St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-05-30

seem we'll satisfied with the results. 1t
is said against this movement that 1t Is.
an effort on the part of this valley to
get an appropriation from Congress to
help enrich the business men OF this
section of country. In answer to this
they say here that cheap transit bene-
fits all that it is as much the duty OF
the general government to improve the
navigation of the Mississippi and Its
tributaries as it is to make appropria-
tons to improve harbors and navlga-
ton on the coast. And they make
strong point. Let us look at few
figures:
One can start at ST. Louis and SAL
$50 miles to New Orleans | 900 miles
to PittShurg: 500 miles to st. Paul:
3. 100 miles to Fort BentOn-all on three
rivers. Besides these. there are the
Illinois. Cumberland. Arkansas and Red
rivers. all navigablc for hundreds OF
miles Or. to lump this whole matter:
The Mississippi and its tributaries at
ford 10000 miles of navigable water:
these drain 2.50O.000 square miles OF
territory. They carry out and Ill by
the mouth of the Mississippi river, 43o,-
OUO. 900 of commercial values annually.
The population of this area is l1,o'",-
600, and the tonnage of these rivers
equals about one-fourth of the whole
national tonnage. These figures are
startling. hut | think correct; ami II
correct they are quite significant as
showing where the centre OF "ur future
great country is to Ice.
\ pleasant feature of the visit of the
congressman. was an excursion on the
river Thursday afternoon. on the mag
nificemt steamer 'Great Republic" This
/ is the largest steamer on the river. and
/ is finished and fitted up elegantly.
| There were l~OO Invitations issued. yet
the boat i of such size that there was
/ plenty ot room. \ hIaS> band accom-
/ lllt ''N' us li' '''7''i'
/ to the occasion. The boat first steamed
/ down the river past the city front, Ia
, Carnudvlct. Il manufacturing suburb
where the party landed and visited the
Vulcan Iron Works. the second in size
in this country. ilcIc the ore i taken
and made int" pig iron and the pig
rolled nut into railroad iron. all i'll one
establishments 1t is an interesting cX-
hihitiom of one of the great udu>trit,
of the country.
one reason why manufacturing cm
Ic - successfully carried on here is tn,
proximity of the great essentials. Iron
i found ia abundance all over the stat,
in fact the mountain Pilot Knob l.
nearly solid iron. The earth i full &"
coal too. 1t can he furnished i'll thi'
city at three dollars Il ton, Will
iron and coal and lead ON the ground
it j. II" wonder that this cit, stand,
third in the list of manufacturing elite
q; the I'ninn.
There Is II" question IN regard I" the
strides II. Louis l. making III gr"Wti
and wealth Will education and re
Ilglon keep pace with IT, material pros
pcl.tH This - the question I" he
solved the next decade. lis location l.
fortunate. Standing here in the very
gateway. II IL At one" III" cntrrp"t an'
depot "i the c"mm"rc" "i the laIgc>
hn'i most n'">l'i""> country iii The
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congregational I nUitil l. Il TIinll'