New-York tribune., 1873-12-15
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.
MEETING OF WESTERN = AND SOUTHERN
.-I CONGRESSMEN.'
v,cu MEMBER PRESENT ANXIOUS TO FORWARD HIS
oyy PET sCnEME-Tm DEMoNSrRAIioN

4
| iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRinUsE'l u.s.
| WASHINGTON, Dec ti.-The meeting OF Con
rressucn in favor oil cheap Transportation hod l" '"o
| HALL of Representatives. on Saturday o'o"i"s' "A'
| ,,uure The intention was TO get up uehioh-
| s,r,iiop in favor Of tho canal prolectS no"
neoding and certain other maehnce' "''
oo.,ls schemes of internal improvements, bu'
80. y.ra so many members who eacb wanted TO got sn
iaorsement for his own local project that tho meeting
yi.ey concluded to do nothing beyond passing ean-
ngle,s RESOLUTION TO the effect that the members Oh INC
House present whose constituents were lnteresteu III
cheap transportation would direct their Efforts 10 prng
about unity OF action In Congress In what direction
this unity OF action is TO he put torth 'no
! ,,ec,,nr failed entirely TO determine. Tie trnth
! 80, all ,ha sensible men present realized
| ,b.t the collapsed condition OF tho treasury
disposes OF all tho schemes for involving the Govern
ment in expense dig canals for tho present. at iease
III the treasury free as It was years ago. very
different kind Of resolution would no Doubt haVo oeou
adopted
| VIEWS or TIIs MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REPRESENTA-
qfyRs on THE SUBJECT or RAPID AND CHEAP
| ASsroRrArIoN-DIsCUssIoN ON THG MERrrs
| or TIE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENT PRoJECrs-A
| RESOLUTION URGING UNITY or AcifoS
| ADOPTED.
| lGEssRAb PRESS DrsPArcH
WASHINGTON, Dec. i3.-The meeting called
for this evening ia the Hall OF the House OF Rpresenta-
tiyes To compare views on the subject OF rapid ana
cheap transportation presided over by Representa-
| tive Dunne OF Minnesota. Representatives. clements
OF Illinois and Stone OF Missouri were chosen secre-
tares. Fifty sixty representatives we're present To-
pether with Senators Acorn of Mississippi aud Steven
| son of Kentucky.
Representative Sypher OF Louisiana read tho call Tor
the meeting which no said sgned by over loo mem
bers THIS meeting, he remarked was not FOR the pur
pose Of committing any individual to any particular
| project. The East Interested in this question
equally with the great West and South. In his judg-
ment the improvement of tho national channels was
the first question to which they should address them
selves These would secure the end they sought, to
greater degree aud at less to the country than
| apy other project OF artificial means which could be
devised. After speaking Of the vast products OF the
Mississippi Valley, showing the excess OF
! Western products seeking Eastern and
| European markets, being amount over
oneenth OF tho gross Yield Of cereals. lie said that
these cereals transported by three great water
routes, namely. the ST. Lawrenc5 the Hudson. and the
Mississippi Rivers. The average freight rates per
bushe and time OF transit AZ foows From Chicago
10 Liverpool by the st: Lawrence route. IS cents per
busho and days time: by the Hudson River route. 40
cents per bushel and SO days time; By the Mississippi
| from 81. Louis. 81 cents per bnshel and 80
! day-s' time. The two lrst-namcd routes were Ice
| bound fYc months out Of tho H. whereas the last
named was practicable the entire year. While he was
An advocate. and pressed tho advantages OF the Mis-
sssppi route he desired 1t to he distinctly understood
that he did not antcgonizo It With other projects He
spoke especially OF tho necessity OF the Fort st. Philip
Canal the natural depth of water at tho mouth OF the
Mississippi being only Il feet Tho Government dredge-
boats have maintained depth OF from IT 20 20 feet but
this was not trustworthy lie continued to speak at
length tho Importance Of this subject and of tho
great advanta not only to tho people Of the Mis-
sissppi Valley but TO the entire country.
| ~ fta i'm
! proyement Of the James River and Ksnawha Canal
which wouid connect the Ksnawha River with che Allan
tic af0rdng the great West outlet to the This
| work was favored by many OF those who framed our
| Government, including Gen. Washington himselt-a
practical engineer. survey had been made by order
of the mont and all the engineers reported as 10
its feasibility. ~ would not cost over sT,0OD0)O or
.6e dement's mel whcn Would aocras from t. water
| communication. though slow and tedious was the
by 900 miles by way OF Norfolk than by way New
orleans. he prepared 10 40 into any examination
ss were proper his cord1i support They were great
interest to tho Mississippi valley but a. OF advantage 70
| q common country and com non destiny.
know whether this eau OF members residing IN
the Mississippi Valley. met 10 consider the Interests OF
| River and Kanawhs Canal.
| Mr. Harris replied that he did not wish to intrude
efy to speak OF one OF tic gres means of transporta
on as he was mot aware the call was exclusive in Its
Mr.. sypher hore n.erposed. saying TO his friend
from VIrsnla aud all others, that the call did not ex
This question was National and could not be made sec
tioual
Representative Burchard OF Illinois came hero repre-
senting constituency deeply interested IN this trans
portaton question. He did suppose the object
10 agree upon any particular plan that every geu
eman was at liberty to express his views and that he
would acquire knowledge for future consideration, with
view TO acting inelligenty such measures might
be brought before the House. He did not think Ii pru
dent agree any plan. In fact. it impossible
been appointed by the Speaker consisting oi gentlemen
from the West and tho South who 10 take charge
OF all matters relating TO railways and canals freight.
and inland transportation Ho should be happy to hear
that Committee shall make report.
Representative Crittenden OF Missouri felt grstined
in seeing OF all parties meeting together for the
common elevation OF our from Maine to Cali
broad plain of nationality. He here 10 cooperate
with anybody provided they could so act as to carry
companies. and while he did not make upon them.
he thought was the time for those living In the Mis-
as would develop the great Of the
West commencing where the mississippi takes its rise
tions at the mouth Of that river He hoped they would
all before they left Washington upon some plan
satisfactory to the whole country.
members here from the Mississippi Valley. 40 one
question Interested their constituents much cheap
transportation. They apt to forget that there
was any other section than their own. The south at
that there Souhs The East was beginning to find
out that there was Westva wsst which has power
West had the power to obtain redress they would but
unite. He wished TO take in the whole country and OBJ
tain such improvements as would be OF NATIONAL benet.
The cost was nothing In this matter His constituents
farmers and therefore must have an outlet for
their surplus produce.
Representative stanard OF Missouri sad there |
two subjects which commanded more attention than
any others namely finance and the transportation in
OF the country and these were closely united
Tho truth tho country had grown beyond the faci
ties transportation. These have not Increased as
theproductions havencreased within the last ten
There not . larger number OF through lines and
the East to tho West than at the close OF the war
These railroad lines have had monopoly for years
pecialy during Winter months, when lake navigation