The Evansville daily journal., 1859-01-22
Transfer of the Canal.

tldl cltlZen OugnI 10 reCci'o inihASoiolc dI-
tention from those interested in the canal.
80 A Communicated.
Mr.. CARLILE:-Weuld it not be we'll for
the citizens of Evansville, or at least as
many of them as feel an interest in retain
ing the canal and of improving its useful
ness, to have either public or an informal
meeting and talk over the matter with our
Trustee, and see what is necessary to be
done, what can be done, and how and
when it shall be DONE If the Trustees can
not or will not keep the canal in repair no
other parties can operate it without ligisla-
tive action, nor can the trustees delegate the
power to other parties, without all enabling
act The Legislature must act before the
adjournment or it will be too late for any
good. If the canal is suffered to take care
of itself for one year, it will be past all hope
of repair; the banks and wooden structures,
if left without water will become rapidly
dilapidated and will cost more to repair
them by far, than if kept in use; besides the
legitimate business of the country, tribu-
tary to the canal would seek other channels
of trade and transit and could never be re-
stored.
The business drawn here by the canal is
of more importance to Evansville than most
of our citizens imagine. In looking over
the collections at Evansville, as reported by
the Trustees for 1857 land which is no
doubt increased for 1858, as learn the tolls
have increased considerably, find there
has arrived at Evansville more than $780,
900 worth of wheat and -four, and nearly
$150,000 of the production of the hog
two items alone near quarter of a million
of dollars. The import of agricultural and
mineral productions by this canal are large,
and if cut off and diverted from us will be
felt, not only in trade, but in the reduced
value of r3al estate. The supplies of wood
and coal and water for manufacturing pur-
poses, the supply of timber and cooper
stuff, together with the boatloads of groceries,
salt, furniture, stoves and other articles
shipped up the canal, constitutes a large
business, which will rapidly increase.
Now, we must not flatter ourselves that this
trade will come here by someother way; per-
haps small portion of it would but a very
small portion indeed. 1t would cut off the
trade with Green county entirely. No trade
North of the O. & NJ. R. R. would come to
us. The trade of Dubois that comes to
Petersburg, and ultimately to Evansville,
would divide between the Ohio river at
Troy or Roekport, and the o. & NJ. R. R. at
Loogootee. The trade of Pike county from
Petersburg, East and North, would find the
0. & NJ. R. R. The Southern portion of
Pike County would find the Ohio river at
the nearest market point; which would be
the case also with the trade of Warrick
county, now carried by canal, so that in
| stopping the canal we will no doubt lose
more than one million of dollars in our inn
| port and export trade this any one can ex-
anime for themselves, as the figures are q
! part of the records of the Canal Collectors s
] office. Cen we afford to loose the trade, or
shall we arouse ourselves TO action and se-
cure il, and make our right and our interests
known to the servants OF the people, and
/ let the Trustees of the. bond-holders know
! that we too have an interest not only in
"the. completion of the canal to Evans
ville,' but that it..shall beikept open-for us2
If they cannot make it pay, we viii try td
keep it open ourselves. -