The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-12
I'ha Falls OF the Ohio River.
n. the Senate and

To The Hon. the Senate and
HOUSE Of Representatives. Of The u s,
Numerous petitions from the Western States
are now before Congress, praying for the i'm
proyement of the navigation of the Western wa
ters, and especially for another canal around the
falls of the Ohio river.
The petitioners claim that the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi rivers are great national highways, under
the control of the general government, and not
under the jurisdiction of the States bordering on
those streams. The citizens of the Mississippi
valley, are therefore, warranted in demanding
that these rivers should be placed on the same
footing with the Atlantic coast, the Chesapeake
and Delaware bays, and the lakes, in reference
to the superintendent Of the nation over the
navigation.
They claim it from the extent of territory ID
the Mississippi valley, depending upon, and d.
rectly affected by the commerce Of these rivers.
The United States is divided, by nature, into
three distinct geographical sections
The first being the Atlantic slope, extending
from the Atlantic ocean to the Allegheny noun
tains; the second, or valley of the Mississippi,
from the Allegheny to the Rocky mountains to
the Pacific ocean The first division presenting
an area of about 100000 square miles The
second, or valley Of the Mississippi, extending
north and south nearly through the breadth OF
the temperate zone, from the 47th degree OF lat
itude in the north, to the Gulf of Mexico in the
south, embracing territory of more than ,2O0,-
900 square miles, or 800,000,000 acres OF land.
The third division, extending from the Rocky
mountains to the Pacific ocean, containing about
425,0OO square miles.
This second division or great valley, drained
by the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, and including
their tributary streams, is one third as large as
all Europe, and three times the size OF the old
thirteen States.
Compared with the present condition OF the
New England States, it could sustain in similar
wealth, prosperity, and comfort, forty nllions
of inhabitants. population, however, OF $50
to the square mile, similar to that OF Great Brit
ain, would give TO the Mississippi valley the
enormous number of two hundred and fifty mil
lions Of people-more than one-fourth of the
present population of the world. One-half Of
this vast territory may be pronounced arabic
land, capable of profitable cutivation and over
the greatest part nature has been most bounti-
full in scattering valuable minerals, including the
most extensive coal fields known to the world
The climate varied in the several ATTITUDES
and adapted to the culture of all the products
necessary for the use of man. 1t is therefore
evident that this valley is to be the great agr-
| culture, commercial and manufacturing portion
of the Union and must by increase of popula-
ton, soon have the preponderance in the coun-
ellis of the general government.
| Where on the face of the globe, has there
been witnessed, such degree of enterprise and
industry as we have presented in these Western
States?
| Here, within sixty years, we have seen n
wilderness covered with hourishing villages and
productive farms, cities, counties and States
have been organized-roads, canals and railways
have been built, which, in other countries, have
been the work of centuries. Not more than
| go years have passed since this vast domain,
with few exceptions, was occupied exclusively
by wandering tribes Of Indians with a trade in
furs, limited to the wants of savage life.
The population of this valley in 1910, was
s,434,379 inhabitants; and the increase since
that time will probably show by the present cen
sus, population of l2 millions, giving this
division of the Union more than half the popu-
lation of the United States
This rapid and unexamp|ed increase in popu-
lation is not more astonishing than the progress
of the arts, commerce, agriculture, and manu-
features.
In the year 1871, the first steamboat was
built in the West,--now the estimated number
is about 800 with a capacity for transporting
! 100000 tons, an amount greater than the
| tonnage of the whole steam marine of Great
Britain.
| OF the whole number of steamboats, built
within the last three years in the United States,
two-thirds were built in the West, and one
sixth of this number were constructed in Ohio
| To illustrate the increase of commerce on
the Ohio river, it is only necessary to refer to
the statistics Of Cincinnati for two of the lead
| ing articles of commerce imported into that city
in 1926 In that year the imports Of coffee
amounted in value to the sum of so $4,000 90
| In 1915 l,la0,000 90
Sugar in 1926 10000 90
| do. in 1913 100000 90
/ Previous to the adoption of steamboat nav-
! cation, the commerce from New Orleans to the
upper country was carried in few barges and
keel-boats, making but one trip a year, with a
commerce scarcely worthy of notice in the sta
tistics of the nation. Now, by report made to
the typographical bureau for 1850, it will be
seen that the net commerce of the Western
waters is estimated ut 253 millions Of dollars,
and ihe lake trade at $50 milons----in the aggre-
gate more than one-half the value Of the gross
commerce Of the Union,
1t is to the steamboat navigation of these
noble rivers and their tributaries, that we attrib-
ute the success Of the Western people With
! out the aid Of steam, the shores OF our rivers
would have remained silent forests, and the pro-
ductons of thinly scattered population would
still be hoated to market on the insufficient keel
and fat-boats of the early navigators.
! in all these improvements, the general gov
eminent is the most deeply interested, IA the
owner of that portion Of the public domain
which is within the influence of these rivers and
which is daily increased in value, by the growth
Of commerce. and the facilities afforded for pass
! ing it to its destined markets
| IL is impossible to make any accurate esti
mate Of the future growth and commerce Of the
West All previous calculations have been far
below the reality and now the prospects are