, 1859-01-22
SOURCES OF WEALTH IND INCOME IN THE
K0RIH-WET,


NRw Tosr. July 1t, 1ssat
Edlton PREM md Tribune:
One Of the ablest political economists of the
State Of New York who is most couversant with
her canal system and policy, remarked to ne
tho other day. "that no place in the world would
"prcdt 80 much by the recent liberal reduction
in the tolls On the Erie Canal as Chicago. It
"wonld enable the grea. system Of railroads
"centering upon her to bring much larger
"ampunts Of produce and from greater dis.
"tances to her port, and distribute merchandise
"over wider range Of country from it, be-
"cause Of the cheapened rate Of transportation
"bY water between Chicago and New York"
The extent Of this reduction Of Erie Canal
| tolls is one.third on wheat and flour, and one
half on merchandise,-a great reduction, f9r If
the reduced rates were how to be increased
again to what they have hitherto been. it will
| be perceived that it would be an increase Of 10
| per cent on wheat and four, and one hundred
per cent, or double, on merchandise.
The Erie Canal This season and hereafter, M
til complete, il to have six feet Of water in It in
stead Of four feet. When the enlargement is
fally completed it is to hare se7en feet of va
| ter. This increased depth OF water enabling
boats now to carry cargoes Of zoo tons; and the
reduced tolle, will, in the opinion OF intelligent
forwsrders of this State. diver. trade enough
from railways aud other cbanncla to the ErieCa-
MAJ, hot ooiy 10 compensate ior the Reduction
aoo 'na'n'aln nefe'ennes o1 the canal 10 ABOUT
| their present standard, but greatly 10 enhance
1oe ous'nesS' commerce aoo wealth o1 tue olate
and OF hef unflsa1lea commercial metropolis
and thus provo very wise s1foKe OF po''cS IN
every way.
lily informant expressed the opinion, that THIS
acsFon on the part OF the State OF New 1orx,
would be 80 marked in iss ELECTS on chicago, ns
TO enhance It's real eSsate tea per cent. or moFe'
ano increase lib Popu!a1aon anu business IN
aat greater oesFee' Ane leesos sfea' 'es u's'on
IL oua'ne77 1no '1oueyeo ana1fs nas"fousns sesl
ouscaanges' lfJnfeo 1he fortunes, aao oampeoeo
Inc hopes OF many anu the e1ects ot II WILL
stlll take some time TO ooi1terase. From this
time forth, ho~aTeF, everything must improve,
until all Is we'll again, and none should be dis
heartened because Of the past, or the present
30 soon to be 1eckoned among the things OF the
past
With ouoyant condition of affairs. oil things
are hoped Tor and confidently anticipated; when
depresslons and nlsiorsunes come, hope ahrlnks
and the tuture Is too much oveFshadoTed and
involved In the gloom OF the preaent.
Enough none can we'll be shaken IN their faith
In regard to the onward course md increasing
cestlnies Of Chicago, many may have been lately
Eo affected in feeling and purse as not TO see that
much, ifanyshing, is tzanspiring just now to her
| advantage and to that Of the great West gener-
ally. Let us see if such Impressions are not
very Tar from the truth.
IN the hrst place the fortunate and unexpect-
ed reduction in tolls, aad the increased depth Of
| water in the Erie Canal are great points gained,
and the beneficial effect upon rs, will be extend
ed to oil other avenues Of communication with
which ne ore connected, and that are contend
ing for our trade and travel, Secondly. the CO.
nadian movement. indicated bY the report Of
Messrs. McAlpine and Kirkwood. survivors of
Capt. Child, tor the enlargement Of their canals
and deepening Of their channels, will now neces-
saEiy ; be hastened on, because Of the superior
advantages presented By the Erie Canal route
WILL LIS EEuuEEu IQll6, NHkl4 acATERI9 bEEQHU 10
| il in importance to uR
On the other side of us Minnesota hos
voted five millions to railroads. Which must con-
meet with. indeed aro hut extensions of. the
ereat system of which Chicago and her port are
the admitted Western centre and kev. and by
the coos,rnc.;on of xbich her circa of trnde
will be greatly enlarged, South of US the New
Orleans, jackson aad Great Northern Railroad
t;ompanr have. within the month past CON.
n,eted and onened their road from New Orleans
tn Canton in Mi.siesinni oo6 m;les. From Gan.
| TIM north To Jackson- in ;Tennessee oa5 miles,
the line ia comnsete md in onerat,on excent so
miles Of the Missisaipni Central Railway. which
ia Graded and readg for the iron. and will be
COMPLETED within twelve to eighteen months.
From jackson. Tennessee. to Kentucky CITY. On
the Mississippi, IS miles below Cairo, the road
is complete except 40 miles. The iron is being
laid or that now at both ends, and it will be in
operation BIZ Se.tember. The ferry over the
Ohio connecting these roads With the Illinois
Central. will for the present bo from Kentucky
C,ty to Cairo, because Of the heavy embark
1ueut necessary in building the road across the
bottom lands to point On the Ohio opposite
Cairs.
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad from Mobile to
jackson, Tennessee, where it joins with the line
from New Orleans 10 the same point. has more
than zoo miles Of its road in operation and is
daily progressing to completion.
With these roads from Mobile aud from New
Orleans complete to Cairo, and in full connect
Ion with the Illinois Central Railroad. as the7
80 soon will be, new trade and travel will
spring up between the Northern Lakes md prai-
ries and the cities Of ate Gulf of Mexico, in t7o-
pical fruits and productions and in the inter-
change Of travel, which difference in climate and
seaaoDs make agreeable and necessary, aud i'm
portant to both, and especially so to the illinois
Central Railroad and Chicago.
The beneficial effects Of these great lines of
communication With the extreme South NAV BE-
developed less rapidly perhaps than is tho case
with similar lines to the East, but they cannot
fail to become in due time avenues Of trade md
travel Of the first importance, throughout the
length and breadth Of the valley Of the Missis-
sippi, and between the extreme southern Dor.
ton Of the United States, the bordering town.
on the Gulf of Mexico. Cuba. md other We,t
India Islands, and the cities, lakes mud prsirles
ofthe crest Northwest
Aoain. notu;thxtandnu the hard t;rnav thu
:1o,;.t md ch;ca,o Ra;t,o,d ba. h.an ro,,,,ot.a
IN f.bica M The nos. xintor n,ti,o Tho ,;ra of
the CHICAGO. Alton md N, 1,n;, Ra;,road 4 con.
,,ete f7om Ch;caoo IN =, L,n;. and mo,. ~