This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 edition. Excerpt: ... Some of these barges are towed on the ocean and are subject to the same risks of loss of life and property as'the coastwise sailing fleet. Others go by the inside passages. If there were a continuous chain of these passages, there is no question that the coastwise trade would be moved very largely by modern barges and that a corresponding saving in transportation cost and in loss of life and property would result. One other statement is made in the Congressman's remarks which affects a project in which this Association is not interested, but which shows the same unfortunate use of figures that is found in Mr. Frear's writings on this subject. He figures the "cost to the Government for moving freight on some of the big rivers" and includes in his table "Muscle Shoals, proposed, $150 per ton." How it is possible to figure the cost of transportation of an unknown volume of freight on a proposed improvement which the Army Engineers have not yet even reported to be advisable, and the cost of which is therefore not officially known, it is rather difficult to imagine. This figure, like others in the same table, is based on pure assumption. _ Let it be understood that we have no purpose to defend the 'proposed Muscle Shoals canalization. Such value as it may have to the country is not in encouraging navigation, but in the development of hydro-electric power. THE MISSISSIPPI RAPIDS In the BULLETIN for February, there was a picture of the Falls of Minnehaha, under which it was said "This is not the Mississippi, but boats would have to ascend most of this height to get from St. Paul to Minneapolis." During the debate on the River and Harbor bill, Congressmen Frear and Good took exception to this...