, 1862-04-18
THE ILLINOIS SHIP CANAL.
FAVORABLE ACTION OF THE ST. LOUIS
MERCHANTS' EXCHANGE.
Why the Canal Should be
Enlarged.

MERCHANTS EXCHANGE.
Why the Canal Should be
Enlarged.
From the ST. Louis Democrat, 16th.1
On the 18th nit, committee vas appoint
ed from the Union Merchants Exchange to
itquire into the sexpediency Of constructing
a ship canal from the waters Of Lake Michigan
to the Mississippi river, and to report their
considerations Of q report made by Hon. F.
Military Affairs, in Congress, February 20th,
1862. The Committee from this Exchange
Terc George Partridge, s. n Edgel, Albert
G. Edwards, E. 4. Flley, Francis Whitaker,
Samuel Plant and John C. Rust. On the 14th
inst, eaid Committee made the following
report, which was adopted by unanimous vote
at public meeting on Change:
To tic President and Members Of the Unio,,
Mercha7lFs Exchange Of the city Of St. Louis:
GENTLEMEN committee, appointed |
to take into consideration the subject Of build
ing 'tship cansf' from Lake Michigan to the
mississippi river, beg leave to make the fol
lowing report: |
interest the report and bill Of the Military t
Committee, otftred By the Hon. F. 2. Blair, |
in Congress, on Feb. %, 1852.
The main argument IN said report is based
upon the national character: The facility to be
giyen9 to the pasfsage Ct gan6oats and othsr
Lake to the Mississippi river, and for the
transportation Of troops and army supplies, at
reduced cost should Justify the Government
in making the required expenditure. # this
were the only benefit to be expected from it,
undoubtedly it would be project worthy oil
the consideration Of Congress.
Your Committee are disposed to take a vide
and more enlarged view OF the subject, and to
call youF attention to its commercial and po-
| litjca1 aspects.
We assume in the outset that the capacity
| Of the "CaDat" under any circumstances
| should not be less than is contemplated By
the bill before Congress; that is, in width, 100
feet, in depth : feet, and with locks $50 feet
responding improvement Of the Illinois river
| bE slack water navigation be made such as
always may admit Of the passage Of boats
drawing six feet of water.
! We SIT it down az universal axiom, that
any communication made to lessen the cost Of
| transportation Of the products Of a country
from The place Of growth to the great markets
Of the world is public benefit, which adds
value to tho soil as well Us to the products
raised upon it. It assists commerce, induces
immigration, encourages the increase Of pro-
ductionE, stimulates the farmer to greater e2-
ertion and skill in the cultivation Of the
ground, and to consequent increase Of his
products, and thus it en1aTges the field for the
| naElL.I1uI OF u1Au, 1nQ E1fc6 ILL q 1[ulef re-
muneration for the labor of his hands.
Although our noble State has been trodden
down--depleted and deciulated as it were by
this terrible and wicked rebellion, which is
| now like tornado, devastating its fair fields,
destroying our houses, laying waste our prop
erty, butchering our people and bringing de-
ISOLATION to many happy home and fresidc-
yet with the blessings Of peace again restored,
we may look for hopeful and encouraging
| future.
cfa1' Importance Of our State, SO rich in ndn.
: erals and in her soil-of her products Of hemp
, tobacco, wheat, corn, oats and other cereals
SO certain, also, and abundant in her rich pas
ture lands, adording an exhansless supply
both for man and bcast-and contiguous te
| which arc in equal fertility, her sister States
: KaDsas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wiscon
sin and Illinois, bordering on the mighty Mis-
eiseippi and Missouri rivers With their tribu
talies, q country of nearly ten Thousand miles
t rich in agricultural wealth, that it way well b,
called, as it truly is the *granary ofthe world.
| Consider of our OWE vast mountains of iro1
. ore, one Of the most important minerals 0
the arts, in husbandry, in War-so easily reach
ed, SO ready ut the hand Of man to convert t.
