The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-06-20

| 1912, $50, 305 20 1912, 664 BAT SO
ls43, 1005,207 90 1913, l,i33. S66 90
The amo,nt Of tonnage employed in the
Chicago trade the past season is I,S2G, 95O.-
| Thus you see that the trade of Chicago alone
TO say nothing Of the value OF the carrying YES,
sells exposes to the peril OF the lakes two and
| half millions. And there is the trade of Gree
Bay, Milwaukee, Racine, Southport, Liltleiori,
Michigan city, ST. Joseph, mouth of The Kala-
mazoo, Grand Haven, Muskegon, and other
points, which will swell the amount as much
more, TO five millions. here make no allow.
ance for smuggling, which is extensively car
ried on, for the want of a port OF entry al Chioa-
90, and which have every confidence the pre-
sent Congress will establish To this, adj the
value of the shipping exposed, during the year,
with the large amount CT property taken by
travellers and not taken account of at ports,
| and $40 600 600 is n low estimate for the
amount OF property exposed on Lake Michigan
| alone during The year. Then consider the vast
number ofhuman lives (seamen and passengcrs)
continually in jeopardy, and the Importance OF
| good harbors and lighthouses will be manifest
| From Detroit TO the head of Lake Michigan
over eight hundred miles, embracing coast of
| over two thousand mileS,) there has not been
the first har Dor completed. HaIbcIS had been
begun AT Chicago, Michigan city, and ST, Joseph,
but were abandoned, with all the rest, at the
session of 1888 and 80. And ia 1910, insult
was added to iujury, by selling out our nipple.
| mentS. Our parlly-conStructcd works were
thus permitted to decay, until the last session,
when my much respected friend, The delegate
| from Wisconsin, got an appropriation for three
towns in the Territory through this body;
which was amended in the Senate SO as to give
Milwaukee $50, 600, and Chicago and St. 10.
seph 1925, 900 each; and in that amendment this
House concurrcd. So, after waiting patiently
five years, Lake Michigan got $50 900, in adj
diuon TO the $lG9,ii7, which is The whole sum
she has ever received; whilst in ten years, there
has been lost in her navigation all Of & J00,-
900 or : 100 900 per annum; one hundred and
! hlly lives, or fifteen per cent per annum; and
one hundred and twenty five vessels, or twelve
and half per cent per annum. And insurance
is from thirty 10 forty per cent. h Cher than ON
Lake Erie or Ontario, where there are ha bors
Save this $50 900 for Lake Michigan, there
! have been no appropriations for any lake har
borS since the session of 1888 and 1889, though
they are much needed by other lakes besides
Michigan; but leave them in the hands of
their more immediate representatives, who are
better able to portray their necessities. From
1873 to 1888, government extended its fostering
care over the harbors and gave them more or
less appropriations. Why should the old policy,
so pr evident of property and life, SO just, SO
necessary, at this late day. be cxchangcdi
The lake TRACE the past year must have
reached $l00,000000, as it was ssS7 900, 900
last year. And twenty-five new vessels have
been built with tonnage of 3,2l2 tons, and
cost of S2ll $40. An annual appropriation OF
$500, O0O-whch could be clipped from our
navy and army without being lelt--lor three
! years, would he abundant for all our wishes,
and would save that sum in six years. In these
appropriations, rising 7,0OOO00 people are
directly Interested Yes, sir the riparian coun.
ties alone make up 200, 900.
iondly hope that soon the all important canal
around the Sault Ste. Marie Costing, as the
Secretary Of War informs me, only 500, O00)
will be completed, & then the Ioulpouring o the
vast wealth OF The Lake Superior country will
give additional value to the already great and
increasing north western trade Now sir, as
one OF The representatives ofths vital interest Of
our common country, with my present favorable
opinion OF the Committee of Commerce, can.
not vote TO take II away from them; and | hope
no friend will entertain such II proposition for a
moment. To them il legitimalely belongs: and to
thein in behalf OF its friends, ask 10 have il go.
IL Is objected to the committee that there is
no man upon it favorable TO western interests
Where is the gentleman from the Detroit dis
trict, Michigan2 [ Mr.. McClelland1 His con-
sltncuts are directly interested IN the construc-
ton OF haIbors, erection OF flight. houses, and in
Improving every channel Of northwestern trade.
Where is tho gentleman from the Erie district,
Pennsylvania! Mr. Reed. He resides a, an
important commercial point, and has n fortune
invested in sorehouScs and steamboats, upon
the upper lakes. lie has great personal in
lercst Blended with that Of his constituents
Where is the gentleman from the Ogdensburg
district, New YORK; Mr.. King.l lie resides
directly on the 81. Lawrence, which many arc
striving 10 make the great outlet ofthc Mssis-
sippi Valley, not only directly through Canada
to Liverpool, bat directly 10 Boston, by con.
lemplaied railroads, via. Lake Champlain. II
is fact almost too notorious 10 be repeated,
that, upon the completion Of the Illinois canal.
the inhabitants uron both sdes OF the 81. Law.
rrnoe except 10 Opnn trado With The very b eat