Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-11-25
MAUMEE EXPRESS.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER IS, 1887.

N1AA 4 - A>*<<A AtO AlHAOAl1t 81, 1OOfs
THE TRADE OF THE CANAL.-The claims of
the towns Of Toledo and Manhattan to the
trade Of the Wabash and Erie Canal, and of
thousands Of miles Of similar improvements
cohnectedwith that stupendous work, extend
ing in all directions through the whole north
ern portion Of the great valley of the Missis-
sippi, are based upon the simple assertion,
ssthat the Maumee River, from those places
to the towns at the foot of the rapids, is not
sufficiently navigable to those vessels with
which the business of Lake Erie, connected
with the canals to be transacted, to give that
certainty to the movements of trade, which
its immensely and Importance demands The
superiority of good river navigation over
that of canal, not one of the warmest advo-
Gates of the towns below can pretend to deny,
and no claims of that nature have ever been
made, but on the other hand, attempts are dali
ly being made to injure and destroy the char
acter of this river as channel for trade, by
boldly asserting its partial, and in many in
stances, its total innavigability. As this is
the issue which has been rendered by the ad-
vocates of the towns below, as the one upon
which they are to rely, an examination into
its merits, in the light of the history of the
navigation of the Maumee river, may not be
inapposte at this time, when the commence
ment Of SO important line of intercommuni-
cation as the Wabash and Erie canal, has
drawn the attention of the people Of the Uni
ted States towards this section, as affording
one of the most important points for trade up
on this continent.
Up to the year 1888, the transportation
business of the towns at the foot Of the rap
ids, was principally done by two schooners-
the Eagle and the Guerriere--both owned by
John Hollister, Esq. and Capt Wilkinson, of
Perrysburg. and during that year, small
steamboat--the Gen. Brady--commenced run
ming from this place to Detroit. At this time
the practicablity of navigating the Maumee
river with vessels Of alarger class, was OPEN
ly and stfenuously denied by the papers at
Toledo, and by numerous letter-wrIters, cor
responding with various papers throughout
the United States, but resident at, or interest
ed in that place. In 1894, the steamboat o.
liver Newberry, second class boat, made a
few trips to the foot of the rapids, and the De-
troit, boat of the same class and size the
,,,,oIl hoatc fhaf Can Taokson and Major |
Downing, also made their appearance the
same season, running to Detroit, and the
schooner Merchant was built, and commenced
making regular trips to Buffalo. In 1895, the
business of the Maumee river may be said to
have commenced. The steamboat Com. Per-
ry, first class boat, came out in May, and
has continued to run regularly between Per-
rysburg and Buffalo ever since, without acci-
dent or detention. Several large schooners
were built about the same time for the same
trade, and have continued to ply with unin-
terrupted success. Since 1885, the quantity
Of shipping, owned at, and running to the
foot of the rapids, has met with an unparal-
elled increase; the Monroe and Oliver New
berry have been purchased, the Gen. Wayne
built, and the control of several other steam
boats secured, and no less than seven large
schooners are now owned and controlled by
the citizens of Maumee and Perrysburg,
During the present season, the number of
arrivals at the foot Of the rapids,
has amounted to about 300, and the number
Of schooner arrivals to i03, only two instan-
ces have occurred of steamboats, getting
aground, and in these cases they were able to
get Off without accident, and without occa-
sioping any serious detention. Such is the
history Of the navigation Of the Maumee ri
ver,, a. record which, if it proves anything,
proves conclusively, that the stream possesses
nayigable qualities, amply sufficient toaccom-
modate all the trade of canal, Of the dimen-
sions Of the Wabash and Erie, without tincon-1
venience. pa
THE New YORK ELEcTIoss.--T people
of the state of New York, have achieved a