The Portland daily press., 1863-02-02
oatlet fSr Western Products.

Outlet for Western Products.
The agency Of steam locomotion in opening
up and developing the great fertile West, is ad-
mitted ON all hands, and we have been accus-
toned to the idea that, but for the agency of
steam, that most productive portion of the
world-the granary for this country and Eu-
rope-would be either desert or, at any rate,
very far from what 1t now is in population, in
production, in wealth, in refinement, in COM
man ding influence, and in all that makes up
prosperous and attractive country.
But II any one supposes by steam is meant
simply the steam navigation of the Mississippi
river, and particularly Of the lower Mississippi
Ne never labored under more perfect halluci-
nation in his life. Before the war commenced
the lower Mississippi had, to very large ex-
tent, ceased to form the outlet for the products
Of the great and teeming region referred to.
True, the steamboat was vast Improvement
Upon Che old-iashioned RATS and fiat boats, on
which the products OF the West formerly found
their tedious way to New Orleans. When no
more speedy mode Of communication with the
seaboard was known, steamer that would
thread two hundred miles of that sinuous riv-
er in twenty-four hours, though she did not
& ain in diSect line toward her destination
one-fonrth that distance, was looked upon as
marvel Of inland commercial convenience, but
now that the country is all a network of iron
rails, by which the great West is brought with
in two days Of New York, Boston and Port
land. and over which freight may be transport
ed at the rate ofthrty miles an hour without
exposure to the elements or danger from
'snags," the river steamer appears to be as far
In the rear as did the fat-boat when viewed
from the deck of the first steamer that ascend
ed the "Father of Waters" The railroads,
striking the Mississippi at LaCross, Prairie de
Chen, Dunleith, Fulton, Quincy, Alton, oppo-
site st. Louis, Cairo and other localities, all
pointing eastward to the Atlantic ports, have
proved like so many ducts 10 absorb the bust
ness Of transportation formerly carried on up
on the river, and which, but for these roads,
would necessarily center at New Orleans as
the common depot for the exports of the West.
Not only so, but the tide of the Mississippi
current of commerce has been, TO large ex-
nt,turned up-stream,even from as far down as
Memphis. Cotton has been transported by
river from the latter city to Cairo, there to
take the rails for the northern manufactures,
and, we think in some instances, for foreign
export from the port of New York. Still fur
ther: In consequence of the burdensome port
charges at New Orleans. excessive rates of
towage, oppressive monopoly in the cotton
compress business, and the exactions of the
stevedores, all combined to deplete the north
ern shipowner, the great southern staples had
commenced, before the war, to find their way
by rail from the Mississippi at Memphis and
vicksburg, and from the tributaries of that
river, to Charleston and Savannah, where such
burdens and expressions had not become SO
rife. We mention these facts only TO show
how insignificant, in commercial point of
view, the Mississippi has become, compared
with the Importance that attached to it when
Mr.. Jefferson regarded the possession of its
mouth as national necessity. to secure which
foreign war would be justified To show
how the trade of the West has shifted its
channels, we give the following facts and fig
ures, copied from the Springfield Republican:
There Is large trade of the upper valleys of
the Mississippi with New Orleans, but il Is not
1.-THE OF the trade of that valley with the
eastern sea ports, and the increased facilities
ofrailroad transportation eastward have caused
the commerce with the East TO gain rapidly
upon that Of the Mississippi for the last TWEEN
ty years. The census statistics are conclusive
on this subject. The entire exports from New
Orleans, ofproduce brought down the Missis-
sippi, amounted in 1860 to but S2,500,00O. In
the same year there were carried by railroad
and canal to eastern ports produce TO the
amount OF S225, 100000 Western merchants
say that nearly the whole trade OF the West
as far down as Cairo. Illinois, had been turned
into eastern channels before 1850, and that i'm
ave years more ofpeace the new lines OF rail-
road would have secured the trade of the val
ley TO the East as far down as Memphis The
West wants the Mississippi open To her CON-
merce, and will have it, but ii is a mistake to
suppose that she depends upon her southern
trade for any considerable share of her pros
perity, and il she could succeed in -diyerting
the current Of trade from its now preferred
channels she would only impoyerish herself by
the operation.