New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-23
THE NIAGARA SHIP CANAL.
CONVENTION AT DETROIT.
REPORT or THE observation-disclosures NEW
YORK nEIRGATINh=AN AMICARIR sETIIL

fPROh A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THg TRiBUNRI
DETROIT. Dec 13.-The sentiment, which for
several years has been gaining strength In tho North
Western States In favor Of cheaper and quicker transit
Of produoe to the seaboar found expression In the
mercia Convention which held In this city to-day
the Board Of Trade Hail. To this Convention Iowa sent
II delegates Mnncsota. s: Ohio ~: Maine. q; Mch
gan, "a; Vermont, a. NewYork. 49,; Wisconsin,. g. and
tho District Of Columbia Illinois, and New-Hampshre
ono each. q total OF II, tho delegates from the
Western States representing, a. they claimed, o con-
sttucnoy OF over 100000 OF people, who were mme-
diacly interested In tho question which this Convention
lad been called to discuss.
In tho deliberations o! this body. the Erie Canal It,
mana gcment, capacity. ana charges. formed an iu-
portant clement Of complaint For many years, 1t
said IL has utterly failed in anything like satisfactory
accommodation such the produce OF tho growing
North West demanded. 1t Is not, however, new SUD-
jeot OF complaints for many years since the project
OF new canal around Niagara Falls was frat agitated
To such project NewYfk. with the Erie Canal on her
hands and Buffalo. with her great interest In the trans
fer trno have naturally made serious and unremitng
objection Tho rates Of transportation over the canal
and tho charges Of the elevator and commission men
hnve been denounced as enormous: and against Buffalo
is made the serious charge that she was in position
to have things much her way she was resolved to
tako advantage OF her opportunity Tho producers from
whom these chargestcome, insist that there must be not
only additional facilities for moving their produce hut
that 1t must be done ut moro reasonable rate dis
count OF 80 per cent for present expenses from lake
ports TO NewYork being point at which they aim and
which they very generally confident they can sue
cessfully reach.
THE ERIE CANAL fNADRQCATE
As to the necessity additional facility IL Is set forth
that the Erie Canal u.s. even now totally inadequate 10
float the produce which comes crOwd1ng down fr0m the
fertile Northwestern Plains and wants to get out These
products year Ivy year increasing In volumc and
to their aggregate TO be added hereafter the yield OF
the Red River country, which tho Northern Pacific will
soon be bringing to the shores Of the further Western
lakes on Its route Something Of the urgency
of the case may be inferred from figures which show
that tho receipts OF -four at Chicago. Milwaukee, Detroit
Toledo Cleveland and St. Louis were In round numbers
733OOO barrels in 1871. 63s In 1870 52OOO in 1862
and 1888 900 In 1862 while the grain receipts at the same
ports for the years we're, respectively l332O,
Ic2I2sOO0, 1O 0o and Of 900 bushels. II the water
ways to market are uncoufOrtably crowded now what
will their condition be when the vast productive of
the Red River district also becomes tributary and calls
for accommodation
Two means OF relief may I've found, Ivy the Niagara
Canal, already mentioned, which would be wholly an
American undertaking. the other enlargement Of the
weland Canal to sufficient capacity to allow tho pas
sgc Of the great craft Each project has It's ad
vantages and Its advocates. tho weight of opinion in
the Convention being apparently In favor Of the Mag
scheme. An enlargement Of the Weand Canal for
the st. Lawrence route would also involve the enlarge
OF the canals which shun the rapids Of that stream
For the Eastern trade (which takes VI veeighhs Of all
the produce which tho West sends forward, 1t Is sug
gcsted to open canal from the st. Lawrence to Lake
Chanplain and. II the State OF NewYork will enlarge
her canal down from whitehall there is reason.
pecnt engineers assert why vessel Of 1000 tuns may
the head of Lake Superior OF Lake Michigan.
go to Now-YOrk without breaking bulk and RETURN In
like manner with her cargo undisturbed Within three
years pact the grain receipts at Kingston have been
very heavy in spite Of the fact that transportation down
the St. Lawrence Is very expensive only small boats
can make their way through the canals or course ali
this traffic lost TO Buffalo, and menace to the
future commerce Of that city.
EXTRAORDINARY COST OF FREfGIT AT PRESENT.
In regard the charges between the lake ports
and water is declared that they are double what
they should be In Justice to the producer 1t costs as
nucb It Is alleged to transport bushel Of wheat from
the lakes to New York City 1t does to transport it
from NcwYork to Liverpool. Wheat which goes from
Detroit to Now York to sold for 81 so per bushe is
subject generally, to 20 cents or thereabout, bushe
In tho way Of transportation elevator and commission
chargrs II 1t be reduced to Is cents bushel the
other Il cents lie to he added to the profits Of the pro-
ducer and trade involving, 1t did this
total Of bushels. this saving would reach the
spccta Of about 10000 900 year 1t IL argued
hat DO good reason for charging 80 cents
bushc for carrying grain from here to New York. while
from NewYork to Liverpool 1t can be frcghtcd for
sum which, for six eight years. has averaged about 10
cents, having been low ~ cents though Is in the
season Just passed. when freightroom This
latter figure though deemed high for the service Is STILL
1t will be seem but half Of that which rules between the
lake ports and NcwYork This is the statement OF the
question which called tho Convention together ia this
city to-day.
The Convention. on coming together. called on Gov
having prcfaccd the proceedings with prayer
the Governor made address which the key note
Of the speeches OF the Western delegates who fol
lowed him. As the telegraph has already informed yOu
Gov Fairchild Of Wisconsin was when permanent or
ganzation had been effected called to preside. He made
no remarks beyond thanking the Convention for select
ing him. and taking his seat the Hon. John Young OF
fresh from the Commercial Convention at st.
Louis. was. with Othors Of the Canadian dele
gutcs to that gathering. announced. On invita-
ton, they accepted soats In the Convention which
requested speech; to this request Mr. Young responded
at some length. H0 In favor Of tho Northwestern
demand for cheaper transit 20 the seaboard and not
surprising that he found the relief which the North
West called for In tho majestic stream which dashes past
his city. Tho Welland Canal can now accommodate no
vessels OF moro than $50 tuna. while the expenditure Of
about G would increase its capacity to that
sary for vessels Of $50 or 1000 tns and their passage
to Montreal would be easy At this point or at Quebec
these vessels Of 1000 tuns could transfer their grain to
the ocean-gong vessels Of 1000 tuns and take
from them return cargo Of foreign goods for the cities
OF the lakes
oPPOsITIoN FROM BUFFALO.
Everything was going smoothly. when tho first un-
pleasant element was introduced by the reading OF the
reply hch Buffalo Board Of Trade had sent to the
invitation to be represented here. The reply was quito
long, but tho meaning was short and to the effect that
the Eric Canal since its construction had been the
cheapest means Of water communication between the
West and the East that canal 10 needed ut Niagara
that tho National Government in Its present mpOver-
ished condition. should not DO called upon to build one
there and that the agitation OF tho project Ill
timed. Besides the old-time principle OF sclf-