The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-11-29
Canal Arrivals,


Mr.. Lawrence had three cargoes of marble
arrive yesterday, from the Lakes, by the
canal boats Chapman, johnson, and Lady
Jane, the incidents of whose trips illustrate
the condition and negligent management of
an important public work, on which con-
siderable portion of the trade of this city de-
ponds. The boats have been thirty days in
their passage from Toledo to this city. The
trip should have been made in eleven days,
with the canal in good order. The capacity
OF the boats is about seventy-five tons each
they took on board only about fifty tons
each. With this they had no difficulty as
far down as Terre Haute. At Terre Haute
the officers reported the canal in complete
order; but the boatmen were detained some
days by break, and found the water, in
places, not more than "a inches deep, at
which points they had to unload and light
en- their cargoes over the shallow levels.
One of the boats discharged one-half of her
cargo, aud came in with the remainder
After discharging this she returns for that
left on the way; thus making a double voy-
age. The freight paid from Toledo to the
Ohio is SIS per ton. All the bills of lading
signed at Toledo, give the boatmen the pri-
vilege of delivering their freight and termin-
ating their voyage atTerre Haute, for which
they are entitled to three-ffths of the through
freight.
As through freight pays no tolls South of
Terre Haute, under the scale by which the
tolls are assessed according to the distance
of transportation on the Canal, the most
profitable freight is on the Southern portion
of the voyage; the boatmen would, there
fore, all come through if the condition of
the canal wonld enable them to come with
even part of load. But most of them
prefer to discharge their cargoes at Terre
Haute for two-ffths freight, than to incur
the hazards of the navigation of the lower
section. Those who once make the. expert
ment on the lower line, cannot be induced
to repeat it. The boats that arrived yester-
day have more than consumed their freights
in expenses, and their owners declare, they
will not attempt again to come South of
Terre Haute, till the lower section is part in
order. They say most of the line this side
of Terre Hante is more favorable to naviga-
tion-except in a few shallow and bad
places, which could be easily improved
than in the line North of that place. In
the opinion ssof these practical men, there
are no obstacles to making the Southern
division superior for navigation-by moder-
ate expenditures and watchful superintend-
ence-to the Northern division. One
cause of the frequent breaks is the necessity
Of filling the banks on some of the levels
too full in order to enable the boats to pass
the shallow places with any portion of their
cargo. The shoals are formed by deposits
and washings that need to be removed and
the canal deepened.
We are glad to learn that number of
our citizens are collecting the facts in regard
to the management and condition of the
canal since it was first opened, with a view
of laying them before the bond holders,
who they believe have been kept in igno-
rance of the true state of affairs of the canal
and the neglect of their interests, as well as
the damage done to the public by those who
have had the management of this costly,
but heretofore useless and improbable work.
Those who have any facts connected with
the management of the canal, which will be
of interest TO the bond holders or public, are
requested to communicate them to this Office,
and statements will be placed in proper
hands
-
The u. s. Senatorial Election.