New Orleans Navigation
Canal and Inner Harbor should be assumed by Uncle Sam. It will leave no
stone unturned to have him assume the obligation.
The Navigation Canal is essentially a harbor improvement. It enables
practically unlimited industrial development and commercial
interchange. It is an important link in the Intracoastal Canal system
which the government is developing to provide an inland waterway from
Boston, Mass. to Brownsville, Tex., and, with the dredging of a channel
through Lake Pontchartrain to the Gulf, a problem which U.S. engineers
have been studying for some time and an undertaking which they have
found feasible, it will put the nation's second port about fifty miles
closer to the sea. It has considerable military value. Its purpose is,
therefore, national; the local interests are secondary.
It is no new principle, this obligation of the government. That duty
has been recognized by Congress since the United States was.
Any rivers and harbors bill will show great and useful expenditure for
waterways improvement.
The Panama Canal, built by the government, is the greatest example.
Coming closer home, there is south pass at the mouth of the
Mississippi. A bar, with a nine-foot depth of water, blocked the
commerce of New Orleans. Under the rivers and harbors act of 1875,
Captain James B. Eads was paid $8,000,000 for building the famous
jetties to provide a 26-foot channel. Since then, the channel has been
deepened to 33 feet.
In more recent years, the government began to improve southwest pass,
the westernmost mouth of the Mississippi. A nine-foot bar was there,
too. To increase the depth to 35 feet, the government spent, up to
1919, about $15,000,000, and is still spending.
"Just as the purpose of the improvements of these channels was to
bridge the distance from deep water to deep water" says Arthur McGuirk,
special counsel of the Dock Board, in a report of February 23, 1921, to
the Board, "so is the purpose of the Navigation Canal to bridge the
distance from the deep water of the river to the proposed deep water
channel of the lake."
In the annual report of the chief of engineers, U.S.A., for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1919, are listed the following waterways
improvements and canal developments being made by the Government:
"Operating and care of canals, $3,596,566.20.
"Cape Cod canal, purchase authorized, river and harbors act, August 8,
1917, cost not exceeding $10,000,000, and enlargement $5,000,000.
"Jamaica Bay channel, 500 feet width, 10 feet depth, to be further
increased to 1,500 feet width entrance channel and 1,000 feet interior
channel, maximum depth of 30 feet, length of channel 12 miles. Approved
estimate of cost to United States not to exceed $7,430,000. River and
harbors act of June 25, 1910. House document No. 1488, 60th Congress.
"Ambrose channel, New York harbor, appropriation new work and
maintenance, $4,924,530.88, year ending June 30, 1919.
"Bay Ridge and Red Hook channels, $4,471,100.
"Locks and dams on Coosa River, Alabama-Georgia, $1,700,918.21.
"Channel connecting Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound, act of June 13,
1902, original project, for construction and maintenance total cost
$7,809,812.42.
"Black Warrior river, 17 locks, Mobile to Sanders' Ferry, 443 miles.
Total to date, $10,101,295.54. Indefinite appropriation.
"Sabine Pass, act of June 19, 1906 and prior, channels, turning basins
and jetties, March 2, 1907, and previously, total appropriations,
$1,875,506.78.
"Trinity River, Galveston, north, 37 miles locks and dams. Act of June
13, 1902, house document 409, 56th congress. Estimate cost complete
canalization of river, revised 1916, in addition to amounts expended
prior to rivers and harbors act of July, 1916, in round numbers
$13,500,000. Estimated annual cost of maintenance, $280,000.
"Houston to Galveston ship canal, act of July 25, 1912, and July 27,
1916. Cost, $3,850,000. Annual maintenance, $325,000.
"Rock Island Rapids (Ill.) and LeClaire canal, rock excavations, etc.,
act of March 2, 1907, dams, 3 locks, etc., to June 30, $31,180,085.62
and $130,158.03 for 1 year maintenance.
