Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-04-29
lEHE YIRruAL TERMINArIoN.-We hav

[HE VIRTUAL lERMtNATIoN.-~We nave
been taken to task by the editor of the Nam
haitian advertiser, for stating that Maulnee
Will be the, virtual point of termination of the
Wabash and Erie canal. Now with Difference
to that gentleman we would most ceremonious-
ly beg pardon for having strayed over upon
ground which he had appropriated to himself,
and we would beg leave, while we offer o few
reasons, first, why he should not have called
us in question--and second, why we we're IN
duced to hazard SO heterodox an opinion.
The Eastern extremity Of the Wabash and
Erie canal, is to be constructed with three
points of termination upon the Maumee river
all affording equal facilities for the transaction
ofbusiness. These points of Termination are,
idt Maumee, near Toledo, and beioto Manhat-
tan. What benefits may accrue to Manhattan
from its sprorimity to the termination upon the
SMaumee Bay, we know not but certainly we
cannot see the proprety of their taking us to
task for claiming what we do in fact possess,
to certain extent, and which they do not
So much for the right of the editor of the Man
marks, and now for our reasons for saying
what we did in relation to Maumee.
The object in the construction of canals, is
to diminish the costs Transportation of goods
from place to place, and it must be obvious.
that that line of communication is most perfect
which, while it increases the facility of inter-
communication, diminishes at the same time
the price. These are trusms, which we might
have spared, had not the advocates of GER
tain places not far from us, seemed to have
forgotten them in their jealous advocacy of
the claims of certain favored points. But, to
proceeds: Every one will agree, that the trans
shipments upon all great lines of communica-
ton will be done at points chosen upon the
same grounds and for the same reasons as are
the channels themselves, that is to say--the
cheapness and facility with which business
can be done at those points. Let us now en-
ter into short calculation for the purpose ofl
demonstrating the truth of the claim which
Maumee puts in as the point at which business
can be transacted most cheaply and easily.
The prices offreght from Buffalo to Huron,
Sandushy, Manhattan, Toledo, Maumee, Per-
rysburg, and Detroit, are the same, and there
is no probability that they will change. A !
schooner or steamboat captain may have a
choice in his port of ofdestination, but still there
never has been time when the cost of freight
has been higher to one than to another of
these ports. Suppose schooner laden with
one hundred tons of goods, destined to the
Wabash country, lands her cargo at Manhat-
tan, the goods are then placed on board the
canal boats and started The cost of trans
portation on the Erie canal, the best and
cheapest canal in the world, including tolls, is
a fraction less than seven cents per ton per
mile. At this rate, the. cost of transportation
of the one hundred tons of goods, from Man
haitian to Maumee, Ia miles, at least, by the
canal,) will amount to something over one hun
dred dollars, which would be saved by ship
ping the goods directly to the Foot Of the Ra-
pids. Thus much for the cheapness, With
regard to the advantages which Maumee pos
sesses in facilitating the transportation of
goods, we would barely remark, that one cord
ofwood will propel two hundred ions of goods
from Manhattan to Maumee in one and half
hours, by the river, and that fair wind of
two hours duration, will bring up one hundred
tons by schooner; while, by the canal, four
teen miles is the largest half of days work,
even when going under full head Of drivers
oaths and drivers blows, to say nothing Of a
word or two and peradventure blow or two
from the captain, now and then.
But Maumee has claim to one species Of
business, which, for that branch at least, will
make heE-the terminatan of the Wabash and
Erie canal, and which even the editor of the
Manhattan Advertiser, This good sense, will
concede to her. Travellers from the east or
west will take and leave the canal at Maumee,
IN preference to any other place on the river;i
for SO long as steamboat drawing twelve
inches OF water can pass from Manhattan to
1.-The Foot the Rapids, SO long win travellers
take that boat and enjoy the air and scenery
ofone ofthe most romantic and beaatiful rivers
IN the world, in preference to broing along intI
confined and narrow canal boat, through
ditch just wide enough for it to pass, over !.
-<aviEes and through thickets enlivened with
the oaths of the captains, the yelIs ofthe cook
maids, the cries Of 4 bridge" ofthe steersman,
and perhaps the musical efforts of some ANA .
teur performer on acracked bugle, by the way
nF xr<~l~s 49, L n