The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-03-28

Indiana shall number, (f she does not now,
one million of inhabitants, these products
will only.be a small part of the wealth that
will seek an outlet through our canal. OF
the commerce that crowds the city of Buffa-
10, passing East and West,what proportion
will pass through the Wabash and Erie Ca
nal? The bulk OF the trade of our own State
the tobacco and hemp OF one third of
Kentucky, the products ofhalfof Tennessee.
and of the one fourth of Illinois destined for
the Nothern markets, will pass through this
canal. The trade to New York and Bos-
ton. and all the manufacturing districts of
the Nethern States, will be opened to the
South West through this channel. What,
then, it may be repeated, will be the proper
ltion Of the imports and exports at Buffalo,
that will pass through our Canal? tits not too
much TO say that it would be one half. 1t is
the most direct route.-It avoids the lake
navigation to GO by the way of Chicago on
the one hand, and on the other, the river nav
I~igaEion from Portsmouth to Evansville, not to
mention the Louisville canal and the falls of
the Ohio, as drawbacks on that navigation.
During the last season, the income on The
Wabash and Erie Canal within the State of
Ohio, was S35,922 36;-the year before it
was 1886 Is. In our own State some
lsixiy-fiye or seventy thousand dollars. These
sums give an earnest of what it will be
when it shall be finished, and open up an
Quiet ~boihways for our products,and a chan
mel of trade to the most highly improved. as
well as to the new and productive portions
Of the country.
In view of this brief outline, it may be
fairly assumed, that it will surpass in reve-
nue. the Ohio Canal. Not that it will super
cede that work. This would be a narrow
view of the subject. The attentive observ-
er Of the internal trade of the United States,
must have been struck with the prodigious
increase of the Western trade. The causes
which have produced this increase are still
at work-actively at work. The trade will be
doubled in 90 years, perhaps sooner. The 3
canals-the Illinois and Michigan, the Wabash
and Erie, and the Ohio, win all have an in
crease of business and of revenues, and in a
word will be running a concurrent race ofpros-
perity. viii these three canals when they
shall be completed, and opened for naviga-
ton, not do as much business, embracing
their local and general trade, as the New
York Canal? There is not a man. well in
formed on the subject in the country, that
will doubt it. What is the conclusion? II
they do equal b~usiness--they will produce
equal evenue This revenue will be at this
rate $l,S60,00 dollars. Suppose our canal
TO dothe one third?-and who doubts it after
locking over the map of the country, and
considering its commerce? The result
would be $629,333. Yielding, after allow
ing $4,000 for repairs and superintend
ance, half million Of dollars to the two
States of Ohio and lndiana-four hundred
thousand of which, would go into our treas.
ury. This would be equal to an investment
of six millions and two-thrds of a million o
Idollars, at six per cent interest. 1t would
ensure our redemption from debt-and lea6
to the certain completion of the Contra
Canal up through the heart of the State. 1
f is time for the public to take hold of this sub
iect, as the most practicable means of re-
deeming the State, and ensuring a prosperi
ty corresponding with her and hel
position in the Union.