The New York herald., 1873-09-10
The GRANeERS,
The Source of the City's Wealth,
Its Diversion and How 1t
May Be Retained.
STATISTICS OF THE SUBJECT.
Opinions of the Chiefs of Railroad
Corporations.
vANDERBILT'S VIEWS.
BE Don't Care What the Farmers Do-Special
Legislation His Bete Noire.
MR.. BLANCHARD, OF ERIE.
No Antagonism Between Rail-
roads and Producers.
vANDERBILT's VIEWS.
BE Don't Care What the Farmers DO-Special
Legislation His Bete Noire.
MR.. BLANCHARD, OF ERIE.
No Antagonism Between Rail-
roads and Producers.
A CHINESE WALL AROUND ILLINOIS.

New York owes her existence as great city, the
metropolis Of the Western Continent, to her COM
merce. But for the superior facilities her situation
offers for the exchange OF commodities between
the various sections OF the American Continent
and each other, and the products Of the New
World for those Of the Old, she would have no
reason for becoming larger town than Portland,
Boston or Charleston. But the wise use Of natu-
rally good geographical position, and the sagacious
and enterprising creation OF great avenues and
c0nveniences for trade, have placed her in the
proud pre-eminence she occupies to-day, city,
with her Immediately contiguous suburbs, Dumber-
ing population OF two million souls, and carrying
on commerce as wide as the globe.
The quantity and character Of this trade, its
sources, the methods by which 1t Is brought to our
wharves, with the efforts other sea ports are
making to divert 1t, and the corresponding exer-
tions New York should make for its retention
and growth, are most forciDly displayed
In the annual report OF Mr.. E. H. Walker,
statstician Of the New York Produce Exchange,
which will soon be published. From these oficial
figures and statements the following compilation
will throw an abundance OF light upon the subject
of transportation, which is now exciting such
deep interest among our merchants and moneyed
men, as well as among the farmers OF the Far
West:-
SOURCES OF TRADE.
Our commerce deals with the surplus products
OF this and other lands that portion which, brought
to the test of demand and supply, has its value de-
termined In relation to gold, and thus becomes to
the producer the measure Of value for his labor
the results Of his enterprise. Corn consumed by
the farmer either at his table in his kitchen fire.
does not add to his wealth. Only that portion for
which his neighbor at home or in distant market
pays him money helps him to buy his land and
place buildings upon 1t. And further, we learn
that the value OF grain is practically fixed by
the demand for it in European markets and the
cost of delivering 1t there from the fields in which
1t Is grown. Our mercantile public, then, is most
deeply interested in improving, quickening and
Cheapening the transit Of the staple products OF
bur country and making New York the centre OF
web OF trade streams which shall be in all respects
most advantageous to large classes Of both pro-
ducers and consumers.
Within the limits Of the United States and Terri
tories there are three millions OF square miles In
three large divisions. The Atlantic and Gulf slope
has 900 square miles. the Pacific slope 100000
and the Mississippi and lake valleys $50 900, max
ing the last division the size Qt
the other two, or forty-fve per cent Of the whole
area. This section is nearly five and half times
az large as Great Britain and France together;
one and q half times as large as Great Britain,
France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Prussia, Bel
.gium, Holland and Denmark; three-fourths as
large a. Russia in Europe, and nearly half as large
as the sixty empires, Kingdoms and states into
which Europe Is cut up. In the past New York has
been the chief market for this vast extent OF coun
try nearly all OF which is peculiarly adapted to the
easy and abundant production Of cereal crops.
Shall we keep that great and growing trader That
question must be answered by the enterprise Of
the metropolis.
GROWTH OF THE WEST.
Since 1870 the increase of population in the
Omitted States has been at the rate of three and
half per cent each year. except for few years
when our recent war cut it down fraction. 1.-THE
9ate OF increase shall be maintained, at the close Of
the century we shall count over 9S,000,000. From
1850 TO 1860 the annual increase in Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Missouri Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and
Michigan, occupying less than one third of the Mis-
sissippi and lake section, six and half per
cent. Should this rate Of gain be maintained those
eight grain growing States will have fifty millions
OF population, or more than half that Of the whole
nation. These valleys are traversed by many
navigable rivers, aggregating more than ten thou
sand miles Of natural water communication lead
ing in every direction. They border upon the
noblest system Of lakes in the world, covering an
area Of one twenty-th that Of the Atlantic Ocean,
and having coast line OF over four thousand miles
In length. Near this great natural wheat field In
our own confines is the Red River territory Of Brit
fish America equal in size to one half our Atlantic
and Gulf slopes, admirably adapted for wheat pro-
duction and destined to be sson the home OF
large and productive population This region is, by
natural highways, connected with our own trade
routes and may properly be considered as one OF
the feeders OF our commerce.
VAST AND PROFITABLE STREAM
The grain product Of the eight States above
named was 31o3s4,775 bushels in 1850, 557,551,S1e
in 1850 and 92O 900 In 1870. Still their product
Is but partially developed. Beyond them, in the
same great valley region, is double their size OF
equally fertile soil and having extensive deposits
of gold silver tin copper, iron, coal, SALT gypsum,
and other valuable minerals. With salubrious
climate this territory must soon become the home
OF an industrious population, whose products will
stil further swell the stream OF wealth'producing
traf1c which now employs thousands oil river
steamers, $500 lake steamers and vessels and 60oo
canalboats on the New York canals, besides over
tasking the freighting capacity Of the several great
through lines OF railway which connect these
national wheat fields with the Eastern seaboard,
ducts of other sections and other lands These ex-
changes must, In the nature OF trade, be made
security, and Will be controlled by these consdera-
tions.
ROUTES TO THE SEA.
Prom the great grain raising section there are
through lines OF railways having their eastern ter
mini at Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk Baltimore
Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Portland. By
water the ocean Is reached through the Missis-
sppi, by the great chain OF lakes and the St. Law
renee, by the lakes and the Champlaln route to
the Hudson, by the lakes and the Erie Canal to
Albany. or by the lakes, the Weland, Oswego and
Erie canals. canal in western Pennsylvania
connects the waters OF the Allegheny with Lake
Erie; one from Portsmouth, on the Ohio, enters
TO Toledo; another from Evansville on the Ohio,
20 Toledo, and one rom the Illinois
with Lake Michigan. The James River
and Kanawha Canal, when completed, win
Jon the Ohio River and Chesapeake Bay. The Fox
and Wisconsin river improv will enable boats
to pass from the Mississippi to Lake Michigan.
Several short canals fscilltate the pavigagQp @