Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-11-17
A LETTER FROM HON. PLATT SMITH.
Interesting Figures Tor Farmers and
Shippcrs-Str0ng Arguments for
the Iowa Central Railroad. "t 23a
From the Dubuque Daily Times.

From the Dubuque Daily Times. 80 e..u.e.
..a.- DunuauE, Nov. 4, 1865.
EDITOR TIMES: l 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 u bushel of
wheat from ..-
Eievaiorage and charges in Chicago, say 3
t.reight from NJ Chicago TO Buffalo, n i6
Freight from buffalo to New York, : - IS
Total. --tE- E- 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 I wish
to present. About Al cents, between
Buffalo aud New York, is paid as trb-
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. ......s.... ...s...s
The cost of shipping bushel of
wheat from " .I'.*
| Duhndue TO st. Louis, is -a.- Ioc
Eieyatorase @ and handling at New Orleans, 3 )
Freight, New Orleans to Now York,
se Total, at-gf -s3'-a - =. $50
The saving by this route is so cents a
bushel. ! .-.-...t ,sgH@ .f,1.. D. ....
| 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
Mississippi to New Orleans.
! As the Mississippi ia usually closed
about four months, and it is desirable
that farmers should market their grain
IN the winter, they could avail them
selves Of the Illinois Central Railroad
| from here to Cairo, but of course mt
higher rates. l ann advised by good au-
thority that the Illinois Central Com
pany will grant every facility necessary
for the purpose of constructing clevat-
ors at Cairo. ] presume that fair
charge for freight to that point will be
hh"ut nIs,a,oro c,c =, cairo no
! Freight, Cairo to New Orleans, -.pa- 81 10
Handling and storage at New Orleans, 3
Freight, New Orleans to New York, y
Total, 4sc
This is just seventeen cents bushel
less than via Chicago. a3)B h8.saA
The saving on eithe er of the southern
routes would be added by the wheat
buyers to the price paid to tho farmers.
Time il said to be money, and the saw
ing of time in getting through products
to market in the winter would he very
great over the Lake route. Buffalo
harbor is usually closed for five months
in the year, and some times six. a.t
The Mississippi is free. The State oi
Illinois levies tribute upon all products
passing over 1t, whether they 90 from
Dunlcith to Chicago or from Dunleith
to Cairo. Seven per cent of the gross
railroad earnings are paid into the Stat,
treasury rs 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 tn,
price which the farmer would receive
for his wheat. ,-r, -.sdtr ell, r.r ...,.,sg
1t Is high time for our shippers ant
business men to take this matter n
hand. 1t only requires little energy
: and some well directed capital to max,
; Dubuque u good grain market, and t
/ give the farmers an additional cutie
.. and u much higher price for their prod
Respectfully yours,
. A. ~