"Keokuk, Iowa (formerly Des Moines Rapids canal), old project (act of
June 23, 1866), $4,574,950.00.
"Muscle Shoals Canal (Tennessee River), 36.6 miles, depth 5 feet,
$4,743,484.50. Exclusive of cost of nitrate plant.
"Locks and dams on Ohio River, act of March 3, 1879, to act of March 2,
1907, including purchase of Louisville and Portland canal,
$17,657,273.78.
"Estimated cost of new work, widening Louisville and Portland canal and
changes in dams, $63,731,488. Annual maintenance covering only lock
forces and cost of repairs and renewals, $810,000. Act of June 25,
1920, house document 492, 65th congress, first session. Also act of
March 4, 1915, house document 1695, 64th congress, second session.
"Ship channel connecting waters of great lakes, including St. Mary's
river (Sault Sainte Marie locks), St. Clair and Detroit rivers, locks
and dams, total appropriations to June 30, 1919, $26,020,369.68.
Estimate new work, $24,085.
"St. Clair river, connecting Lakes St. Clair and Erie, shoalest part
was 12-1/2 to 15 feet. Improved at expense of $13,252,254.00. Estimated
cost of completion, $2,720,000.
"Niagara river, $15,785,713.07.
"Los Angeles and Long Beach harbor, $4,492,809.80.
"Seattle, Lake Washington ship canal, in city of Seattle, from Puget
Sound to lake; original project, act of August 18, 1894. Double lock
and fixed dam. Length about 8 miles. Total appropriation to date,
$3,345,500.00."
These are only some of the larger projects. Of course there are a great
number of such works, all over the country, constructed and maintained
by the United States, sometimes alone, and again by co-operation with
local authorities.
New Orleans was founded because of the strategic value of the location,
both from a commercial and a military standpoint. The power that holds
New Orleans commands the Mississippi Valley--a fact which the British
recognized in 1812 when they tried to capture it. Likewise, when
Farragut captured New Orleans, he broke the backbone of the
Confederacy.
Mr. McGuirk, in the report to which reference has already been made,
discusses the military importance of the Industrial Canal as follows:
"A ship canal, connecting the river and the lake at New Orleans will be
a Panama or a Kiel canal, in miniature, and double in effectiveness the
naval forces defending the valley, as they may be moved to and fro in
the canal from the river to the lake. On this line of defense heavy
artillery on mobile mounts can be utilized, in addition to heavy ships
of the line. That is to say, just as light-draft monitors, and even
floats carrying high-powered rifles were used effectively on the
Belgian coast; on the Piave river in Italy, and on the Tigris in
Mesopotamia, so may they be used in the defense of the valley, on any
canal connecting the Mississippi river and Lake Pontchartrain. Changes
are constantly occurring in the details of work of defense due to
development of armament, munitions and transport. The never-ending
development of range and caliber has assumed vast importance,
particularly with reference to the effect on the protection of cities
from bombardment. Naval guns are now capable of hurling projectiles to
distances of over 50,000 yards, 28 to 30 miles. For the protection of
the valley we should have at New Orleans armament mounted on floating
platforms which will hold the enemy beyond the point where his shells
may not reach their objective, and in this operation the canal,
affording means of rapid transport, will render invaluable and
essential service."
A country's ports are its watergates. Their local importance is
comparatively small. They are important or not according to whether
they are on trade routes, and easily accessible. An infinitesimal part
of the trade that flows through New Orleans originates or terminates
there. The back country gets the bulk of the business. The development
of the harbor is for the service of the interior. It is essentially
national.
From every point of view, therefore, it is the duty of the national
government to take over the Navigation Canal and release the monies of
the state so they may be devoted to the improvement of the waterway
with wharves and other works in aid of the nation's commerce.
[Illustration: S. S. NEW ORLEANS
First Ship Launched by Doullut & Williams Shipbuilding Co.]
[Illustration: S. S. GAUCHY
First Ship Launched on Canal]