The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-01-20

the commerce of the orient, and di-
rectingi it eastward across the Ameri-
can continent; while the opening up
OF the States and territories to the
Westward would also contribute to
the traffic to follow this channel. A
determination to compete for this
trade has sensibly accelerated rail-
road progress in Iowa the past year !;
and this has not been confined to east
and west lines, but those running or
projected in northerly and southerly
directions have felt more or less Of
its inhusnc6. Hencs the last two
years have witnessed the construc-
ton Of more miles of railroad in Iowa
than any two previous years Of our
States history. During that time
there have been 500 miles of railroad
built, making an aggregate Of about
1904 now in operation in tho State.
The last General Assembly reser-
we'd to the State the right to enact
laws regulating rates of tariff on the
roads on which it bestowed land
grants. It was thought best, at the
time, to take advantage Of the OPP
portunity offered to place beyond Ca
vii the authority of the General As
sembly in this matter. The owners
of those roads are. possessed of the
power of taking private property for
the uses Of their projects. The roads,
also, are endowed with enormous
land-grants, amounting, with those
of the other roads, as has been seen,
to between four and five millions of
acres, or about one-eighth of the en-
tire area of the State. Recipients of
such bounties, they have no right to
complain if the State reserves to it.
self the ultimate power to prevent
extortion, should such ever be resor-
ted to.
The entire question of regulating,
by legislation, the tariff of rates on
railroads, has been widely discussed,
and is one of great Importance. OF
the benefit to be derived from such
an attempt at regulation, there is, in
my judgment, grave question In
order, however, that the subject
might be considered with the light
which statistics would throw on it,
I have endeavored to collect such
statistics from the various railroad
companies, and have obtained from
ten Of them answers to my inquiries
more or less complete. From these
reports I learn that on these lines the
sum of $52,476,4s1.21 represents the
cost of construction of 1860 miles Of
road, or $38, $3.50 per mile. Eight
of these roads report their gross ear.
nings at $6,776, 48O.1S; and their op.
Grating expenses including taxes S..
1852, 383.59; leaving net income Of
$1,817.179.72, or 4.l6 per cent. on re-
ported cost of construction, and sos
per cent. estimating cost at $4,000
per mile.
But whatever views may be on.
tertained in relation to the expedition.
cy of enacting rates of tariff tol
railroads, there can be none, l think
as to the policy of endeavoring tc
defeat any demands Of these corpo
rations for exorbitant rates by en-
couraging and inviting capital tc
build competing lines to cross oul
great thoroughfares in northerly and
southerly directions, and in opening
up our communications by water
with tho market of the world, by The
routes of the Mississippi, Missouri
Illinois, Rock, and Wisconsin anc
Fox rivers.
WATER COMMUNICATION.
The improvements in the Missis
sippi river are boing pushed ferw"It
as rapidly as the means allowed by
Con e .ess will permit. Recently tne
sum Of two hundred thousand dollars
zsAs--tvd with which to continue
the work on the lower, or Des Nome!
River Rapids. These are both o
vast Importance to the eastern coun
ties particularly, and measurably t.
all the State, in aftording unimpedee
water communication eight month.
in the year to the Gulf Of Mexico
WISCONSIN AND FOX RIVER IMPROVE
MENTs.
I have given this subject, during
the past five years, much though
and some personal examination. L
is receiving consideration in many
parts of the country, and especially
in the northwestern states. CheaI
transportation is the one question
which is vital to these States, ant
to none moro SO than to Iowa. 1t i.
of little consequence whether hel
products be moved by rail or water
but OF the greatest consequence thai
they be moved at rates whereby the
market price will give..back the cos
of production and a living profit te
the farmer. If railways can carry
heavy freights as cheaply as water
ways, it is certain that they will MOI
unless compelled thereto by water
competition. The improvement O
water channels will reduce the char
ges on every ton of heavy freight
whether moved by water or by rail
Our State has raised during the past
year, nearly fifteen millions of bush
els Of wheat for export. With the
freight charges on this quantity re
duced, in the cost of transhipmen'
and movement, only ten cents bush
ell, the total saving will amount tt
$1,500,0OO. But Iowa exports large
quantities of other grains and Other
products, and importslgreat amounts
of lumber, merchandise, ETC., so thai
this large sum would not be one hal
the yearly saving to Iowa alone. TIL.
States of Wisconsin, Illinois. anc
Minnesota, and those lying further
west, will be benefited, but perhap.
in a less degree. With wheat selling
in the State of Iowa at an average
price of fifty cents per bushel, and OF
Lake Michigan at seventy cents pei
bushel, our representatives in Con
gress should not long hesitate in as
Stunning for their constituents theil
part Of the necessary debt in order
to open an ample waterway between
the Mississippi and the Lakes. The
full results no one can forsec. II
would unto the commerce of the
lakes, with it's two thousand vessels
to the commerce of the Mississippi