Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-06-07
The Great Valley Of the Union.

COMMERCE. OF THE WEsT.-The follow
ing facts, taken from Col. ABERr's report
recently presented to Congress, manifesto
growth Of commercial intercourse extra
ordinary beyond that of any other region,
in the four thousand years of the worlds
history. What has already occurred seems
like the tales Of Arabian fancy. Yet even
now we have only six millions of people
in this western domain. Who can esti-
mate its internal commerce when that pop
ulation expands ten-fold? Inmere physi-
|cal wealth it must be the richest region in
the world-that is inevitable. But we
also indulge the hope that it will be no
less distinguished for its schools, its religi-
GUS and charitable institutions, its vast and
extended lines of inter-communication and
above all for its race of freemen, who will
ever show themselves worthy of the
best days of our Republic. For it is
not mere wealth that gives name and pow
er to country, it is rather the people, in
whose hands all things physical are mould
ed, and whose peculiar characteristics are
stamped in the laws and the morals of the
nation.
sit is but thirty years ago, soon after the
introduction of steam, since avoyage from
St. Louis to New Orleans occupied about
|twenty-seven days. Now it is accomp-
lished in about four days. The number
of keel boats on the Ohio was about 100,
carrying thirty tons each. The whole
tonnage was estimated at 5000 or 1000
tons. The steamboat tonnage on the
Western rivers in 1912 was l26, 279, and
there were employed 1000 other kinds of
boats, making the whole tonnage 425, 27s.-
The produce transported is estimated at
l 1862, $50 tons. The exports to New Or
leans were valued at $50, 56e, sO3, and
he whole commerce amountcdto $40, co.,
600. In 1916 the steamboat tonnage was
249, 055, and the merchandise of all kinds
transported was 3,4l0,536 tons, and was
valued at $lS5, 4O6,7l9. The cost of tho
steam and other tonnage was$l2, 942, 355,
and there were employed IS, al mariners.
The whole length of the steam boat navi-
cation ofthe Mississippi and its tributaries
has been ascertained to be 1854 miles.
1t appears that the Lake tonnage in lS4l
was 56,252, in which were employed
3, $50 mariners. The imports for the same
period were valued at $33, 4S3. 44l, and
the exports at S32,342, 54l, making tho
total amount of commerce $65, 1896, OPP
In the year 1916 the tonnage was 1C6,-
S36, which is estimated to have cost 60
600, 900 and the number of mariners en-
ployed was 6,972. The imports and ex-
ports amounted to 1928, OOO,a and the num-
Der of passengers was not less than $780,
600. Thus the tonnage, mariners, i'm
ports, and exports of the Lakes were
nearly all doubled in five years-making
the annual increase over seventeen per
cent.
"The eight States of Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michi-
gan, New York, Vermont, and the terri
tory of Minnesota, are dependent upon the
navigation of Lakes Champlain, Ontario,
Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior, for
large portion Of their exports ard i'm.
ports. Those States, in 1916, had por -
ulation Of 8 ,SS7 ,45O; but in consequence of
the facilities of intercourse between the
Lakes and Mississippi river, which the
Illinois and Michigan Canal, and the pro-
jected Railroads from Chicago and other
points on Lakes Michigan and Erie will
afford, the States of Iowa and Missouri
will be included with those which have
been named; and as Maine, New hamp-
shire, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island and
Connecticut will participate in that i'm
mense commerce, the whole Number of
States interested therein will be fifteen,
or half of those in the Union, with pop
ulation Of nearly 100000.