The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-10-17
THE GREAT WATER ROUTE.

The necessity for cheap and additional
means of transportation from the West
and Northwest to the seaport is necessity
which grows more urgent every day.
Out Of il has grown the rise Of the pro-
ducing classes against the railroad monop-
olies, more intended to free those classes
from the burdens weighing them down,
and which in some respects has already
lightsned the weight and shown the way
for further deliversnce. But while the
anti.monopolists Of the West are bending
all their efforts in one direction, that Of
compelling the railroads to temper their
dsmsnds to the means Of the producers,
they are neglecting an instrument Of
..vr., whivu II uIiized ana brought into
competition with railways will compel
recognition.
We mean the Mississippi river, the great
outlet to theses. The people are crying for
transportation facilities and new railway
projects are devised to satisfy
their demands. Only last week,
convention WAS held in
Chicago to take into consideration the
ways and means to build the Chicago and
South Atlantic railroad, q line to run
from Chicago to one or more of the South
Atlantic ports. That part of the road to ex-
tend through the state Of Indiana to
the Ohio river is expected to cost three
millions of dollars, while Chicago is ex-
pected TO look after her own interests al
her end OF the line and the south, If it
wants the road, will DO looked to complete
it. We may form from this statement
some small idea of the vast amount OF
money necessary to the construction of II
railroad by which the farmers OF the north
west and the planters Of the South may
movo their crops to the sea-boArd-an
amount Of money, which after it is built,
the road will be compelled partly, il aot
wholly to pay to from tho high rates charg-
ed to the very classes for whose benefit it is
ostensively built. Though events have
demonstrated TO the agricultural classes
Of the Mississippi valley that their best
escape from the grinding fingers of pres
emit and future railways lies in the use of
the Mississippi river, It's natural outlet
to the sea, = few figures viii serve to make
this still more pa lpsbe. In late mum Der OF
the Atlantic Monthly II writer made some
estimate upon the cost Of transportation
by rail, canal, river, lake and ocean, upon
the basis of $4,000, 900 tons of American
produce. That bearing upon the relative
cost OF rail and river transportation il
what particularly interests US and reduc-
ing the figures 80 as TO arrive At the cost OF
transporting one ton the distance Of one
mile, we find that by rail it is three cents
and by river hree-tenths Of u cent, show.
ing . difference Of two and seventeenth,
cents in favor Of the latter mode. "Thes,
calculations, ssysa writer in the New Or
'Ieans times, fare based on freight rate,
in 1872, and they were supposed to repre-
sent an equitable average for the Who'll,
United States. In denomination tina,
they are, 30 far as all rail transportation
is concerned, far below tho actual cost
'we submit the following; We have now
lying before US . Milwaukee, wis.
price current, dated October 4, 1873
which gives the charges on fourth.clss,
freight from that city to New York a. 8.
cents per 100 pounds, aour and bulk
grain being rated the same. From Mil.
] wsukes 70 Chicago is SO miles, and from.
Chicago to New York 96l, making q 70.
'tal OF Io%6 miles. A ton Of -four at the
rate stated would cost just SlI, or 81 lC
per barrel TO New York. At these rates
the cost per ton per mile is ioa cents
sAs this rate the assumed $4,000, 900 tons
sof American produce would cost to NOV.
~ one mile $2,626,0Oo.
NWith these facts before US, il 10 use
'iss 70 proceed turtle. If hey do no,
'sulies " satsfy the people Of the Yves,