The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-12-01
Illinois and Michigan Canai--New Orleans
Alarmed.


Illinois and Michigan Canai---Nsw Orleans
Alarmed.
! There arc so many excellent suggestions
in the following article which We find Ia the
Chicago Democrat Of Friday, that We ap.
prcpriate il bodily. Our canal i. Ia, ia lis
iniancy-it has made but a ieebl, expert
incentive are only beginning 10 see la the
great distance the immesse results il is de>-
tined TO accomplish:
| We notice from a late article in H.. New
Orleans Times that the commercial n..n Of
that city are alarmed a, Tie prospect 81 a
large portion ui their trade being di,eittd
/ trotn the old channel la dang rUu> and rN.
pcnsive sea voyage. They cUn>V.e them.
. Ives, however, with the hUye that our Ca
nal and lake navigation viii prove SO eX-
penS!ve that II VA! prevent the shipment &c
The manufactures ut the east 10 the west,
and the return lradure al the west to the
east by thi, route. This hope we trust " III
prove decisive. Every year but cheaper,
the cost Of transportation ny this ruute.
and when RAILROADS aic mp,c grucra'iy used
Tor the transportation q! merchandise, we
even with the apparently cheaper convey.
amce by sail and steam vessels.
There i however a great deal vet ia be
done by the united CO opeIatiuu Of the lines
OF eastern aud western travel. - far a.
possible, the tolls on ,aHsls, railroads,
ireiaht> on steam vessels, Sc , must Gt re-
duced.
The Trustees of our Canal, which i, ar-
ter AL, the great connecting link, should re-
auoe their tolls to the lowest payin. rate
Il has been found upon trial IN England mp.
on all works Of public conveyance that the
cheaper the fare, the greater the revenue.
This has also proved true in the eastern
States wherever reduction Ct rates oil
fare or freight las been made. Thus, a.
though line may possess a monopoly Of
the trade aud travel, II does nut follow that
by laying on ,h2 charges is rrol!e.o.S re-.
alize the largest profits.
We rejoice TO find that so Ear the success .
OF our Canal has exceeded our ant,cipatons. |
Bat IN the language Of ST. Lou. paper, 10 /
render 1t even more suC ces>iu., than /, ihHS
far has proved, and 10 make il reliable /
source OF communication for the transport.
alton OF goods and prodlce during the
whole season the Lakes are navigah.e, i'm
in lis structure must be mate
by those having the control aud superintcn.
dence of this work duiing the coming win
ter. This accomplished, and bushes, COM
munity satisfied that no delays will occur
as during the past season, for the want of a !
Of water, in having the freight
boats lmpeded, and thrice the amount OF
business will be done upon it in another sea-
son than has been done this year.
There is another disadvantage, under
which the canal route has iabored, which .
We trust TO see overcome. That is the want |
OF regular line Of steamboats, on the lii. /
nols river, running in connection with the /
packets on the Canal At present the boats,
running between -. Louis and Peru. have
no regular days Of starting, and beside, n
trip from Peru TO ST. Louis is aggravated
by their incessant delays at every town
along the whole length OF the Illinois river
putting out aud taking in freight. This
way business requires nearly double the
consumption Of time in masking a trip be-
tween ST. Louis and Peru that il oulh 9th.
erwise take, was there a line Of packets
directly through, taking nothing
through but freight, and giving passengers
bound either FOR Chicago or 81. Louis the
preference as TO accommodations. A line
of steamboats, Of light draught aud great
speed, connecting with the packet liue on
the Illinois Conal, fitted up with good &C.
commoda,icns for passengers and starting
with pnnctuality at fixed hours at both end,
Df the route, and with rates Of charges that
would make it cheaper than the Ohio route,
would not only prove among the very best
steamboat stock on the river, but would Sc
cure the travel this way.
The inland route from the eastern cities
o the west has been fully completed by the
opening Of our canal. This brings Us into |
'irect competition with the STA route 10
New Orleans, and the navigation of the ,
and its tributaries. Already
arge amount of merchandise has come this
way, and large quantities of western pro-
luce, have gone forward to the seaboard.-
L remains with those having control of the
'arions lines Of communication to preserve :
md increase this opening commerce, which
nav yet exceed anything heretofore known
II the worlds history.