Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1838-06-09

NTHR CANAL--Irs EASTERN TRANSLATION
The claims of the different towns upon this RI
yer, to the exchange trade of the most exten-
sive and important system Of artificial inland
communication in the world--extending as it
does, from Lake Erie on the East, to the Mis-
sissippi river on the West, and from the Ohio
river on the South to the Great Lakes on The
North, and intersectng country rich beyond
a parallel, in the means of living and the sub
jects Of commercial operations; cannot be 9TH
wise than legitimate subjects of discussion, by
those who are interested. It Is more. In
country like ours, where not the farmer only,
but the merchant and man of capital is looking
towards the West for a place of settlement
and investment, and casting all anxious eye TO-
wards those points which are claimed as valu-
able in acommercial point of view, it is duty
incumbent upon all to throw all possible light
upon the subject, and to aid in the dIssemina-
ton of the facts in the case, to the end, that
none may be deceived by the false statements
of the dishonest. Believing this to be the
proper view to be taken, we have entered bold
ly into the discussion, not feeling that we are
on forbidden ground, not trembling for anxiety
lest our neghbor's property should be affected
in value, and not feeling afraid to speak out
and dare the publication of the truth, and the
whole truth, in all its bearings upon the good or
Ill fortune of ou. own town.
The navigation of the Maumee River, by
vessels propelled by steam, may be said to have
commenced in 1884. Previously to that year,
steam vessels had very seldom ascended to the
Foot of the Rapids, but sail vessels often.-
From memoranda which have been kept at
Detroit, of the actual fluctuations in the waters
of Lake Erie, and which are probably the only
authentic records in existence, upon that sub
ject, it appears that during 1884, tho Lake was
lower by about one foot, than has been OBJ
served in any one season either before or since,
subsequent to the commencement of the OBJ
servations. 1t is ALEC demonstrated that there
is no such thing as septennial, or other peri
odical rise and fall of the waters of tha Lake.
During this season oflow water, season which
we remember well, was looked for with strong
hopes and expectations, by the enemies Of the
towns at the Foot of the Rapids, steamboats,
with the same draught of water with those
which now navigate the Lake and River, came
up without difficulty, and sail vessels Of the
very largest class made their regular trips, as
they do now. Neither has the strictest meas
urement, when honestly made, been able to
prove any thing to our disadvantage; but, on
the contrary, the results have been always in
our favor; and nothing of hope seems to re-
main to the defamers, but the vain surmise that,
some time or other, through some extraordna-
ry dispensation of Providence, or uncommon
inversion of the laws of nature, something
may happen which will put u stop to the navi-
cation of our beautiful river.
Admitting then, as all must, that the river
is navigabe, the only hope Of the towns below
in The competition for the trade of the Great
West, is by the canal ITSELF upon the ground
that an artificial channel for small boats, is bet
ter than natural one of five times the dimen-
sions, and fitted for the navigation of Ships
And this ground they have virtually taken by
their strenuous claim to have the canal carried
to their several places. The question then, is
between the River as it is, and the Canal as it
is to be; and comparison between the facili-
es offered in this case, between the two modes
of transportation, is perfectly easy. One hun
dred tons of goods may be transported by
steamboat or schooner from Buffalo to Maumee
City for the same price at which they are car
ried to Toledo. But if the said hundred tons
of goods destined for this place, are landed at
Toledo, and are shipped from thence to this
place by canal, the case is widely different
On the Erie, the cheapest canal in the United
States, the cost ofcoaveying one hundred tons
of goods ten miles, (the distance from Toledo
to Maumee City, is, including tolls, forty-two
dollars. This then Is, at the least calculation,
the sum which must be paid by the forwarder
at Toledo, upon every hundred tons Of goods
which he ships for the upper country, in order
to place himself upon q level with Maamee. =
And very pretty tax it is-if it does not a.
mount to total prohibition, will at lent re-
quire strong faith on the part of those who do
business to such disadvantage.
Coon NRws.-By letter from our Repre-
sentative, Mr.. Goode, dated May 80, we learn
that tho resolution virtually repeating specie
Circular, which was introduced by Mr.. Clay
and amended bv Mr.. Webster, has passed both |