The Cairo bulletin., 1873-12-19
THE FARMERS.
SECOND ANNUAL SESSION OF
TIE ILLINOIS FARMERS
ASSOCIATION.
THE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION.
THE COMPLETION OF THE MAG
ARA SHIP CANAL AND THE
Fl. ST. PHILLIP KAMA
VIVA AND ONO CA.
NAILS.

DECATUR Ills Dec. l6.--The second
annual convention of The Illinois Farm
ors' Association convened in this city to-
day, at Brenneans Opera House. About
200 delegates were present. well filling
the floor Of the hall, while tho gallery
was crowded with local spectstors'
Mr.. w. c. Flsgg, prcsiden. Of tho as
tociation, called the convention TO order.
Rev. N. + ueeth Of DAnvlle, Illinois,
then offered a prayer. A! its conclusion,
the president introduced Mayor Ferts-
meyer Of Decatur, who deliycred short
address.
After disposing Of the preliminary bus
mess, the question Of through ,ransporta.
ton by water WAS taken up.
Mr.. Smith thought there wore buttwo
routes that could best he followed or
thess reutcs, thcconn tion Sof bake Erie
and Lake Ontario, by the Niagara ship
canal tho improvement Of the Mississippi
and the Illinois and, Michigan canal, these
seem ihe ones that offer the spediest re-
cult, though ths central water line from
the mouth Of the Ohio to the James, by
tho completion Of tho Kanavha canal,
i, no lcss needed, but is work tha. will
require more time and greater outlay o!
money Tho building Of the former
would secure the quickest relief Of any
plan now proposed, connecting, as it will,
the lakes by an unbrokcn. chain of nsyi.
cation with tho sea. Col. Blunts survey,
in 1851, showed the route then to be en-
trely practicable and fessibie, al
a coat of about twelve million dol
lara Taking tho difference be.
tween the cost Of labor then and now,
$4,000 900 would no doubt complete the
work. If to this improvement be added
the enlargement and eItGntion Of the
Champlain and Hudson canal TO give
deep water navigation from the St. Law
renee through the lake and tho Hudson
river to Now York and tho enlargement
! Of tho Erie canal, which is now in contem-
platIon, we should then have n conpeti-
ton and a Ghoica Of routes for steamer s
and vessels, from coo TO J, 700 tons, from
the lakes by the Niagara canal, tho St.
Lawrence river Champlain canal and
Hudson river to New York or from the
likes by tho Erie canal ana Hudson river
TO the same port.
The MissIsippi Valley society propose,
As one OF the means for eiiectiug !,s liccl,
the enlargement Of the WellaHd canai and
the Improvement Of tn, 81. Lawrence
| riyer,so lhatvessels Of 900 tons carrying
capacity may load ia Chicago aud oliver
th.ir cargoes IN Liverpool, and returning,
! bring the products Of the old world 10 our
| doors. He Understood that tha authority
FOR these Improvements has already besn
obtained from the Canadian government.
The details arc bang rapidly completed
and the work, Will be commenced the COM
ing year, without doubt. The objection.
made to ;his route.are, that it ID necessarily
closed by ice for four or lro monlhs Of
tho year. Though this is trua, i! was but
slight draw back, since its AlInost up Inn.
tied capacity for seven or eight months
Of the year would 90 diminish the pressure
upon all lines Of transportation, that ship
ments could DO withheld without serious
Inconvenience and h0ro would come in
the great advantages OF tho southern
route to tho Gulf, via tho Illinois and
Michigan canal, and the Mississippi, and
the central water line from the Ohio ,c
the James river, both u which are from
Ohio, which are q pressing necessity even
now, and will bo absolutely indispensable
in few years, to furnish adequate trans.
portatlon facilities, not only for the pro
duce Of tho eastern valley OF tho Missis.
sippi, bat for all that vast region LYING
north and west Of 1t As far as tho Rocky
Mountains.
The route by tho central water line, i,
Is estimated, Will require four years for ~
completion but when completed vii
form sn open line almost perpelually free
from ice, uniting tho Mississippi and al
its branches with tho Atlantic by systeu
of river and car q n navigstion, Of sulleisn
capacity 10 meet AL demands upon 1t b.
tho commerce Of the West or south--th,
shorte,t, fastest and tho best communica
tion with tide water.
One hundred and ninoty-seven miles o
the route consists Of II canal, now in oper
alton, whose construction cost ten miliior
dollars, and which. the state OF Virgini
offer TO donate to the general goyernmen
on condition OF its completion. The nee
essary enlargement OF tho canal and it
completion it is estimated, will coat fort,
million dollars. This 10 large sum, bu
with it a business Of seven million dollar
Of through tonnsgc would yield n revenu
Of seven million dollars per aunum, or si,
millions after leaving ono million for re
pairs.
The work will necesStsto tho improve
mont Of the Ohio river, which is mos
neeled, whetherNho rest of the II ute