Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-04-05
THE TRADE OF LAKE ERIE.

THE PRoGREss OF PoPULArIoN.-The Report of
the Select Committee on the SUNBURY AND ERIE
RAILROAD contains much valuable matter. The
committee give the population, at different periods,
of those States bordering on the Lakes that must,
more or less, have business connected herewith
The change is indeed extraordinary. In the year
1900 the population of Ohio was AS 365. Il is now
9s, $40. In 1900 the population of Indiana was 564.
II 99O,25s In 1910 the population Of Illinois was
24,520 It is now $4,000. In 1910 the population Of
Michigan was 4,53s It is 397, ,576. In 1910, only
ten years ago, the population Of Wisconsin 3O945
Il is 305,596 In 1910 the aggregate population Of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin was
2924,72s The increase in ten years ,456 1885, In
1850 the population of the States named 525 370
exhibiting another increase years of about 000
These statistics show the rapid progress Of the States that
are tributary in some to the Northern Lakes and
which must send to and receive from the Atlantic market
what they produce and by that channea chain Of
lakes along which for many hundred miles and
travel pass free of toll In the five States named the popu
ation has nearly doubled in each period Of years
time past But to these States, viz Ohio, indiana Illinois,
Michigan, and Wisconsin, must if we take proper view Of
the subject and of the trade travel and commerce Of Lake
Erie be added that of country that reaches from
the Shut Of St. Mss the west end Of Lake Superior.
- - A0Sioh yOs oAPofoo-iot a8Cuitutai
purposes of but small moments but in i,s minerals, Of
told wealth. Its iron and its copper in quantity and per
centage Of YIELD exceeds that Of any other mines yet Disco
vered in this country The Of also easy
the mines being along the south shore Of Lake Superior
where vessels of large tonnage, the canal around
the falls in the ST. Marys 10 built SAIL To the mineral
wealth must be added item of small momenthe fish
taken in Erie, Huron. Michigan, the river ST. Mays and
Lake Superior The extent Of the fishing business upon the
lakes may be gathered from The fact that at the port Of Buffalo
alone in the year 1850 there received 379 barrels Of
lake fish. This let it be remembered is but Of the
many ports upon Lake Erie at which this article Of
is received for Eastern and Southern consumption
But still fully to ascerain and distinctly
the commercial importance of this body of water is
cessay to know that by of the Weland canal
enlarged for vessels Lake Ontario and the river st. Law
added Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior pre-
senting Of inland ship navigation nowhere else
be found Some few years since the project agated in
the National Government of connecting by canal for
sells Of deep draugh the Mississippi river with Lake Michigan
It shown to be and is known to be practicable That
armed steamers in may be thrown upon these lakes to
enable successfully compete with Great Britain canal
with dimensions equal to the Weland, and will be
built connecting the Lake Michigan and the Mississippi
river When that accomplished, the trade, travel and
commerce thereby thrown upon the lakes may itself exceedby
cent the present apparently extraordinary business of
Erie. It cannot but greatly increase it, because afoat
upon Erie you have to the Mississippi and all her m
butaries with vessels of deep daught These important
facts and prove in not to be misunderstood the ad
vantages likely grow of the completion Of the proposed
Inquirer.