Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-07-23
Caps y. E5. Grill ih's Report on
River Transportation.

River Transportation.
Those conversant with river affairs un>
dsrstand ver5 well that Cap. j. II. Griffith,
Of st. Louis, who for many years has been
intimately connected with river transposta
ton - one Of the principal managers Of the
Northern Line Packet Co.. one Of the very
best posted men in the country upon River
transportation. Consequently his late rev
port 10 the Pfesiden, ef the River Convention
held in st. Louis in February last. will be
read with . great deal Of attention. The
point he aims to make is 10 show the sd>
vsntages Of river transportation over rsil
and his report cont aims abundant facts and
figures that substantiate his theory .beyond
any dispute. Those who have given this
matter due attention have become convin>
ced that it is less expensive to ship gsain
and -four TO New York. via the Mississippi
River and the Atlantic, thsn directly east
by rail The facts laid down in the report
will not only substantiate this opinion but
will probably open the eyes Of many TO their
true interests. We giveithe material points
Of il in full
"Your delegate being detailed as one Of
the committee on memorial to collate facts
and statistics pertinent 70 the objects of the
convention begs leave to submit the annex
ed statement for the consideration Of your.
self and the convention generally, therein
setting forth the amount Of flour and grain
products Of the Upper Mississippi Valley !;
articles Of prime necessity, annually arriving
at the main depots their course from
thence to market, getting the rate Of trans
portation to New York. by rail. lake and
canal, al the most favorable season Of The
year and by the least costly northern route;
contrasting same with that which csn be
accomplished by transportation on the Mis-
sissippi river 10 New Orleans. thence by
sailing vessels to New York and other At
lan,ic ports. The rates by he last named
route proving what can and necessarily must
be accomplished when navigation on the
rapids, 6c., is improved, and unnecessary
artificial distractions amsliorsted. rs sooner
or later they always are in civilized coun-
tries"
First we have table showing that al.
most all-more than ten to one Of the grain
that arrives At Chicago takes the water
route east instead of rail, which proves, as
he says, that 50 soon "a cheap. bulky com>
nodi,ies attain good water carriage, they by
an inexorable commercial necessity follow
thatrouts andithat the continued prosper
ity of Chicago and Milwaukee almost
wholly depends on transportation by
water.
Another tabular statement shows that for
1866, Just one.half Of al the grain received
st St. Louis was from the Upper Mississip
p, three fourths of it by water. snd that Of
the shipments from st. Louis. 90 per cent
was bv water.
The following table is an extract from the
report Of Mr.. Egbert Dodge, who attempted
to prepare full statement Of the amount
and movement Of the Upper Mississippi
crops last fall The report was . very i'm
perfect affair, 90 far % the amount Of grain
handled was concerned, doing great injus-
tice to many Of the Upper Mississippi
towns, but sufficiently correct in matters OF
shipment for the purpose of Capt. Griffith .
report
FLOUR AND GRAIN sHlPPEp FROM CITIES ON