, 1873-05-02
What the Window Committee Pro-
pose to Do, and Where
They Will Go.
Increase Of Trade Between United
States Ports and Cuba,
MAY Statement Of the Public Debt.
Special Dispatch to Ths Chicago Triouns.
TRANSPORTATION noUTEs-pnor0SED INvEBrId

In tho following general divisions Tirst, tho
Lake and st. Lawrence route; SECOND, tho Lake
Eric Canal and Hudson River route; third, the
James River and Kanawha Canal route, embrac-
Ing improvements of tho Kanawha and Ohio
Rivors fourth, tho proposed Goorgin Canal
routos fifth, tho MisaiBsippi and Gulf route
eixtl tho various railroad routes from tho into
rior to tho coast. In regard to tho Lake
and st. Lawrence River routo, inquiries
will DO mado as to tho advantages
which this route ofrors for through
transportation from interior points to Europe;
tho praoticabiIity Of employing 1ako sailing and
steam vessels On tho St. Lawrence Rivor and
canals, and on the ocean tho commercial adv m
tago offered at Montreal for tho transshipment
Of merchandise charges on tho Canadian canals,
tho capacity Of those canals, actua tonnage aud
number Of vessels employed on this routo dur
Ing tho past twonty-avo years, the actunl value
and amount Of American productions exported to
foreign ports by this route via Montreal and Que
beo during tic lust twenty-five ycara: &C.
tual cost Of transportation to European
steam vosaels from lake ports to Llvorpool, and
tho disadvantages Of tho route arising from ice,
fogB, md other dangers OF navigation, and the
shortness Of the season Of navigation. freight
Canal aud Hudson River route, inquiries will bo
made as to tho actual freight chargoa from lake
ports to New York during tho laat twenty-five
yoars cost Of transportation por ton per milo;
boats, including tho gencral subject Of tho
| storage Of corn aud grain whllo awaiting tho
| donlands Of consumption length Of aoason
| OF navigation time consumed In transportation;
| enlargement Of tho Eric Canal for tho capacity
of bouts Of GOO tons, and tho probable Increased
capacity Of tho canal as o commercial highway
by such proposed enlargement; rates Of inaur-
~ E$S$ ia
route and Of freight railways, &c. In regard to
tho James River and Kanawha Canal; inycatiga-
tons will DO mado IN regard to .hS value Of tue
Is 'a1 and epo population A' Of hs territory
seeking this outlet to tho soaboarl
probable amount Of Western products whleE
would pass through this canal II now completed;
5.uos .vor vors nn ~ Ranasi,a oana aud ts oosns-
tions; probable time required to complete sane,
and ooat Of such construction ind improvements;
fourth division, or Georgia Cnnal route inqui-
ries wilibo nado as to tho yalue of the Tonnes
SEQ River az commercial tributary Of this
routoi tue geographical extent , and population 1d
tho seaboad; tho probable amount Of
Western products which would pass
through this route probable cost Of construct,
ing tho Georgia Canal and making tho required
river improvements; tho probable time required
Of the season Of navigation and any other COM
mercial advantages which tho route may mp.
poar to offcr. In regard to tho mississippi
River route, tho Committee will inquire as to
tho actual freight charges from various river
porta to Now Orleans during tho last twenty-
live years the depth Of wator for navigation
from tho several river ports to Now Orleans Of
oil soaaona during tic samo poriod; tho
practicnbility Of transporting corn and grain in
bulk on tho Mississippi River and ita tribu-
tanos, and storing it at New Orleans ; tho NUM-
Dor Of days IN each year Of suspension
Of navigation at st. Louis md other river ports
on account Of ice or low water; amount and
value Of corn and grain exported from New Or
leans during the last twenty-five years; tonnage
and pilot chargea at New 0rleanH; rates Of in.
montB Of tho Ohio River, and tho mississippi
above st. Louis, and tho ratoB Of freight from
New OrleanB to portB Of Europe and North at"
1an,io ports during tho Inst Twenty-Five years. >,
Unaor tho sixth division, which relatos to rail-
rond routos from the interior to the coast, the
Committee will inquire as to the actual cost OF
the several trunk roads, exclusive of watered
stock; the actual freight charges per ton per
mile during tho last 25 years; tho percentage Of
transportation timo necessarily consumed in
the transportation Of agricultural products Of
the West from tho principal points to aeaports
tho cost Of transhlpnonts and storage ora g,
relative charges for through and way freightR,
and othor inquiries. For the purpose of ascer-
thinning how the railroad facilitioa for tho trans,
esn be Increased, tic Ooinmittoe will personally
examine each Of tho water routes, such oxami'
nationa to DO made with tho special yiew Of do
termining tho relative value Of each. A. the,
all have their advocatos who arc desroua Of ro'
ooiving share Of the attention Of tho Commit
too. Tho kind Of information desired can only
he obtainod from roraonal observations ny VIZ
itin8 the various localities.
: Inquiry will be made of freight chargeB from
Now York and other ports Of tho United statoe
to European ,.porta during tho last twenty-hye
and grain-imporfing countries; tho average
prico Of corn at lake ports, ut ports on the A.
lantio and Pacific Coats, and at various foreigL
ports during tho last t"onty-tlvo yoars ratea q q
, regard to Canadian laws or commercial regula
: tionB Which discriminate between Britisl
YeBaela or which operate In tho natur.
OF such discrimination. The COMMITTEE WI
aacortain tho annual increase OF the West 70
quiriuY transportation to the Eaat, and tho rein
tive inoroase Of railroad mileage In the Wester.
Statos, and tho routes for transporting suol
prodnots from tho West to the sesboaFd: Iho
which can bo obtained from official md otho
SOURCES as to tho amount Of tho surplus pro
duct Of oaoh Of The Western statea, and IT, IT,
%snd os s for thu thus Ssean fSsRn 81 4Ssss ss Md4
l. States, tho South Atlantic tho Gulf States an
: foreign countries, thus determining tho relativ
value Of the homo and foreign market.
= While the Committee hnvo thus prepared to
themselves chart embracing tho general acop
Of their inquiries, tho plan will bc modified IN
enlarged IN Huch manner as may appear to t
required by tho 1osuts Of thoir Investigation an
practical observation, after visiting the warrior s
nittso. Mr. Window, III now vigorously, PurS'
{, Ing tho investigation OF the subject, aud is pr
~ pairing blanks, sohedules Of inquiries, etc
y which will hoon DO sent to tho proper sources
f.,tr ft% rfn nf a