Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-29
BALTIMORE.
The Commercial Convention
Railroad MonopoIies.

R8tlfo4d mOn0pOltoss
BALTIMORE, Sept. 28.-The National
Commercial Convention assembled at 10
O'Clock this morning.
A resolution was offered relative to the
necessity of the speedy completion of the
Washington and Ohio Railroad from
Washington City to the Ohio river.
Mr. Howard, of Missouri, offered s
resolution calling the attention of Con-
gress to the increasing power of the great
railroad corporations of the country, their
absorption of all other lines of road, the
necessity of restricting their powers and
the establishment of q national tariff of
fares for freights.
Local Observation-Disclosures Air
Line-The southern Pacific.
Elk. Governor Stansrd, of Missouri,
submitted report to the Committee on
Railroads, embodied in the following res
olutions:
l. Resolved that this convention rec
ommend to the railroad transportation
companies to so reduce their rate of
freight and passage as to give them near
er proportion to through rates.
2. Resolved, That liberal commercial
spirit should prevail between different
States in granting reciprocal rights of
way across their territory to all railroads,
and that an air line railroad from Cincln-
matt to Chatt anooga would conduce to the
general welfare, and especially to that OF
the South, this convention disclaiming
any purpose 10 indicate the authority
under which said air line should be con-
structed.
8. Resolved, That this Convention is
fully assured of the feasibility and de-
STABILITY of railroad chain extending
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
lying entirely to the south of the Central
Pacific, and will most heartily hail its
completion as practicable and neces>
sary portion of a truly national railroad
system.
Narrow Gauge Roads.
Stsnnard also submitted report to the
sub committee on narrow gauge on rail-
roads. The report states that this class
of roads must become valuable in bring
| ing into railroad connection sections of
country where the physical geography of
the same would make the construction of
wide gsuPe roads impracticable, either
from their great cost or the spsrseness OF
| population, recommend in view of the
great importance of the subject and the
lack of reliable information, the appoint
ment by the Convention of a special
committee of five to report to the next
Convention.
In addition to this report the committee
express the decided conviction that what
ever gauge be decided upon that uni
| formity would be most conducive to the
interests of all, and recommended the
construction OF air lines.
The report and resolutions excited con-
siderable debate, but were finally adopted.
Education.
Judge Hammond, of Georgia, offered
q resolution to the effect that States and
localities which had not already adopted
q system for public schools, be recon-
mended to do 30 at once. Adopted.
Mississippi Delta Canal.
| Kennard, of Louisiana, from the Com
mittee on Interior Lines and Water Com.
municstion, submitted his report. The
report says q careful review of the evil
dence obtained from exhaustive expert
ments in removing cars from the meuth
of the Mississippi river satisfies the COM
mittee that dredging ia at the best OILY a
temporary expedient, and canal con-
Meeting the Mississippi river with the
ocean is anstioRal commercial necessity
that should be constructed and maintained
at the national cost, free from tolls, con-
cluding with resolution that Congress at
its next session should appropriate 81, 000,-
900 for this work, and providing for
special committee TO press this recon-
mendstion on Congress.
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
On the subjects of the James River and
Kanawha Canal and improvement in the
navigation of the Ohio River, the report
endorses the action of the Louisville and
Cincinnati conventions, and renews the
appeal for aid from Congress, for a ship
canal, between the Chesapeake and Della
ware Bays. The report after briefly re-
citing the importance of this work, which
will be only 32 miles in length and rem.
dering the voyage between Baltimore and
European ports 1873 miles shorter, recon-
mends that Congress be memoralized to
direct q survey of the proposed improve
ment, and if found practicable that the
canal be constructed. Reverdy johnson
addressed the Convention on the subject
after which an adjournment was taken to
O'Clock p. m.