The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-11-20
Water Route improvements.


Tn, Board d Director Of tho s.
Louis Merchants Exchange lest wxeel
adopted the following preamble and
resolution:
WnRREAs The members Of the
Union Merchants Exchange and the
cltixens Of ST.. Louis feeling dee ply
impressed with the importance OF
preventing 70 tho representatives oil
the United States in the National
Congress, the wants OF tie people Of
the Mississippi valley, and their
claims for national aid in the improve.
ment Of their water lines OF transpor.
tation for the heavy products Of this
valley to the sea boald, did in May
last invite TO general conference In
this city the members OF CQngrsss
and presented to them . series ofres,
olutions and suggestions, which in
their opinion deserved the careful
and earnest consideration OF Con.
gress; therefaEe, /,
RssoVsd-That. with . view Of pre-.
senting to the next Congress these
claims of the people Of the, Missis.
sippi Valley, and securing their rec.
ognitlon, and such national aid ss
will enable them to remove the OBJ
structions to. the navigation Of our
Western lines Of cheap trausporta
ton to the sea. board, . committee Of
70" mr. more, to be called the Cen.
trail Committee, be appointed w TINS
Board, and that they be ins .ructed
to request the formation Of com.
mittee in each of the l:.ading cities Of
the Mississippi Valley, who will co.
operate with them, in order that the
wants OF the different sections may
Be properly considered and concert
of action secured.
The people Of the Mississippi Val.
ley are becoming thoroughly .awak.
ened to the Importance Of attempting
an improvement Of the, Mississippi
River; and until some effort is made
to procure southern outlet tor :
large proportion OF the surplus grain
of the west, the people Of this por-
ton OF tho west will not be satisfied,
unless some unlocked for revolution
in transportation 10 brought about.
At meeting OF the New Orleans
Chamber Of Commerce, some tine
since, committee. appointed for the
purpose Of collecting facts touching
upon the cost Of transportatioa, 70.
ported that the average cost Of ship.
ping bushel Of grain from Chicago
to New York, via the lakes and Erie
canal is twenty-five cents; from Chi
cago to Montreal twenty.one cents;
while it costs but ten cents from st.
Louis TO New Orleans. 1t may also
be remembered here that at New
Orleans tho lighseragc and other
charges arc usually about two cents
lower than At New York, while
ocean treishts are practically the
,ame from these points. In addition
10 this, the Improvement Of tho Mis-.
west in direct communication with
cotton growing States; and a direct
exchange of products between these
different parts Of the country would
Early obtain. Such an exchange Of
produce would teud to the establish.
nent of manufactures IN :he west,
be need OF which is year BY year
more keenly felt. We trust Con.
.ress, in spite Of the immense amount
Il work lard out, will consider can.
idly the project set forth in tho pre-
'mble and resolution above quoted,
or in sdthe such scheme as this, we
',ck tor the most complete and sat
'factory solution OF tho vexed prob.
em OF cheap transportation, which
40 now become ruling thought in
he mind of the AIMEE citizen.