, 1872-11-09
THE GREAT SOUTHERN CANAL.

Facts About the Proposed Water-Con.
nection Between st. Louis and Sa-
vannah-A Meeting Of Southern
Governors Called.
atlanta {Ga) Correspondence Of the Savannah Republi-
The projected canal from St. Louis to savan-
nah is commanding much attention, not at all
points North and Vest, that look to the enter
prise as new channel Of communication with
the sea and the world abroad. Our 1ntellgent
tion and so impressed is be by views Of its grand
results, material and political, to Georgia and
the South, that he has issued a circular, inviting
all the Governors Of the South and Northwest
to convene in council at Atlanta on the 18th OF
November for comparison OF views and an
agreement upon some plan for carrying forward
the magnificent scheme. It also proposed that
the Conuention, after adjournment here, shaA
visit Macon and Savannah in body, and IN per-
son view the ground, and aequalnt themselves
with the temper and opinions OF the peoples Of
those cities.
The project under consideration contemplatas
a continuous line Of water communication, nat
ural and artificial, from st. Louis, in the State
Of Missouri, to Savannah, in the State Of Geor-
gia. The mississippi, the Ohio, and the Tennes,,
Sec, to Gunter's Landing, including the canal
around Muscle Shoals, now being constructed,
form the upper portion of the line. The COM
pany now organized in this State. and whose
ork is the subject matter under con1nns lme
EANRO3~
this line South, fret by 8 canal from
Gunters Landing, to the Coosa River at Gads-
den, in the State of Alabama, thence by said
river, eighty-seyen miles to Rome, thence up the
EtoWah and Little River to q pole near Roswell,
in Cobb County, whence it will cross the Chat
tahoochee, thence uia Atlanta to one OF the trlb-
utaries Of the Ocmulgee-Yellow Or south River.
The Ocmulgee and Altamana will for the remain,
der Of the line until 8 point shall be reached
nearest Sayannah-say the mouth Of the Oohoo-
pee-from which the canal will be continued to
that city. Tee distance from St. Louis to savan-
nah by this route is about 1900 miles:
Such is the project. For long time doubts
were expressed as to its feasibility by 1ntellgens
and enterprising men, but they have been DIS
PEELED by recent practical surveys Of the most
difficult portions Of the line BY g scientltc COM
| mias1on organized by the Government at WASH
ington for that express duty. The official report
of the eng gineers, copies OF which nave oeen r.
ceiyed here will be presented to Congress at the
approaching session. It definitely settles the
question Of practicabi1ty, and further, the utll-
| tv and pro6tableness OF the work as an invest
| ment, even at the immense expense required for
construction. It is estimated that the portona
| of the line in the State of Alabama will cost
$4,000, 900, and the portisn OF Georgia 50 far a.
| Macon, $4,000, 900. It is expected that the
| FederaI government will, under the River and
Harbor Act, put the Ocmulgee IN q condition for
permanent navigation beyond tna1 E polns; ;7 ,na;.
cate the cost and character Of the work, but
they go further and furnish estimates OF its
business when completed, and the cost Of trans
| portation as compared with other routes IRON IRON
| St. Louis to the Atlantic. These are highly
favorable to the projected line, and indeed, give
| it marked precedence over all others no" IN
| operation or in process Of construction. =,
The cost from st. Louis to New York uaG the
| Erie Caual-the present great tdoroughfare fol
Western products set down at 511.76 Per ton
| or about 35 cents per bushel for Gym, Between
the two cities by rail, the cost is about double
these figures.
FROM St. Louis to Norfolk. ria the Ohio ane
James River and Kanswna Canal (now being
constructed) the cost will be $50 per ton
From st. Louis to Savannah, by rail (GreeI
Line, which is the cheapest) the cost Is 5l6.5'
| Der ton, OF 50 cents per bu for corn. ,.
| By the projected canal, the engineers esti
mate that fre1ghts can be carried between tn
sa1re two cities at 94.68 per ton, or less than =
cents for corn, which is 36.85 less than By tn
Erie route to the Atlantic, and 91.82 less thai
| by the James River and KansWha Canal.