The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-11-25
The %sIuskingum River.

The Muskingum River.
We have expressed the opinion in
these columns, that the day is not
far distant when the MuskIngum
River viii be very valuable as 8
means Of transportation. far above
and beyond that which may now. be
supposed. As a water power it has
been celebrated, but where a sixty
horse power engine car be run at
an expense of 81 30 per day for fuel,
there is perhaps no economy in wa
ter power. But on the other hand,
water communication is the cheap
est for ali heavy materials. A gen.
tleman at the recent Commercial
Convention in Cincinnati, stated
that one Tug on the water would
take as much coal to market in Bar
ces as could be taken IN 1900 ears
or as % Locomotives and trains /;
each one of which requires as many
hands as a steam tug.
Now taking into view what are to
be the future products of this great
mineral basin of Ohio, we can, TO
some degree, measure the value of
the Muskingum river as q means of
transportation and rs the profits
on the manufactured articles begin
TO be narrowed down, the point at
which motive power, cheap fuel,
and cheap living is to be obtained is
the point where tie heaviest manu-
featuring will be carried on.
We are persuaded that when we
shall have properly called the at
sention of Eastern capitalists TO the
great resources of coal and iron
which crop out 10 the hills and VAL
leys bordering on the Muskingum,
that we shall begin to see Furnaces
and Iron Works in operation all "a
long the Muskingum, from Coshoc-
ton to Marietta, or as far down as
the coal is to be found adjacent to
its banks. Small railways will be
run up the valleys for many miles
TO bring the coal and ore to points
where the manufacturers from these
can Immediately be shipped on stea-
mers or barges for Western and
Southern ports. This is precisely
the great advantage which Pitts
burgh has enjoyed, and which has
caused there the erection of such a
vast amount of machinery, and has
made it the place where, IN addition
TO vast and multIfarious pro-
duction, vertwo-thirds OF the glass
ware of the whole country is made.
And the valley of the MuskIngum,
within the distance we have named,
is really a nor advantageous por>
tien for manufacturing sites than Is
the city of Pittsburgh.
1t has been stated that an increase
of 10 per TENT. In the cost of coal,
would close many OF the Factories
of England. So when calculations
are made thus narrowly in the cost
of manufactures, here is the place
above all others, where cheap man.
featuring can be done, and the lar
gest profits realized.
There is at the present time q
great rush of capital into the coal
regions of Perry county Furnaces
are To be erected, and other projects
sre talked of. But the products of
all manufacturing enterprises there,
as we'll rs the coal, must be taken
away by rall /; and compared with
water transportation, this is too ex-
pensive. Some of our readers may
not think so, but one Of the most!
wealthy railroads in the county has
realized this. The Pennsylvania
Central is now building a vast num-
her of boats and charging the old
Pennsylvania canal eastward from
Huntingdon, which the road has
leased, in order TO cheaper the carr
ryIng of coal and iron from that
point to the Atlantic seaboard. The
company brings the coal in its cars
to Huntingdon and there reships
by water to Philadelphia and other
markets ; and when we remember
the great capacity of the company,
having a double track Its entire
length, ard branches leading off to
various different cities, we think
our argument is made very strong.
We notice that business men of
Toledo are urging the importance
of a ship canal from that point 70
Cincinnati On the Ohio river. If;
this is important for that city, is
not our own Muskingam valuable
in that view. Although it is not
now done, still we are persuaded
that coal a be shipped at this
time as cheap from any point on
The Muskingum, from Dresden
down to its mouth, to the msrke
o N the Ohio river, rs from the slack
water of the Monongahela.
II then q argument in these par
tlculars is correct, ought not the
great advantage which water tram
p~ortutlOn gives TO this mineral ba-
SIN, be more highly prIzed and NEE
sures taken to bring il into imme-
date use. Efforts should be made
at once TO point out these advanta-
ges to capitalists seeking q proper
field for investment. And we may
draw from u argument that those
who own property in tins valley,
mineral lands. Or even good farms
ing land, ought to value 1t, and not
be IN a hurry to sell out and go to
western wIlds. Their investments
here are as likely to advaEce in
price Rs any where. And by proper
effort of those interested, the time
when they will be much more valu-
able may be hastened.-FGrmers'
and Mechanics Advocate.
Few people entertain anything
like q true estimate of the mineral
resources Of the Musklngum Valley.