The New York herald., 1873-09-02

"Do you think the farmers will be able to
DISPENSE WITH THE MIDDLE MEN
at Chicago Bufralo Sr
"Only in moderate degree. The produce for
warded by the individual farmer Is usually too
small an amount To ship with advantage to the big
wholesale dealers in New York. though II the pro
rata system OF freights Is established doubtless
our merchants viii send their agents through the
interior buying up from the iamers direct, thus,
YOU see getting rid OF one middleman. But the
uouole would be something, ana confusion Is
likely to ensuc, aud such matters as bills and ex-
changes ana mercantile technicalities, with which
e sne average farmer Is unfamiliar, might outweigh
IN trouble the profits OF the nIldaeman and a
great portion OF the larmers would prefer the old
win the movement in any way disastronsly
affect New YORK lnterestst''
! NOT az all. Whatever 1t may do for Chicago or
the western cities the gram must come TO New
iorE, aia whatever the rates OF freight. our men
\ not be losers. ' VS.
| MIR. William BIanchard,s Views
| reporter called on Mr.. William blanchard a
heavy dealer In grain and member of the Arb,tra
tion Committee or the Produce Board OF Trade IN
inquire his views OF the grange movements among
the farmers OF the West and the facilities and cost
OF transportation between the metropolis and the
great grain producing regions OF the terri
tory tributary to the Mississippi and the
lakes and their anluents. Mr.. Blanchard
ar once declared he had no faith in the
uScIuliieSS Vi Tue grange OrganlZauonS rom
his convection that they would be seized by poll
ticians and made the tools OF parties and stepping
stones for demagogues on the road to place and
power. lie believed essentially In the governing
power Of the principle OF
FREE TRADE IN TRANSPORT ALTON,
or the natural working OF the law OF supply and
demand. He thinks there facilities doing
all the transport alton required by the present pro-
duction of grain, and II more was required other
lines OF railway would be speedily Dullt to supply
the need.
REPoRTER-But is it not the fact that in winter
there Is large accumulation Of grain at Chicago,
Milwaukee, Toledo ana other Western points
which cannot be sent forward for want OF carrying
capacity IN the raIlrCads9
Mr. BLANCHARD-Yes, that has been the case:
but 1t comes about by the action OF the farmers.
They neglect to send their crop forward in the
summer and fall, while the water ways are open to
compete with the railroads, for the reason that
they can better afford time in winter or from the
hope Of obtaining better prices at later time.
After the lakes and canals have closed
THE RAILROADS DOUBLE THE PRICE OF FREIGnTs
and the quantities arriving at the railway centres
grow larger than can be shipped. II the farmers
and Western merchants would send the crops iOr-
ward directly after harvest there would be found
no deficiency IN the present carrying facilities.
REPoRTER-How do the railroads and the Erie
Canal compare as to amounts OF grain they bring
forwards
Mr.. BLANCHARD--I suppose the canal brings con.
sideraby than all the railroads put together.
We have three roads bringing Western grain and
-four here, the Erie the New York Central and the
Pennsylvania Central. OF these the Erie takes the
lead In amount In connection with other mem
bers OF the Produce Board OF Trade presented
such facts and figures to the Legislature and State
officers as inaliy produced % the reduction Of canal
slight. though decided advantage over the rail-
roads In expense OF carrying between Buffalo and
no doubt largely Increases the proportion or the
grain carrying which Is done by the canal, and
tends to bring to this metropolis great quantities
which had begun to seek the Atlantic by The Cana
dian route via the st. Lawrence.
CAPACITY OF THE CANAL.
REPoRTER-ls the iul ireghtng capacity Of the
| canal developed ?
Mr.. BLANoHARD-By no means Some Of the
locks have yet to be enlarged. When the new
| locks are finished and the prism Of the waterway
| is fully dredged ont to It's contemplated size OF
tOm its legal DIMENSIONS 1t will be able to float
| much larger boats, capable OF carrying greater
lreightS with little or no Increase OF expense.
REPORTER-1as the effort to adapt steam power
to canal navigation met with any success ?
Mr.. BLANCHARD-So far It has not One steam
canaIler is running. She makes certain saving in
time, but not so marked az was hoped, and the
waste OF cargo carrying space for the OF engine
boiler and coal, Is 50 great In the necessarily CIR
cumscrioed size Of the boats that take all around
there has not been lound any advantage in steam
over horse power for canal propulsion. The full
enlargement Of the canal bed aud locks will help
this somewhat, but after all IL don't seem to me
that the problem or steam on the canals IS to be
solved by any OF the plans yet proposed.
WHAT THE GRAIN TRADE NEEDS
Mr.. Blanchard went on to give the HERALD man
his notions OF what Is absolutely required ut New
York to reduce the expense of handling the millions
OF bushels of grain which arrive here by railroad
He said we want capaclous grain warehouses; in
immediate connection with the railroads, 30 that
discharged in minute ana go back for %ppS an6tne1 e
load. Now, the grain brought by the New York
haYO hrtn
the contents Of several cars Each lot is kept dis
tinct. may have three car loads which sell to
deliver at Harlem; neighbor has four loads
which he sells ior delivery In Williamsburg;
another lot is TO go to Brooklyn Elizabeth or New
about, consuming time and swelling the expense
all OF which must come out OF the actual value Of
in the same way as the Central We need nee here an
inspector of grain as It arrives, all OF each quality
costly delay avoided. A ship loading Tor the Eu-
and take cargo without the necessity OF its being
transerred as at present to the storage houses IN
would greatly simplify and economise the trade,
and, in corresponding manner, enlarge ir.
GRAsPING RAILROAD MANAGERS.
"Some months ago." said Mr.. Blanchard, "a
company was proposed, and millions OF dollars
could have been found to build such grain ware
houses. Propositions to this enect were made to
Commodore Vanderbilt to Gould and FISK, then
controlling the Erie road, and to the Pennsylvania
Central management Both the New York roads
would countepance the plan II they could be al
lowed to manage the business without contribut-
ing to the expense. Fisk and Gould would
accept personally gift of majority
Of the stock, and then make, as managers
OF the Erie Railroad, contract favorable
to the warehouse company That kind OF arrange
ment did not suit those who proposed the invest
ment, and the negotiation went no further. Only
the Pennsylvanla company seemed disposed to
treat the matter fairly. These three roads, by
their connections with others, reaching Chicago,
Milwaukee, Toledo, Cleveland Buffalo and other
western grain centres, are the only ones which
bring any large amount OF grain. After the com-
pletion Of the New York Midland to Buffalo, and OF
the general railroad bridge at that point probably
that road also Will enter into the grain ireighting
competition.
RAILROAD ADVANTAGES.
'Time enters largely into the expense OF moving
freight. BY water we get grain from Chicago III
about twenty-five days, whereas by rail 1t CONES in
one-thiId OF that time. Then grain kept long in
large masses Is apt TO heat and sour. canal