The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-04

must, from the breyity of my time, leave TO those
more deeply interested in river improvements
Ii appears 10 me that many members o. TINS
House, and the people Of many portions OF the
Union are Ignorant of the extent of the commercial
marine the commerce Of the lakes, and OF the rapo
progress made therein within the last ten or hitoh
years. had hoped 10 have been able 10 race thiS
from It's origin 10 the present period, oui am UNA
ble 10 give more than mere skeleton OF H. me
person who has recently traversed these lakes With
| out knowledge OF the history Of their commerce,
will be surprised 10 learn that ia 1879 there was but
one steamboat that sailed Lake Erie, and at the
same time hardly an accessible or good harbor; and
that, in the year 1927, solitary steamer steamer
entered for the first time Lake Michigan, without q
| single harbor in which 10 anchor in fair or foul
weather. But now, from the fostering care Of the
general government the activity, energy, and en-
terprse of our hardy and those interested in
the navigation ofthese finland ocesns their commerce
and marine have increased TO enormous extent
| have some statistics which may be interesting to
ALL but more particularly 10 those who not very
conversnt with this part Of the great West. Al
though have with most unwearied pains endeayor-
ed 10 procure information to all the lakes, yet my
sources have enabled me 10 obtain accurate and con-
nected accounts and estimates only from lakes Erie
and Michigan, 10 which must necessarily direct
my attention. There are at this time on these Two
lakes, 60 steamers Of 500 tons burden, valued al
one million five hundred thousand dollars; 20 pro
pellers Of 5000 tons burden, valued at s35O00 90
briggs, Of eleven thousand tons burden; and gu
schooners of ~ 900 tons burden. These two last
form an aggregate value Of two millions TWO hum
bred thousand dollars. Total number Of vessels
four hundred; tonnage eighty thousand; total value
four millions fly thousand dollars. There are also
on the stocks in progress of construction ten large
steamers, twelve pTopelers, twelve sail vessels
amounting in all to thirty, and every one Of the
largest class. The accession 10 the CONNIE rcnl
marine of lakes Enc and Michigan during the last
] Ia.
Of thirteen thousand tons, and an outlay Of eight
hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars; for the
last five the amount expended above the falls
ofNiagara in building, enlarging, and remodeling yes-
ses, is estimated at two millions FIVE hundred thou
sand dollars and the number of vessels built during
the same period was one hundred ard eighty.
This exhibits the magnitude Of that commercial
marine. Notwithstanding you have been exceed
ingly parsimonous in your expenditures in sustain
ing and protecting it, yet has overcome all obstn-
cles and increased far beyond the expectations Of
its most sanguine friends. From the statements ]
have received from the other lakes, have every
reason TO believe that the augmentation OF this
branch has been very great there and though tho
number Of vessels ID less, yet the commerce is grow
ing, and the foreign trade is greater than on lakes
Erie and Michigan. After examining these facts,
and becoming acquainted with the vast interests al
stake, will any one wonder why we take such an
interest in harbor improvements, and why we so
enaciously cling to the system, and advocate these
appropriations
But will for a moment call the attention Of the
committee TO another point of vastly more lmpor-
lance than all other facts relating TO this sub
ert. II is the loss of vessels and the sacrifice Of
life which incident to this commerce. This IL a
theme which might elicit the most glowing elo.
quence and effective defamation; but shall con-
fine myself to the facts, merely promising that these
losses and sacrifices are annual, and not at distant
periods Of time The vessels lost the two lakes,
l. ~ -
vessels; and sc vessels beached, and got of
with partial damage. The value of the property,
vessels, and cargoes lost and damaged has been es-
timsted at Sl90,000 Within the same year there
were between 60 and 70 lives lost. This state
ment is made by lieutenant IN the navy, In
whose veracity every who knows him
places the most implicit confidence; and from
! other sources | know II 10 be correct Now, sir
what appeal could he stronger to American states
mem What argument in favor of this bill more
impregnable' Are the lives and property Of you
citizens worthy Of your protectlon'-and are yot
! iustihable in refusing the email pttance asked OF
the ground that it ia establishing system that may
be abused' 1t is better that millions should bt
wasted--f you please to 70 denominate t-thar
that the frightfu scenes constantly Witnessed Their
should occur.
| ia this conneXion let us examine how many live
are annually exposed TO the dangers Of these lakes
! | hold in my hand an estimate made by gentleman
who is more cOnversant with the commerce, ant
everything connected with them, than any maj
who lives on, or has anything to do with them. ii
has made his statement from books, so that he can
not be mistaken. He says that the number of per
sons going in the year lS45 from Buffalo and inter
mediate places to Chicago, ninety eight thou
sand seven hundred and thirty-six. That to thi
large number of up passengers, must be added al
coming from the West, and mutitudes passing il
the various small boats, from port TO port, of which
we have no account and the number in vessels o
| IL ly,o, a.I
another amount equal to the number given, as having
been taken in steamboats, up; thus showing that abou
two hundred thousand persons, independent of th
crews Of the vessels and steamboats,, annually eros
these waters
| These passengers come from all quarters of tn
Union, and are not confined to those who direct
ly and Immediately interested in our commerce; ant
in throwing over them the mantle Of your protection
you arc probably comforting an inestmable benef
upon many Of your own constituents. Every on
Of you is interested in il, and behooves all to loo
to i, and to calmly reflect upon the consequence O
a vote before it is given.
II is impossible for me, during the short space
an hour, to examine and point out the propriety O
each separate appropriation. With very few ex
ceptons, they have been recommended by the Wa
: Department. and examined carefully by competen
engineers and in some cases by boards Of eX
perienced officers. The War Department has leg
mately the charge of such matters, and its repoI
shows the attention il has bestowed upon then
Upon a careful investigation, we find the views
those conversant with the different points ugreein
precisely with those Of the department. The cours
e pursued is, therefore, doubly snfe.
Let gentlemen consider how many States are II
s ,erestcd in this commerce; let them reflect il
progress and prosperity under all the disadvantage
now and heretofore existing, and they will no lor
/ ger doubt the policy Of such appropriations. Som
}. ten or twelve States are now deeply, and sometime
/, proftaby engaged in it, and from seven to eigf
j millions of people are benefited by it. And whit
objects can then pnrtake more Of national charat
I ter, and what can interest more the entire Unol
Until recently there other engaged IN th
e commerce of these lakes than those contiguous
and bordering on themi but since the opening Of tn
: canal from Cincinnati, intersecting the Wabas
and Erie canal, and that from Pittsburgh TO Erie
the whole face of thinga these great waters hu
changed. And when the different links of CON
! munication now forming between Lake Erie and Il,
: Ohio river, and Lake Michigan and the MissisSip
nj river, are completed and perfected land that Tin,
Il not far dstant) all the different sections of III
Union will be no connected and cemcnted together
that il will be impossible To touch one link wilhor
c affecting the whole chain.