New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-30
TOLEDO-ITS COMMERCIAL ADVANT-
AGES.
Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.

Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
TOLEDO, Monday, Aug. 20, 1855.
This city is beautifully locatedupon the banks
Of the Naumee River, three miles from its
mouth. For this distance the river pursuss
straight cOurte, and is some three quarters OF
mile wide. The water in the channel ia some
twenty feet deep. No appropriation by Govern
ment has ever been made except for a light
house; and, without doubt, the harbOr of To-
ledo ia the best on the great chain of Western
Lakes; and, situated as it Is at the western e L
tremity of Lake Erie, il becomes the natural
outlet for an immense section of country unsur-
passed in fertility Of soil and the rapid growth
Of ts population. The southwestern course OF
Lake Erie renders Toledo the nearest point to
lake navigation TO the country behind it. For
instance, Cincinnati and St Louis are nearer To-
ledo than any other port on Lake Erie; and as
freights from Toledo to Buffalo are no greater than
from Cleveland or Sandusky, it is but natural that
merchandise bound eastward should strike the
lake at Toledo And much more would this re-
suit follow when we take into consideration the
immense length of canal having Toledo for its ter
minus Canals are liable to much abuse in these
days Of railroad MANIA but still there is no deny
ing superiority to canal navigation fer the trans
portati0D Of heavy freight; and by no possibility
can railroad supersede canal passing through
rich agricultural country and enjoying good
termini.
The Miami Canal passes through the fertile val
ley of the thanksgiving the Ohio River at Gin
cnDati The Wabash Canal extends along the
valleys of the Maumee and Notwithstanding
with the Ohio River at Evansville The united
length Of these two canals is over seven hundred
miles-making Toledo the terminus of the longest
continuous line Of canal in the world.
The network of railways diyerging in every d.
rectiOn from Toledo is more complete than that of
any other lake town, excepting perhaps Chicago,
and that can by no possibility have better. First
in order comes the Southern Michigan and North
ern Indiana, running through the thckly populated
and the rich agricultural region of Southern Mich
ighn and Northern Indiana to Chicago thence ex-
tending, under the name of the Chicago and Rock
leland Road to the Mississippi and thence to Iowa
City and Des MOines, on its way to Council Bluffs.
The Jackson branch of this road extends from
Adrian to Jackson, on the Michigan Central, to
which place il is very nearly completed thence it
will extend to Lansing on its way to Grand River.
The Constantine branch extends from White
Pigeon TO Three Rivers, and is designed to be con-
tinued to Kalamazoo, on the Michigan Central
The Northern Indiana Airline pursues o straight
course from Toledo to Elkhart, where it connects
with the present road. This viii be model road,
ana VIII ADMIT OF grtdItbt speed Will tO
passengers BY this route the time TO Chicago
will be materially lessened the cars now running
the distance of sixty miles, and the balance of the
way to Elkhart will be completed the coming
Spring.
The Toledo and Illinois Road is destined to be
one Of the greatest roads in the whole country.
Its admirable location and numerous profitable
connections with other roads will cause it TO CON-
pare favorably with the New-York Central. Ii
passes up the Maumee Valley to Fort Wayne,
distance Of nnety-fo miles, to which place the
cars are now running thence it passes down the
Wabash Valley through the fOurishing towns of
Wabash, Peru, Losansport, Delphi. La Fsyette
and Attica to Danvilie in Illinois. At Danville 1t
connects with another road partly completed,
passing through Monticello, Decatur, Springfield
Jacksonville TO Hannibal oil ne Mississippi,
whence another road is building to ST. Joseph on
the Missouri From Danville also a road is build
ing to intersect the Terre Haute and Alton Road,
thus atording the best and shortest route from St.
Louis to Lake Erie and the Atlantic.
The Day ton and Michigan Road is considerably
advanced and is in operation portion of the way.
This road will give the shortest and most direct
route between Cincinnati and Lake Erie, making
Toledo the great outlet for the products of the
South going Dortlward and rice rersa.
The Cleveland and Toledo road by way of Nor
walk is as all know one of the best paying roads
in the country. The northern division, by way of
Sandusky, is completed, and Ia doing fair busl-
ness; and herein most Of the maps are defective in
running the road from Port Clinton to Perrysburg
instead of to Toledo. The road to Perrysburg will
probably never be completed Should license be
given to bridge the Cuyab River at Cleveland
the northern division will be likely to become the
principal route. Both roads run through rich
and beautiful country studded with many flourish
ing towns.
The stock of the Toledo and Detroit read Ia
mostly taken, so that there is not much doubt
that this important link will sool be completed,
thus surrounding Lake Erie with an iron band.
This road when finished would enable the Michi-
gan Southern to compete with the Michigan Gen.
trail between Detroit and Chicago.
When all these roads with their branches and
connections are completed it will be difficult
to estimate the immense amount Of trade that
must inevitably center into Toledo, and must
render ID one Of the greatest railroad emporiuns
in the West. Should Toledo, possessing such a
lake barbor, and canal and railroad facilities, not
become place of first Importance in the West, it
would be an anomaly in the history ofour country.
q. r. r.
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