Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-10-23
The Commercial Convention on Wa
ter Line Communications.

ter Line Communications.
In the report on continuous water
line communications, adopted by the
late Commercial Convention at Louis
vile, it was declared that cheapness
and facility of transportation of the
surplus products Of one region or coun-
try to the place of demand and con-
sumption in another is Que of the first
elements of commercial prosperity to
both. 1t was therefore resolved:
"That cheap and easy transportation
between Mississippi Valley and the
eastern and southern portion of our own
country as well as the markets of the
world, is not only necessity of the
West, but is demanded by the best in
terests of the whole country. That to
meet this want complete and compre-
hensive system of water-line COMMUNE
cations between the Mississippi and the
seaboard. in connection with the proper
Improvement of the navigation of the
Mississippi and its tributaries, is imper-
atively demanded. That connection
of Lake Michigan with the Upper Mis-
sissippi, by way of the Wisconsin and
Fox rivers improvement, and also the
opening Of continuous water line
through the State of Illinois from Lake
Michigan to the Mississippi river, and
thereby extending the water line from
New York by the way of the Erie canal
and lakes to the Mississippi river; the
completion of the central water line
from the mouth of the Ohio to Hamp-
ton roads, by proper improvement of
the navigation Of the Ohio and Kama
wba rivers, and the completion Of the
James River and Kanawha canal on a
scale commensurate with the great OBJ
iects to be accomplished by it, and the
removal, as far as practicable, of all OBJ
structions to an easy and cheap outlet
into the gulf by the way OF the Missis-
sinni river, will constitute this system.
That Of this system the central water
line is the most important; it brings the
geographical centre and the centre of
eon,merce. wealth and population of
the Mississippi-the converging and di-
veroinp point of more than ten thou
sand miles of inland steamboat naviga-
t;on--one thousand miles nearer to the
principal seaports on the Atlantic and
to Liverpool than by either the North
srn or Southern route; it is free from
tho frosts of winter, which obstruct the
Northern route for about 5 months of the
wear. and from the climatic objection to
The gulf route in the summer; it reaches
one Of the best, if not the very best,
harbors on the Atlantic; it passes
through the great coal region OF Amer
lea. and furnishes the only cheap and
odeouate outlet for the inexhaustible
snnnlies of coal, lumber, salt and iron
of that region, now locked up among
the hills and mountains, and, to large
extent. valueless it is the cheapesF
best and most direct outlet from the
larger portion Of the Mississippi Valley
to the sea; from its location it furnishes
healthy competition with both the
Northern and Southern route; 1t lies
wholly within the limits and passes
throush the centre of our country, and
ia not therefore, liable to interruption
in time of foreign war. That. rightly
oomprehended, this system OF water
line communications is not antagonlstIc
70 the railroad system connecting the
Mississippi Valley with the ocean either 81
oaet or west, but, on the contrary, is
snnnlemental and auxiliary toit.'
The resolves go on to call upon Con-
press to aid in carrying out these enter
prises, as far as natural channels are
concerned, and make them tree ana ala
also in the artificial improvements
Among the committee to memorabilia
Congress for and divise schemes are b.
NJ Smith, of West Virginia, and John
Baldwin, of Virginia
The resolves also declare that the I'M
mediate extension OF the ChesapeaRe
and Ohio canal from Cumberland, Md
tn brownsville, Pa, "a distance OF seven
tv.fiye miles, matter of great and ma
tional importance.
ON RAILROADS.
The report, which was adopted, on
railroads generally, urges the import
auce of uniformity OF gauge IN the lu-
ture construction Of railroads, and adds
"Rscognizing the railroad interest as
one of inestimable Importance to the
whole country, the committee recon-
mgnd that the federal government ex-
ercjse the largest liberaiity toward these
enterprises consistent with wholesome
legislation, and especially those in the
Southern States which may have been
crippled by the late unfortunate and
deplorable war" ~,
The following is also among the re-
solutions on railroads;