Editorial: Times Change, But River Transport Is Still Essential

A 2004 book, River of Conflict, River of Dreams, tries to make the case that “The river’s importance ended with the coming of the railroads.” For a period of time that was true, but the needs of our citizens and transportation itself have evolved.

The Waterways Journal has, without apology, promoted and defended the importance of rivers and water transportation for more than 100 years. The appearance of this book by Biloine Whiting Young convinces us that we must revisit the subject.

Though one might disagree with the book’s premise, we must realize that it covers 300 years of history on the Upper Mississippi and contains much that is true. To keep things in perspective, however, remember that Young is a longtime activist in regional public affairs organizations and she has served on the board of the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation. No doubt, she is involved in plans to drive river business away from Upper Miss locks and dams and pools in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Unfortunately, there are some unpleasant truths in Young’s book. Its value to us lies in the fact that it reveals the thinking of the people who reside along the northernmost reach of the Upper Mississippi.

Young writes, “The affection communities had for the river turned to indifference and finally to disregard.” Can anyone deny that? That is what happened at St. Louis, even though at one time much of the entire city depended for its existence upon the river industry.

Ohio River folks and Arkansas Waterway folks don’t believe the importance of rivers has ended. We don’t think it has ended for the Upper Mississippi River either. Young just wants us to believe it has. Certainly the river industry along the Upper Miss has been bruised by harassment.

There was a period during the western movement when people moved by wagon. Then came water transport. Later the railroads expanded and, indeed, did drive away some of the commercial steamboat business.

But the country evolved. Cargoes changed. Many cargoes, because of size and weight or low value and bulk, cannot be moved by rail or truck at a reasonable cost that would allow them to remain on the market.

Think you can move a NASA rocket booster by truck or rail? Try an oil rig. Try a full blown power plant. Try moving by rail the thousands of tons of salt that is needed for northern cities during winter months.

The reason Young’s book is important is because it presents how things are and not how we would like them to be. So why are all riverfronts not alive with signs of water transportation? Young said it rightly. Some people have lost their affection for the river.

But the importance of the rivers has not ended. Young and her friends would just like you to believe that. There is a genuine need and purpose for the ongoing existence of river transportation. Steamboats may be gone, but towboats are here, and so is the growing phenomenon of container-on-barge transportation. Port operators everywhere are considering the prospects.

Another truth from the book is, “Growing cities poured their refuse and sewage into the river. Removed from the center of commercial life the river became a liability, an obstacle to be ignored.” Unfortunately, that is what has happened to the Upper Miss in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Well, shame on us! Or at least on our forefathers. American citizens should have been more attuned to preserving the environment. There is no doubt about that. But the answer to improving the environment is not to kill the river business. The towing industry is environmentally friendly. During wagon-train days the sky was not filled with pollutants. Trucks were not plugging roadways, spewing pollution and making highways unsafe. The river industry, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration and many entities in the European Union, can improve the quality of life. The air could be cleaner. The roads could be made safer in the Minneapolis/St. Paul transportation corridor.

Young and her colleagues have been pushing the “river is dead” philosophy for too long. Unfortunately, they are winning by default. At least they are winning along the northernmost portion of the Upper Miss.

Rick Tolman, chief executive officer of the National Corn Growers Association and chairman of the Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC 2000) said it best when commenting in the April 11 WJ about the introduction of a Water Resources Development Act in Congress on April 6. He said, “MARC 2000 hails as a major step, a regional consensus to support economic growth and environmental sustainability.…We have always stated that both can be achieved.”

Congress can help accomplish this by passing a WRDA.

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