l. thousand uses-in quantity sufficient to en-
o circle the world in bands OF iron-to cover al
the ships Of war-to bind together the cont
3 nent with bands of steel-ready for every pun
:: pose Of man for centuries to come, and the
|
e Your Committee dwell with pleasure upo
g another view Of this subject. as an additions
!. reason why the citizens Of Missouri shoul
give encouragement to this project It is vel
known that Chicago has Tor the past few year
, had greatly the advantage over us In bein
d able to transport and send to market in bull
the gFain Of the country, thereby saving the CT
= pcnse Of sacks and Of sacking it. If q q shir
d canal" IS built, Of the capacity here suggested
4 sbip-builders will at ouce contnve and COZ
IT strct boats suitable to transport grain in hul
n from St. Louis to the Northern market
- Should it SO happen that it may be necessas
ct to break bulk nj Chicago still the cost Of ham
=. moi exceed one-balf cent per bushel-a tt
et fling sum, compared to the great benefit TO t
be derived from the facility Of Transporting grai
i. at small cost Of freight to such markets al
40 thereby adding largely to the agricultural il
lis tcrests Of the Great West.
This being done, aud with Northern IS wt
. | as & Southern market open to US, all that wi
IN IN remain for Missouri to do will be to eztcr
~ e..tt her railroads far out into Iowa, Nebsask
he and Arkansas, and to build elevators-as m.
In easily be done on our rocky shore above As
py ley street-to unload cars from our railroad
and boats from our rivers, and to transfer the
&c cargoes into boats for the North orSouth, 1t
g By this facility Of handling and cheapenir
j. why may We not become the great shippir
"a point for the products Of most Of the Missl
:er sippi Valley, and thereby add largely to Il
commercial interests of our city. The "n
- cestities Of war" have already Joined togeth
r. our railroads On our 1eyee, and 1t requires
| great strctch of the imagination to see the
Id cart laden In bulk, with the grain of Arka
if sas, KanEas, Nebraska and Iowa, aud discha1
- ing their rich fseights, through elevators, In
"a t yessels, which shall reach the great Haarkf
Q1t North and south.
~ Your committee believe there are also poll
'1o ica1 and social considerations which eutitle
u. West to some favor from Congress. Our m,
,zu kets have been shut up for many months
ey NOUS freighfs asked On the eastern roads.
lis hss amounted to an embargo on the CONNER
! Of The West, causing the value Of her produ,
'ne TO be reduced below the cost Of productiE
,Ii- All real eEtate-iu consequence hns fallen
<.r thlne orethird to one half below its foru
- price, causing great financial distress aud |,
TO the Wcetern country. While tic East q
North have scarcely ielt the burden OF !
.ew war 1t has made our merchants and trAdesu
i'm pankfupt, our farmers pcnnIless our mechan
1ou beggare, and has forced vast numhers of
hat people into the army to earn subsistence
rcd their famtliea, and those dependant on tn
'oo for support
as Let f be asked, where can you and m
Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Iodia
em Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri Let
nv battle-helde Of Western Vlerinia, Of Wllso
ri, CEsek, pes Ridgs, F9rt Henry. Donelson
1AAA { Gul40n d1b8"Et. 13QIE4Y the n1QQ0 Qf the bf
rer- men Of the West has stained many hos
field for their eountry's honor end glory.
Rnd a natiou's gratitude should accord to such I
uso fidces, Nations and suferings, suhstan
w. and enduring monument Of its favor and g
'SN ttude.
one We ask tken. In consideration Of th
,no1 things, does not Corgres and the country
the Construction ofthis necceaaFy work to
lta West? Dave ask too much from the mel
the East, wnen we call upon them to 3otd
;r,a In opening a great highway to the product
our SOL and to the enterprise Of our -peo
8 al and i1 the lang Of the report, to give
free outlet to her manufactures, and Ia {
hey OF foreign war, cheap inland highway for
On cotton cotton Of the south-to New York and Pc
DOLLS more business for their public Woke.
and therefore increased revenuear
...t: Auo which Il respectfully submitted.
fae~ George Partridge /, $. n. Edssu.
thei A. G. Edwards, T., .E.A. Fiiis~
"A SamueI Plant, John d. Rnst