The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-04-14


While the people of Chicago are almoS
immudvra'e intheir rejoicing at die compile
ton of the canal, we have heard il seriou>l,
contcnded by more than one that this grea
work is rather calculated to ininre than he,
nc'it the trade &C that city. II needs little
argument to show the utter abSnrdity ot
such views. That the retail trade of Chi
cage may be, to slight extent, affected, is
probable. The farmers for some 90 or 81
miles from Chicago, on the canal line, he
have hitherto been obliged to market their
wheat there, aud who, as consequence,
purchased their merchandise there, may
now, to considerable extent, deal nearer
home, but this will be far from affecting ad-
ver>cly the Qu1ntuHl of the trade of Chica.
90. If anything,it can only change lis
character. Chicago will now rise from her
position of mere three-penny retailer to
the dignity of wholesale dealer. A mere
retail trade never yet built great CITY.
When large extent Of country becomes
tributary, aud that country has TO be sup.
pied In return in too heavy quantities TO be-
dolcd out in dribS-,his il is that cvncen.
trates those clements that make up a great
city. The position of Chicago, by the COM
pletion ofour canal, is reudcrcd prominent
ly eligible for this heavier species Of trade.
Hitherto her trade has been confined to
comparatively mere neighborhood, and
has been almost exclusively Of a retail
character Now Chicago becomes the TO-
Gus Of an entirely different trade, and almost
unlimited in extent. The great trade OF
the Mississippi valley, which has hitherto
found lis way by the Ohio or gone by way
of New Orleans, must take the cheaper and
safer route by the bikes and be rcshipped at
Chicago, going in either direction. Then
the great produce trade of Illinois, which
has hitherto swellcd SO immensely the bulk
OF the trade o! ST. Louis, must now all con-
centrate at Chicago. This will open 10 her
new and extended fields of enterprize. In
stead of shopmen and retailers, she will
have her merchants whose arcosies will
iloat on many distant seas. Her extended
shipping. and Ecr heavy trade with the
east. will enable her 10 bring goods here so
much cheaper than they can be brought in
small quantities, that all the merchants
from Chicago 10 Alton, and in large pur-
non OF Wisconsin and Iowa, instead Of 60
ing TO the east every spring to lay in their
supplies, will find il To their advantage to
deal at Chicago, and thus that city will soon
be to Illinois and portions cfadjoining states,
what Philadelphia now is to Penusylyania
and Baltimore to Maryland, or all the great
cities OF the east to the regions around them
tile great mart aud centre Of their trade.
What an immense wholesale business ,bi,
must give her! We will not attempt to es.
ti'nate 1t, but let MS give il a glance. There
are IN this county perhaps 40 or 80 stores.
doing a business each Of from 5000 to 500.
900 annually. The counties around us all
have like proportion Of dealers. They
make their purchases now at the cast; but
let them 60 to Chicago, and how long will
It take to double or quadruple her present
business? 1t will follow simultaneously
Then these dealers are all traders in pro-
luce, who will seek their market at Chica-
20, instead Of. as most of them now do. At
st. Louis or New Orleans. How immense
IN acquisition this will he TO her tradel
We have merely glanced at this subject
We have said nothing Ct the lumber trade.
he lead trade, the hemp trade of Missouri,
&c, that must now centre at Chicago: nor
have we alluded to the advantages which
that city has attained by the opening Of the
Lachine canal opening for her shipping an
uninterrupted communication with Europe.
We have said enough however we imagine
to show that the trade of Chicago will not
be injured by the opening Of the canal. and
that instead OF selling less she will sell infin-
itely more to us, and TO the whole country
around her, than she ever has done before.