The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-08

Steamboats, may ply as regularly between them, at
all seasons of the year, as they do between Mo-
bile and New Orleans. Connecting at the mouth
with regular trains OF cars on this road, mail
line of great importance be formed TO vast region
of country now rapidly popuating, and to the cities
spnnging up as il BY magic, on the upper lakes and
upper Mississippi. Their bearing upon the military
deenees Of the country is thought TO be worthy OF
consideration, also. They will afford the most GER
tain means Of rapidly transferring at all seasons,
military force TO and fro between New Orleans and
the lake region, and will be specially important
when the accustomed channels are obstructed by
low water or ice. Passing through extensive
and fertile region, where every rood Of ground can
maintain its man, and destined to do, if these
similar works constructed, they will enable a
large military force TO be sent down promptly from
Illinois and the jacen Staes in convenient reach
OF these roads, when the descent Of leyes from the
States on the Ohio and upper Mississippi may be
delayed by the distractions mentioned. In like
manner, they will afford, jointly or separately, sure
means for the rapid transmission OF arms and mu-
nltions Of from such depots the actual
sites OF the country now require TO be established
at Fort Massac and other points the Mississippi;
and, without mooting the point Of the alleged supe
riority Of railroads over navigable streams me
dunn Of conveyance, itmay be safely asserted that
they have this decided advantage over such streams
10 the West-thai they are available at all seasons
and in all weather. They have now, though yet
in their infancy, the monopoly Of mails passengers,
and the business of six months Of winter, and the
| cost Of conducting them has been reduced, since
their first introduction, at least fly per cent.
Several of the eastern cities now striving in a
spirit OF honorable emulation, TO the western
trade by means Of railroads TO reach its remote
sources. The time is not far, it is thought, when
continuous line, from some one or more Of them,
will be made to the Mississippi river; to be extend
ed thence to the shores Of the far-distant Pacific.
The Northern Cross railroad Of Illinois may meet
one Of them in its advance westward, and, from its
location, must become one Of the most important
links in this great chain and become a great and
productive thoroughfare Both roads pass over i'm
mense fields Of bituminous coal, exceeding in
tent all the coal Of any three Of the ad-
acent States, and both point to connection with all
the outlets for the marketable commodities OF that
vast region. These outlets are three: one by the
Mississippi to the Gulf Of Mexicoi another by the
lakes and the improvements of the State of New
York; and the third by the Ohio river and the Penn
sylvana canals and railroads.
A view Of the rapid progress Of the States in
commerce and numbers, whose only outlets are
those mentioned, is most gratifying indeed, and
courages the hope that other artificial Improvements,
like those now bearing their produce to the
kets Of the world will contribute still further TO
| swell the measure Of their advantages, and dfuse,
by their operation, immense benefits upon all Sec
tons OF the Union.
State northwest of the river Ohio, with population
of about 100000. In that year Indiana was admit
ted with $4,000 Inhabitants. Michigan and Illinois,
including Wisconsin, had together less than As 000
whilst the total for Missouri and Iowa may be stated
| at so 900.
The whole trade Of the lakes then, and up to the
! time Of the completion of the New York canal in
| 1895, was very uncomfortable, employing only
steamboat Of $50 tons, and other tonnage, amount
! ing, in the whole, to 2500 tons. In 1882, on the
completion of the Ohio canal, 1t increased to
| S,552 tons; those artificial channels, with the i'm
provement of the harbors the lakes, drawing
| from the rivers much Of the surplus which before
sought market by them. In 1874, the enroll
led and licensed tonnage upon the lakes
amounted to 81 $40 tons; and during the past
| year there have been built and put in commits
sion, Lake Erie alone, forty-cight vessels
of 10 ,207 tons, and costing 1858 O00 Between the
ports Of Buffalo, in New York; and Chicago, in IL
linois, on Lake Michigan, there have been built,
since l84l, thrty-one steamboats, seven propellers
and one hundred and forty sail vessels of all descrp-
tons, with aggregate tonnage of 81, 800, and at
cost of $3.50, 600 There are now on those lakes
4 400 vessels of all kinds, with tonnage of 81, 000
valued at 81 $50 900; and there being built, in
addition, ten steamboats,, twelve propeers, and
twelve sail vessels, to accommodate a trade estima-
ted at Sl25 O000 900! The exports from the port of
Chicago alone, during the past year, (Which, six
teen years ago. was frontier garrison, to be con-
veyed on the lakes to the canals and railroads of
New York, amounted to 81 ,202, $50, and the i'm
ports, conveyed in the same way, to 81 1896, 1898
This place, the lake terminus of the proposed ILL
nois and Michigan canal, is now city Of $4,000 in
habitants, and forcbly illustrates the proprety of
making grants for internal improvements, as the
grant for this canal has caused many thousand acres
now highly cultivated, to sell, which, without 1t,
could scarcely have been given away. part OF
one small fraction, of less than eighty acres, djon
ing it, has produced to the United States a sum ex
cesding ninety thousand dollars. The population
of the new States which can have direct participa
ton in the trade of these lakes if these links be
10. t.rhoo ate hIrfu lint
Gal 900, numbers four millions and three quar-
ters, and increasing in a ratio truly astonishing.
By the latest returns of the Of those States
it appears that Ohio has now population of about
two millions; Indiana near one million Illinois
| 655 600; Missouri $4,000; Michigan 305, 900; Iowa
1885, 900; and Wisconsin liz, 900; they having prof
tied by two sources of supply beyond the natural
increase-that by foreign and domestic immigration.
The six eastern States have also increased in the
| same time, notwithstanding emigration from them,
. on average of 80 per cent.
Much of this increase, especially on the lake Dor
DER is properly placed to the account Of the harbors
built upon them, giving facilities and security to
that commerce which now has to be told in millions,
and reacting upon the sales of public lands to their
i great augmentation, by giving TO them new and
vast additional impulse.
The river trade to the Gulf and on the Ohio and
Pennsylvania improvements, has also increased
in like wonderful degree, the ratio Of increase
keeping full pace with every extension of facilities
to accommodate it, and at reduced charges. The
entire steamboat tonnage Of the British EMPIRE in
4 1894 did not exceed 80 TIC tons. Two years ago
that of the Mississippi valley alone exceeded 1t one
third then amounted to l25,000 tons. The value
of property annually carried upon its rivers exceeds
S25N, 000, 600, an amount greater than that of eui
whole foreign commerce in any one year. for series
of years past. This is the gratifying picture pre-
scented by the West. Much the largest part of thes,
products, thus sent to and brought from the mar
: kets of the world, from, and for the consump
ton Of the people of the States containing the pub
lie domain, whose industry, public spirit, and ener
gy have subdued its wildness, made these vast con
ribuons to the commerce Of the nation, and the
domain itself important branch Of the nation
al income In the present high advancement Of the
West in power and numbers, the whole Union has
cause to rejoice for the Uuion has contributed to
4, and, however strong it may be in time to come
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