Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-08
COMPLETION OF THE WABASH AND ERIE CANAL
FROM THE EVANSVILLE (1sprAyA) EscuIRrR

PROM THE EVANSVILLE (ISDIAYA) ENQUIRER
The WABASH AND ERIE CANAL-This great work is
hnshed The waters of the Lake have been united with
those Of the Ohio, and the Canal Packet Pennsylvania
Captain Sharra,' how many days out from Toledo we
cannot say, now lies moored in the canal basin below
Main street. This event. which was marked with the
firing Of cannon the music of the band the shouts Of the
multitude, and complimentary speech from our
ca ieow-ctzen, John Inge Jr, Esq, the captain of
the m Goat that through the line of the canal
from Toledo Evansville is to be productive of great
nor incacuable interest the future growth and pros
perity OF our city And while willingly admit the
Importance Of other mediums trade Evans
vile in the Of progress we cannot shut our
eyes to the acta fact that the FIVE years will make
yeariy more manifest to our ctzens-that far
CARDS the development of resources the extension of
our commerce and trade with the interior of our State
along the rich valley Of the Wabash and White rivers
nay even along the borders of the Lake itsethe great
work, the Wabash and Erie Canal WILL now tits COM
pieted add more to population, wealth, and impor-
lance than any other work in progress contemplated
and that by its construction and terminus here Evansville
must and will become depot for all the groceries and
heavy merchandise only destined for the Wabash and
White river valleys but for the whole Lake shore from
Sandusky TO Detroit; not only for the immense tobacco
region Of Green river and its tributaries bur for the
ton sugar, molasses, coffee salt iron, and heavy groce
RES from the South, brought up the Mississippi in
large steamboats, to ST. Louis thence shipped on smaller
ones navigating the Illinois river La Sale thence by
canal boats to Chicago thence by lake steamers nine hun
dred miles to Detroit Toledo, and Sandusky. On
the other hand why should the heavy articles destined
for the southwestern shore of Lake Erie for the places
above mentioned be forwarded UP the Ohio river three
hundred miles further with difficult navigation in
an ordinary stage Of water to Cincinnati increased
freight to be shipped from thence the terminus
as canal Tolede Over both of these routes ours
has decided advantage From New Orleans to Toledo
goods and groceries from New Orleans destined for the
Lake will have but re-shpment from the steamer TO
the canal boat here And say nothing of the other adj
vanages mentioned in the case of shipments to Cncn
nat our only possible rival the question of insurance
will be in the shippers favor from this point instead of
the three days longer danger Of ruer navigation, say
nothing of the distractions at the falls and the expenses
OF passing through the Louisville and Portland canal at
the ordinary stage of water in the Ohio.
We predict, therefore, and time will verVy predic-
on that for all heavy goods above enumerated destined
for the southwestern shore of Lake Erie coming up the
Mississippi and Ohio this point with the canal
open and good to Toledo will be the depet that from
this place they viii be shipped Lake Erie with
certainty with less danger and equal if not lesser
freight than the same goods will reach their destination
from any point on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and
that Evansville If merchants to their
interests, will, many years have passed by be the
largest grocery the Ohio river
We have not time to-day to discuss the importance of
this canal to Evansville in points Of view than one
We have been somewhat surprised that the citizens
here have not fully appreciated this great work judy
ing from what have heard from Others when
ing its Importance believe they have fully
counted onehalf Of its benefits the city Another
and from thirty to forty canal boats will be daily
coming into basins loaded only with the rich pre-
ducts of our SOIL but with COAL timber and iron ore
while their outward cargoes will consist of hogsheads Of
sugar. moasses coffee, tobacco iron, Turks Island and
domestic salt in fne with groceries and dry goods Of all
descriptions Our levee will be crowded our warehouses
and piers along the canal full with freight and impe
tus given to our growth prosperity and greatness such
has yet been in any the Ohio river
We shall revert to the subject again We regret thata
further and more extended notice Of the celebration and
reception Of the first canal boat reaching here from the
lake was not given yesterday Many Of citizens
having notice Of it. present Had the day been
allotted for and general notice given the concourse Of
people would have been much larger and the ceremonies
more imposing As an " impromptu' affair, however, it
passed off well.
We learn that some future occasion the Trustees
Of the Wabash and Erie Canal" intend having grand
celebration of the completion of the work here in which
the Governors of New York, Ohio, Indiana, and the
Boards Of Internal Improvement Of those States will take
part, and that it is designed to be grand affair Let
them We will be prepared for them whatever the
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