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Supreme Court Decides Declares Navigation Paramount, Orders UST what does the United States Supreme Court decision pertaining to the Chicago drainage canal mean to the carrying trades of the Great Lakes? That there is a connection is obvious from the array of interests reinforcing the government’s case to enjoin the diversion pf 10,000 cubic feet of water per second from the Great Lakes. Now that the court has decided with finality not more than 4167 cubic feet of water can be abstracted, without an order from the secretary of war, the significant features of the event may be summarized with some assurance that they are likely to be permanent. The injunction is referred to as an “event” because the vessel interests of the Great Lakes have been fight- ing the diversion of water at Chicago for a score of years. Linked with those interests are some of the largest iron and steel producers in the country. News of the recent Supreme Court’s decision was received by them as a victory of tremendous importance, won after a long, hard battle. It is recognized that Chicago will continue the struggle for 10,000 feet per second, on the claim that this amount is necessary to the health of its millions of inhabitants. Further it is realized the secretary of war has the deciding power; and that congress may make new laws; but it is believed Chicago will have to take steps other than the lowering of lake levels to protect the health of its citizens. The Su- preme Court’s decision gives ground for such belief. Violated War Department's Orders The sanitary district officials were found to be violat- ing the order of the secretary of war, issued during the Taft administration, allowing the withdrawal of only 4167 cubic feet of water per second. It was mainly on that issue the case was decided, and there is nothing to bar Chicago from insistence on the issuance of another order by the present secretary of war. Hearings will be held in Washington almost immedi- ately, as the Supreme Court has made its injunction effective in 60 days. Vessel companies view the deflection at Chicago as a raid on their interests; and also point to the broader economic features involved. The waterway provides low-cost transportation of essential materials over a route 1000 miles and is one of the mainstays of industrial enterprise. Destroy or detract from this natural advantage, they say, and all consumers of iron and steel, coal, grain and other commodities will suffer the consequence. As_ they 34 have many millions of dollars invested, it is natural that they argue from this standpoint. Because they are unable to load their vessels to full capacity they estimate their loss in revenue as $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 annually. They claim such a loss has been incurred for the last ten years or more. Furthermore, they say that if Chicago should im- mediately reduce the amount of water it diverts, from 10,000 cubic feet per second to 4167 feet, it will take years for the Great Lakes to recoup the loss of 6 inches of water incurred by reason of the drainage canal. Full replenishment through the natural sources would extend ten years into the future, and meanwhile they would continue to sustain a loss. Not only this, but an additional loss is represented in the damage to vessels due to low stages of water. The number of accidents ascribed to this source has been increasing in recent years. Vessels run aground in shoal waters, despite the vigilance exercised in de- termining and reporting the levels at the principal passageways. Draft Determines Exact Capacity The total trip capacity of the vessels in the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes is 3,116,300 tons. The ves- sels have such capacity when operating on an average draft of approximately 19 feet 8 inches. Iron ore boats when loaded to this capacity are only about two-thirds full. Capacity increases proportionately as draft deep- ens, that is to a certain point depending on limitations of size and structure of the vessel. As capacity is gained, revenue advances; therefore revenue depends to a large extent on the depth of the water in which the vessels may operate. The lower the water, the more trips are necessary to carry the season’s cargo of ore, coal, stone and grain. One of the principal advantages of increasing the draft applies to the haulage of ore. The coal movement up the lakes amounts to about 50 per cent, in tonnage of the down shipment of ore. Coal boats manage to load practically full, but with increased draft and more careful trimming their capacity also would show consid- erable increase. Many of the largest iron ore vessels return north without any cargo. The Steel corporation’s boats car- ty very little if any coal. One reason for this is the trip can be made in less time, and the advantage thus gained more than offsets the revenue that would be obtained by delaying for coal. Also, coal rates average 40 to 45 cents, and ore rates average about 68 cents.