The New York herald., 1872-10-19
A New Ocean Route to Eu-
rope Suggested.
A Radical Change Of the Canal
Policy Inevitable.
Six New Freight Lines Required from New
q York to the Great West.
LAMENTATIONS OF the MERCHANTS.

diverted from by neighboring cities, has had the
most astounding effect upon the entire country.
The same day copious extracts telegraphed far
and wide to the Associated Press and as q matter
Of course,
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
were made thereon by nearly every Journal pro and
con. The Western, Eastern and Canadian news
papers especially interested themselves on the sub
ject, which is OF no mean import to them all. We
have endeavOred to show how the completion Of
the Pennsylvania canals have been brought into
nse for the purpose Of securing to Philadelphia
q portion of the great Western trade,
to counteract which the enlargement OF the Erie
and Oswego canals was projected and completed
Then we touched upon the subject Of the enormo US
increase In that line via the st. Lawrence River to
Canada, and reviewed the present canal policy
pursued by our State government and suggested
the proper remedy, whereby New York can retain
that traffic, despite the great inducements offered
to the Western producers by Philadelphia, Balti-
more, Boston, New Orleans and Montreal.
One OF the many comments made upon our ex-
hibit deserving attention is the following, taken
from the st. Louis (Mo.) Democrat, which repub
fishes our article entire, and says edtorially:-
It win be realized by the IEnAIDs article that the large
amount OF grain now moved
& via honTes m5 & f causing serious alarm in New York
Chicago in force and Among the heSyess
$s
T s q $ss!
ns @ sS y @ @ R1sr in 5
The canal to be toll free and charges to be
New YORK has but one remedy against the steady de-
s $ Va ssx 6 as III s%
g s san na Mhs s s. m as aye Ssr % s
which she has spent In inrnshlng river canal
.S.s grain aH% S SasSSs hoasss s VIM !" s.. St
0ns put little money none into barge lines to p on our
sT she Ct freight
scss ys {Es. Si%
9ss 1s sSs Gssa :a sSs
divided and altogether uncertain trade Chicago.
E sssa ely lose &c ssal sa @ ne
e Of s oae ad amG h aS es S%
hour step New York should ei take in R this
buying firms ms and packing houses here The next step
4 DAILY oE Troy GRAIN rRopEIIrRs
% Ny g able e g esn
bulk grain the hold These two steps would insure her
oEe na NE a e one 70 aan
this trade year BY year would naturally suggest them
How the above proposition can be carried into
practical effect is not our province to speculate
upon, but that there is good point therein for
merchants to contemplate is certain and deserving
- their serious attention.
Great as Is our grain commerce, being 49, ne, 1856
bushels during the year 1871 or As 9-1a per
cent OF the entire trade, yet, In pro-
portion to our population, our natural sea-
going outlets and our commercial wealth. we are
rapidly retrograding. 1t must be remembered that
within the past ten years our population has in
creased thrtythree and one-third per cen t. and at
this ratio the rst Of the next century will witness
nm inhabitance of nearly one hundred million souls
In the United States.
OUR TRANSPORTATION RoUr Es
are not holding pace with the gr eat demand for
carrying freights, and not withstanding possess
more railway surface than any other country, yet
the capacity Is by no means adequate to the de-
mand thereon.
We fully expect that our Legislature will adopt
such measures at Its next session in relation to
our canals that we shall be able to record their
speedy enlargement. The enormous revenue
which the Erie canal has thrown OF since its COM
pletiOn should act as
A STIMULUS FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS
We only need lengthenlng OF the locks and the
adoption of the tumble lock gate, or If the canal
could be widened SO as to admit OF steam naviga-
tion without doing injury to the sides by the
.wash, the freights could be brought from Buffalo
to New York in six days, against fourteen, the
Minnesota newspaper authority says that
sthe proposed enlargement OF the Welland and St.
Lawrence canals by which vessels can carry 200
bushels OF grain instead OF 200 1000, will,
when effected, offer a channel OF communication
between the Western producer and the foreign
consumer by far the cheapest and quickest OF any
water line, and one which will easily compete IN
time with railroad transportation to the seaboard.
New YORK commercial men this and realize
that the Erie Canal must be practically thrown
open to commerce free OF
TOLLS AND OTHER BURDENsoME CHARGrs
great portion OF the foreign grain trade is not
10 be diverted nom its present well grooves.
One OF the political conventions OF the Empire
State has already declared in favor of making
THE ERIE CANAL FREE wATER-couRsE
ior Western produce, and II cannot be doubted
that public opinion Is setting strongly IN that
direction. although II may be two or three years
before the conservative rural districts will consent
which has cost score OF millions of dollars for
the benefit OF the foreign trade OF New York city,
Our contemporary may be right in his conclu-
slons but it must be taken into Consideration that
New York has been the chief support OF the Erie
Canal since its existence, and even Il our rural
districts" should complain at first they win soon
trade enhances the wealth Of the entire State and
In the end they become the gamers.
According to computation made OF
THE CLOSE OF NAVIGATION
an1 81 1eara canals an aggregase OF number
The Hudson River was closed during forty-sevcn
years 3Al days or an average or II Az, the
ls43, and the shortest time was a. days, in 1912.
III. IN tMnlrty,seyen M years the canal navigation was
annum; thus barring navigation nearly l39 days in
THE ACCUMULATED PRODUCE
In western granaries must have been sent some.
where, II being impossible to bring the same 10 sea
ports by water Hence our railroads are brought
Into reguistion, and the traflc belonging to The
canals then closed by ice, is carried via rail- Here
comes the great cause OF complaint. The rolling
stock applicable for transportation OF produce Is
sadly deficient and grudgngly furnished to our
dealers. Now the question naturally arises how to
abate this eynS
OUR GREAT RAILROADS
centring In New York have more passenger
trailc than is compatible with their carriage OF
freight. Fast trains have the right OF way and
sl0w trains must lay on side tracks Let there be
On wi nrh In q FREIGHT nn hut Iron