, 1862-12-13
A National dtuts:aI UETcEros:.G.

LII 1esGIS CENTRAL GOMfANY,i
T1Fs1p2NTs $ OFFICE. CHICAGO. Dec. 3. 1S62.
William Il: Van Epps. Esq. President State Agri-
cultural Society. Dixon Ill.,:
DEAR S1R-lt seems to me desirable at this
lime tl,at some organized and responsible
hody Of gentlemen, directly representing the
land interest Of this State, should meet for
the purpose Of consultation to determine The
Host practicable method Of improring the
facilities for carrying to market the vast nro-
pucis Of his and the neiglboring S;s:tcst west
IF Lake Michigan The cultivation Of the
most fertile land in the world is almost rln-
dercd Improbable through the unnecessary
expense Of handling and transferring our
crol's to tide-water. We are confined to !
narrow Water-conrse. The Eric Canal s,lf1iced
WHEN Il lie Northwest sent $4,000, ,0o0 bushels
"f grain, but is utterly inadequate to talliug
"H eur present surplus OF upwards OF l50,-
DG0, eco bushels
II is :!i.:ost ill. to extend the internal inl-
rrovcr.r1lts Of the Northwest, or IL urge the
Erncrs 10 p-odycc lnore, while every acre
tut.irattts adds 10 tie volume Of busIncs6
which already cliokes the narrow channels Of
The Erie Canal and 1h:ce trnn!1 lines Of rail
way 4 bread w;tcr-course from Lake Erie
to tho Hul: Oh. through which Our lake ycs-
scls can float without breaking bulk, will
cleal,rn the cost Of transportation 10 the
point 1t which We can supply the European
markets pEctinably under I'LL circumstances.
a leading commercial house in London
writes. "Ofthe present population Of Eu-
tsruIc, which is two hundred and eighty mil
tsl!ons, about one hundred and fifty millions
>'are consumers Of wheat, using annually mp
4twartls Of one hundred millions Of quarters,
tor one thousand millions of bushels. This
''mass Of people may be considered to press
'"aIways ulon the mems of subsistence, or
"sulrly nf food, Since there Is no instance
within the memory Of man Of any large ;ac-
cu1us1lation Of wheat ft,r want Of buyers or
consumers; it is only by 4 succession Of two
Tor three abundant harvest: that prices can
'"be brought in Europe to Il low level, say 3G5
''rcr iuar!er in England, and SOS on the Cou-
''1inent. Such was the case once in this cen
"tury-in 1sS:5, Overwhelming inportations
from your country would operate in the
"s*nlc way rs succession Of abundant crops
Europe These would, in course Of time,
'tdcl,ress prices to the minimum Of Sos in
England and SOS in Europe-(thc average
price Of wheat in England for twenty-five
YEARS las been 54s I'd FER quarterly Such a
estate would presuppose that America could
furnish an annually increasing immense sup.
ply at the cost Of Is I'd, or S5c per bushcl ou
''bhard At the shipping ports, and probably nc
| LESS Il quantity than five hundred millions o1
.'bus],cls would have that cffcct.n This re-
| i;:'ic and carefully revised statement seems
| conclusive III regard to the markets. There
| is an almost unlimited demand for our pro
tlncts-wheat. Indian corn, barley aud pro
| visions.
The question Of transportation is vital tt
/ the interests uf our agricultural State. Iii
nois has for two years sent away food enough
t IT, supply ten millions Of people, and Nuycin
| btr Of each Of the last two years has closed
| down upon surplus Of food in this Slate IL
large as thai sent off in the shipping season
clo*c Of navigation, all the lines of railways
tsst from Chicago are blocked with beef. pork
! flour, and every description Of provisions. Il
my be said thai this is exceptional in coEse
| qucnee IF the loss Of tho Southern trade, bui
| it is hardly the ease. Iowa AMI Missouri suf
| fer more from the loss Of the trade with tht
| South, for tho grain Of those States cannoi
afford the railway transportation from thence
to the lakes. Their crops are largely in tht
hands Of the producer, waiting for the open
ing Of the Mississippi.
Nine-tenths Of the products of1llinois growr
near the lines Of railways constructed With,
The last fifteen years, ant: upon which ovcl
th,ec-fourlhs IF the population Of the Statt
reside. haze hitherto been forwarded to East
! tln markets. If tic Southern trade was re
sumcd at once. it would. doubtless, be fuunt
1t the close of navigation next year, that 4:
large supply of food will be left in the coun
| tv.sotely from the want Of means during tht
periods ct open navigation Of the lakes ami
canal to take forward the surplus.
Every experienced farmer will confirm tn
statement that il requires four or five year
| before new settlers, even upon onr easily man
| stNtA eIItS, Csill lAtLlS1 Il AI{.G Euf{n0
for market, and, I think, will agree that th
effect Of the extraordinary emigration to thi
State, etWccn 1852 and 1856, was not apparen
IN the surplus products until the harvest .
1850. We have now been blessed with abun
dant haryests, and have oyertaNcd all the re
sources Of the avenues Of transit to tide waite
to such an extent that our own competition
10 sell has destroyed our profits. The charg
ty water upon bushel Of corn to New York
for Instance. las, for two seasons past, bec]
tour times as great rs the cost Of PRODUCING
it. We must regard this question, not on1
is essential to our own maintenance and pros
pcrity, but as one Of the highest national in
rortance.
| This food-producing district should hay
closer connection with the commercial inte
rests Of the East and Of Europe, by i. Natlona
Canal Every fibre Of the national wealth an
prosperity will be strengthened thereby. Til
harycsts from our prairies will double GU
foreign exports, when this grain is poured on
US rapidly us it can be furnished even by GU
present population.
Within five years after the construction Of
ship canal from the Erie to the Hudson, a NJ
cessary outlet from the lakes to the sea, tn
exports Of grain from Chicago alone may safj
" he estimated at 200, ,oo0, 600 bushels.
for TWO or three years past VIC have had
surplus equal to ten times our local wants
and vastly beyond the capacity Of the canal o
railroads to take away, The cost and delay
Of transportation are so great that IL
farmers in this State reap no fitting reward e
their industry. Their crops arc wasted. ann
living in this abundance which is wanted e5
e1Jw here else, they are poor and need tn
comforts and luxurics Of life. Single-hande
they cannot remedy this evil. For aid If,e
must look TO the national resources. The wor
is of national Importance, and must add in
mcnsely to the national wealth.
would respectfully suggest that your Stat
Agricultural Society should consider this mai
ter; if in your Judgment it is wise to do SC
should memoriaIize Congress; and, ifdecme
expedient, suggest to your Legislature th
ProP5iety Of instructing your Representative
Gil the importance of the enlargement of th
Eric Canal-a subject which Is noW undo
consideration in Congress.
am your Obedieut servant