Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-17
The Grain Trade.

them single day. New England purchases
about hundred millions Of bushels Of grain
per anuum. The cost Of Transporting that
grain from the wheat fields Of the West to
the consumer is not Gar from thirty cents per
bushel, or thirty millions Of dollars per year.
The total annual value Of the grain crop of
the West is, in round numbers, one thousand
millions Of dollars One half Of that fud- |
market in the East The cost of transpor-
tltion is about twenty-five per cent Of the
value Of the crop, or hundred aud twenty five
millions Of dollars per year. This immense
revenue goes to the great channels Of traffic,
the railroads aud canals and steamers between
Chicago and the East This is the minimum
freight Of the Western grain produce to the
Atlantic coast The grain routes have been
the Erie canal tho New York Central road
aud the Eric road rhe more recent routes
have been the Vermont Central and the
/ Grand Trunk and the Welland canal But
as the production, the consumption and ex-
poriation Of grain are largely increasing,
there is demand for Increased facilities of
transportation. The present routes are in
adequate to the immense work Of laying the
products Of the West into the lap Of New
England, and at the ports Of commerce. The
traffic Of the great lakes from Duluth, Chi.
cago. Buffalo, can be increased Indefinitely
Those broad highways can carry as large
commerce as the Ocean. Railways and Ga
nails are limited in their carrying capacity,
but the lakes are unlimited aud are capable
of doing a business equal to any demand -
They will Of necessity become more aud more
the means Of transit for the Western freight.
Yet even they are closed to traffic for five
+ months in the year, and therefore they cauuot
take from the railroads their magnificent bu-
siuess. Yet they will be used more and more
to pour into their Eastern ports, Buffalo Og-
densburg aud Montreal, in the fall months,
the grain Of the West, to be stored for
D the railway transit. Buffalo has long been
e the great wheat granary Of the Est o..
e dcnsburg aud Montreal will, however, soon
s rival and surpass Buffalo. For as the water
j. transportation is the cheapest, the grauaries
T. will be established at the most eastern points
. 80 that there will be the least railway trans.
j portation. We confidently look to the time
i as not far distant when Ogdensburg aud Mon.
= troal will be the great store-houses Of the
5 grain Of the country These will be the
3 points where it will be transferred to the rail
b roads for the export trade, and for the supply
J. Of New England and New York. Ogdens
d burg is nearer New York than Buffalo
i Montreal is still nearer New London ba
p Just found out that it will cost her only
Il fraction of cent more to take wheat rid tn,
% Vermont Central than it will cost Boston
j The Vermont C,ntral also has found it out
]. and has therefore become a dangerous riva
r to the New York Central The grades oil
:, the roads connecting Ogdcnsburg and Mon
N treal with Boston and New London are yer,
J. favorable for cheap transportation, dock rate
d in New Londohsure low, and the outgoing
: steamers from New York will nd it con
J. vcnept place to run in and Gil their hold
&c with grain. Portland, too, is looking will
} anxious eyes to the grain fields of the West
y aud is anxious to make connection with tn
K great wheat store.houses at the eastern ter
n minus of Inland navigation. She is votinl
}. millions Of money to connect with Ogdens
u burg and Montreal and Albany By new routes
t. Hugh Allan, the owner of the Allan Line o
e steamers from Montreal and Portland to Liv
d crpool aud Glasgow, writes to to the Presi
d dent Of the new Notch route TO Ogdenshur
d from Portland as follows: " Portland
i deeply interested in the carrying trade Of N
West. | am unable 10 gre an opinion as
The line Of railroad iGlich 1could be be,
i adapted to the trade but the general priacipi
g, loiich gorernS all railroads. that the shorte.
I'D mist be The best wU think, gopern hi
ed The merit Of tbe route and Of The roqd ais
ny ioiH determine the line orer which tie prt
~ duce pW go"
on If the new route and road possess III
er merit, and are both the shortest and of tn
u hest grades possible, then the produce will g
VI TO the sea coast over mat route and Bosto
o" aud New London cannot help IT, But if
nd is not the shortest, or if being the shortest,
'lN is not favorable to cheap transportation, the
o''''uu WIN nave W ''y again. pu' 'n
to she will ultimately become the Atant
en- entrepot for the irans-oceanic commerce, the
he is and can be no doubt. 1t is pos.ible
ID. oons,rro, rood bo,.eor po.u.na anl n
-. ''' ~
"' 'opspu'g 'na' s"''l give ner tne auVah'"t
ny over all rivals Tor the export trade in graf
10 When Portland shall construct railway
he Lake Champlaln, where all these northeI
,ld and western lines converge, that shall hay
both the merit oil the shortest road and Il
W most favorable route she will have sol we'd III