Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-11-17
A LETTER FROM Hoy. PLATT SMITH.
Interesting Figures for Farmers and
Shippcrs--StrOng Arguments for
the Iowa Central Railroad. f3a
From the Dubuque Daily Times.

From the Dubuque Daily Times. sch st..
DuBUauE, Nov. 4, 1865.
EDITOR TINES wish to call the at
tention of your, readers, particularly
those concerned in the purchase and
shipment of grain, to the following
facts: The cost of shipping bushel Of
wheat from
Eiesaiorase and charge ~ in Chicago, say 3
Ereight from ~ Chicago TO Buffalo, iS
.hnrges 70 Buiialo,
Total, s-gi- - --ar- r. Csc
This is not high enough, for the rea-
son that no allowance Is made for in
surance; but the figures are sufficiently
exact to illustrate the case which | wish
to present. About Al cents, between
Buffalo and New York, is paid as trib-
ute to the State of New York under the
name of tolls. contend that the State
of New York has no right to levy more
tolls than would be sufficient to pay the
interest on the canal debt; and that
the excess is nothing but tribute levied
ON Western farmers. ......, .-. I'D. 49,. ...
The cost of shipping bushel of
wheat FROM -' 'I'"-"
Freight, 81. Louis to New Orleans, = 10
Elevatorage and handling Mt New Orleans, 3
Freight New Orleans to New York,
Total, -n,- al : i}.7 50 : ssc
The saving by this route is SO cents a
The Mississippi river is usually open
eight months in the year and sonle-
times nine. All that is required to
make the route via New Orleans feasi-
Bile, il an elevator at New Orleans, and
u sufficient number Of good boats, to
ship in bulk, to run from the Upper
Mississippito New Orleans.
As the Mississippi il usually closed
about four months, and il is desirable
that farmers should market their grain
III the winter, they could avail them
selves of the Illinois Central Railroad
from here to Cairo, but of course at
higher rates. l am advised by good au-
thority that the Illinois Central Com
pany will grant every facility necessary
for the purpose of constructing elevat-
ors ut Cairo. ] presume that fair
charge for freight to Tint point will be
I EIevatorage, etc, at Cairo. -
| Freight, Cairo to New Orleans, -ea- 10
Freight. New o s"Ss to ., New New YORK; SkS !
Total, .'.*- : BE-. = isc
This is just seventeen cents bushel
less than via Chicago. g52g r. .aA
! The saving on either of the southern
routes would be added by the wheat
buyers to the price paid to the farmers.
| Time is said to he money, and the say.
ing of time i'm getting through products
to market in the winter would be very
great over the Lake route. Buffalo
harbor is usually closed for five months
in the year, and some times six. g..s
The Mississippi is free. The State OF
Illinois levies tribute upon all products
passing over it, whether they 90 from
Dunlcith to Chicago or from Dunleith
to Cairo. Seven per cent OF the gross
railroad earnings are paid into the STATE
treasury as q tax or tribute; but this
tribute is fraction less than two cents
a bushel. If that tribute was taken off
this amount would also be added to tht
price which the farmer would receive
for his wheat. ...,gr s,9dFo "a. IA a. .,.,-f,
1t is high time for our shippers and
business men to take this matter IN
hand. 1t only requires u little energy
and some we'll directed, capital to max,
! Dubuque Il good grain market, and t
/ give the farmers an additional Quite
and u much higher price for their prod
Respectfully yours,