, 1870-07-04

From TIE Unated Slater Eoonomfst, June Is.
On the 18th Of July next, convention OF
persons interested in the canal forwarding
trade will be held in Rochester, to consider
questions relative to the improvement OF the
State canals. In reality the subject Is OF wide
spread interest and importance, and is more
..loEely connected with tho future prosperity
IT the city and State Of New York. than is gen
orally supposed. II this State expects to re-
tn F1s7ortion. Of the trads
1le canals to a much higher point Of
efficiency than at present. 1t Is true that
much has been recently accomplished in this
direction The canal tolls have been reduced
20 per cent, and improvements have been in
auguratcd which virtually Increase the carry
ing capacity Of the canals.
But it is necessary to 50 on in this work Of
canal improve 1nent, and it is to devise the
means and direction OF future progress that
:he convention has been called ut Rochester.
t is still necessary to organize for the rati,
8cation Of the Cnnal Funding bill at the fall
elections, and also to provide means
!or the further improvement Of the Erie Ca
nal. Dv GROSS mlsman3gement and political
favoritism this canal has been allowed to de-
reriorate until large proportion Of its busi-
ness had passed. into other channels. It is
useless 10 conceal the fact that competition
has tempted awsy large amount Of Western
trade fre1a OR city and State. In 1866 the
grain receilto at Buffalo were 81, 500, 342, and
they gradually declined to 37,426, 13l eusheis
in 1863.
what New York has lost other localities
have gained. The grain receipts at Erie,
Penn, in 1869, Ind increased to 2,411 ,879
nushels, sgainst only Il, $50 bushels in 1866.
In 1866 the receipts at 0gdensburgn wcro only
919, ,2S8 bushels in 1869 they amounted TO
Is, 5s4, $50 bushels. At Montreal tho grain re-
ceipts in 1866 were Go5,63G bushc1s in 1869
they rose to 8,083,192 bushels. The grain re,
sePts oar il 4az paaepha '9epntsS Ss I
receipts OF wheat since the commencement Of
the presen. year wero1 ,720, ,055 bushels, against
1,tO2, ,4S1 bushels in 1863 The exports during
the same period show d corresponding increase.
Il IL fact not without its significance that the
grain trade between Chicago and Montreal Ii
steadily increasing.
capacity Of the canals is estimated at Iou,0u
600 bushels, and that this State realizes aquAf'
ter ~ 4 million Of dollars in payment for labor
and handling for every million bushels t1ans-
norted. it viii be seen that our city aud sac
has every possible indncenent to Keep tnem
in the highest possible esate o. nasa1t;Ge aaa.y,
the actual value Of canal commerce: Prodact
for product is tho law Of trade, and Tor every
i,msfeI of grain sent here from the West,
coTTesnonding amount OF commodities IL re-
turned. This increases the trade 70 an III"
mense aggregate. II MARGIN
left for the deveiopment o. Ent;ns Ene Ssu;+u,
There .re phvsical obstacles, the sutmonnt1ns
al which ,nsy involve too large Al amount q
eapitai Ths project Of enlsSging the a1 canals Is
fcr the capacity Of ehips can hardly ever %
realized, owing to the deficiency o. wates; =;
There are other resources still open. bou1s o.
the locks may be improved, and there are dan-
C1euc1HA in caTtHfn nrrfinna 1T The C1uflH. IO6
| removal Of which wonld greatly
facilitate the tanafer OF bosts:
It ia estimated that an out1xy Of
between =, ,o0o, ,0oo and y, 90 600 would H.