The New York herald., 1867-01-15
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS
OUR WASHINGTON cssaeSpoHDsHcs.


The Great Necessity for Cheaper and
Prompter Transportation Bctween the
Western Grannries and the Atlantic Sea.
board--The Secret 0f the High Price OF
Brcndstu tuHs-Tbe Enlargement of the Eric
Canni aud the Proposed Canal Around Nj
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13. 1867
II has been the policy Of the government for many
years past aid the development and settlement OF
area country Of the great lakes by the
bSstowa Of liberal grants Of the public domain to assist
the construction OF railroads and othor works Of
| ernal Improvement The wisdom Of this mode Of dis
posing OF the lands belonging to the general
has seldom been questioned, and Ia almost unver
sally admitted Under this benevolent system
pire has built up that region technically called
the uNorthwest," embracing population OF twelve
millions OF people Those people almost exclusively
| sgricdlturalis,s and from the fertile soil they
cutvaie they producing the great staples Of
corn and wheat ia a profusou wholly unappreciated.
1t would be interesting statement that would show
tho annual surplus products Of this immense region and
the vast amount of tonnage employed the great lakes
FOR tho transportation OF these products to Market Bu
for eese must await the compilation Of by
the Commissioner OF Customs II L. enough. however,
10 know that Northwest feeds the Of the Unoo
and contributes largely the supplies Of ssher pars es
the world And with this immense yiRd OF the. ~ n
cereals the capacity OF production has scarcely bes an
rroximased to Not onesnth perhaps ens-twev ,e,h
Of the tilabe soil OF that region yet undsu
ton, and this for the simple reason that Aa od.cs,oo
OF the staples Is not remunerasve. Way :. -. -.
moasnsivs vhiis Kasssrn ceusumoss sss .v;s, .uoss
sxo,btsnt dsuuauds Tor breadsunA WY b.cor. .n..r
snson little conssdssatioa. o. thA ,oh ,,,1 ,h.ra
diSsssnse orfcm - 70 - ~ b. price Or b.Y,l
Of nour q New York ana at Ch,caro This
diGsrsnes represents TIE o., az ,rsn.Dsr,,r~
the barrel Of four ffon chic,,o "a Ear vorL'
The Western producer E.os ciyes seven ont OF
every thirteen bushels % corn be producs. 70 re. The
psoduce % nasksA Corn that conmandsd seventy ana
eSp" ces" psf ous1s on the seAhosrd has brought
.ne psoduces ~. and !. that proe was more
v1aso'e p n'm TOT si than tsssl cargo of waes.
- Iscenay 'snas 4 rhils.siphs nom ssu Francloo
ss ss shsss' sss csssss Psss' Z sssw ss
'sns Tssss s,,Ss fss,, -
:!sa that dssu csn s. Obtained only j. cheap
tsncs hesrs = Is also apparent that t s no, the dis
mucb = ~ has 70 travel thai enhances its vane 20
n.udIs sran shipped At San Francisco is no. s;ain
s,ss~S all 10 reaches It's destination ., Nov York Or
sxr-s.~ But IN the summer season, when wafer
wcst srtaton De secured the grain OF tho North
~ must be gubmtted two 'shardi;ngs and
winter when railroads have e 70 depended rpon the
'bandiingsr OF necessity much numerous and
the expenses IN proportion multiplied
In his recent message TO the state Legislature Cor
ernor Fcnton Of New York, sdvceaed tho immediate
| enlargement
vessels Of larger capacity and adapted 10 the or
steam The Governor had been known heretofore
an opponent Of the ent but ne now says !isi
done. How Is u demonstrxtcds II ia demonstrated by
the camor Of the Deopo Of the Northwest facilities
TO get 70 market without consuming the OF the
produce with which they start in expenses by way
This clamor, heretofore resisted by the rsirusd
poles and BY tho stupid management OF Tho krie canal
has driven the population Of the Northwest look FOR
other ouiles Following the great wstsrcourses that
take their rise IN their midst they find natural channel
to tho ocean, interrupted only by the Fals OF Niagara
and the rapids OF the 81 Lawrence Before tho lato
The people OF the Norhwes, said that II the South
should attempt 10 block up the Mississippi river they
would hew Their way out 70 the gulf, and they kept
cple that all watercourses rising ii their ml5st are
theirs for their own free use to their mouths, and
they vif have them Aclns on this principle
they now pushing Important projects Tor
securing gasion for vessels drawing fourteen feet
water from Chicago 70 the Atlantic Ocean and the CHOICE
which these people have laid hold OF this project that
has cemcnssraiod 70 Governor Feuion The necessity
of enIarging the Erie canal ccka Unless something
is-quicSly done In this matter whom tie route Is
sscred these great products OF the Northwest will b.
market, whether in Europe, the Indies or anywhere
else
and influential delegation. representing the
boards OF trade Of tho leading cities and tho great lakes
urge .be passage by the Senate or The House bill Of
last srssion for the construction of ship canal around
the Falls OF Niagara The cstmated of this work
Il si20oo000. Tno bill contempates rs construction
&c 600 600 of zovcrnment bonds 70 aid In building he
camel In consideration Of this loan the Is 70
name and appoint nve, third OF The board o htecu
directors who to have control of the work. The
and seneral plan Of construction or the canal
ho LEFT 10 the iudgment OF board Of crv engineers
be appointed part BY The government and part by The
canal company. The locks OF the canal are TO he two
hundred and nfty feet long and fy fest vide. and In all
respects the capacity Of the work 70 bc equal the
passage OF vessels drawing fourteen feet OF water Such
the main features OF the pending bin II waits
tho action OF the Senate, bayne already passed the
| House.
| Last spring General Cram. United States Army was
la
Cats at the mouth OF the 4, Clair river for which sp
prnpstions had already been made by Congress- Cen
sIs Cram has perfected plan Tor ss.nns aeo.s tnsss
oufscn feet Of water and has submitted hir specncs
tons and estimates 20 the Iopoaraphicsl Bureau
FOR approval With this improvement on those fats,
and the construction Of tho Niagara ship cara there viii
be unobsrucicd navgs for vessels drawing fourteen
feet VI water ron Chicago or lake Superior to 0swego
Or osdcnseus and the cost Of TRANSPORTATION q gram
and'nuur New York will be materially reduced, ieav
ing the nscesiy for but one landing between ths two
Bu, the enterprise Of the Northwest doss stop with
ars sc are 70 s sna q ss
They have yet however, 70 overcome forty four miles
q difnoa's dangerous and partially obsructed nsvsa.
something towards this themselves. They have built
three canals passing around tne more dangerous ard
capacity 81 these canals bus nine feet and is s all
he water that be carried out TO sea from sny Of the
already axsatsd 10 Canada asaer the Influence brought
70 bear b. Western grain srowers, merchants and
ana s.vso, NJ shS I'M os
be willing 20 undertake there improvements What are
our Nonswssssrn irsnds % dos hls alternative vas
| largest merchants and heaviest shippers Of the West
Hs reply characteristic ofthe Scotch American Yam
mst 1sa, 90 q s We We max sss ssssr, nr, and
we've got tho hight q uss Il wly oot 70 sbs ccssn
ass csus @ @ ss s ss, y q ss
y re sg ,s = sS, ,s ss. M Ss
, IA nacfv NJ