The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-20
TIE CHANNELS OF COMMERCE..
The Waterways to Cheek the
Charges of the Railways.
m. Conference of the Congressional, Legislative
and Trade Committses-How Cheap Trans
portation May He Secured by the En-
largement of the Erie Canal-Only
sl0,0O0,0o0 Needed for the
Work-Junketing at Buffalo
and Everybody Happy.
RrYrALo, Sept. 10. 1878.

BUFFALO, Sept. 10, 1878.
This morning Senator Lewis who had charge of
The transportation Committee since their arrival
At Oneida last evening, the committee ana men,
bcrs of the State Legislature and principal
members of the Produce Exchange, pro-
ceeded to the Board Of Trade Rooms, where they
were met by many more prominent citizens.
After q general conversation they embarked on
board the steam-yacht Falcon, the property of the
Falconwood Club, and inspected the harbor, chip
ping and five miles OF dock. They were shown the
largest elevators and lake boats, which they
examined with considerable interest. They were
also shown the method OF the discharge and loading
Of grain This inspection ended, the yacht steamed
down to the Club house OF Faconwood, where
Mnch was partaken OF. After lunch the Committee
we're taken in the yacht around Grand Island to
-ronawanda, where they had the opportunity OF
ieeing something OF the extent of the lumber trade
Of Buffalo and also the extensive iron works of the
Niagara Iron Company, now nearly completed
They then inspected the cable towing process on
The Erie Canal. alter which they were driven
10 the grounds Of the new park. They
then returned to the Tint House, where, at
tight O'Clock, about sixty gentlemen sat
down to dinner. Alter this a business session
u the Committee was held Senator LIE Wis intro
luced several gentlemen who made statements In
reference to the claims Of Buffalo as to the enlarge.
nent Of Erie Canal.
George .. Hazard said he believed means Of
reducing the charges Of transportation were within
water is the cheapest mode Of transportation.
The first line OF communication here into the
lakes was the Erie Canal and it was the first means
adopted for cheapening transportation, II has re-
nuced the transportation from seventy dollars to to
81 10 ton. What was wanted now WAS canal
Season Of the Erie Canal is Comparatively short
and It cannot take more than 1900, 600 tons The
trafic on the canal This is 50 IS per ton that
gives fair remuneration for investment Of capt.
tai. That would be about nine cents bushel.
The reduction was to come by boats being able
to 60 on the canal of 500 and $50 tons bur-
cents bush Steam %ou Of be
duced, and that would carry SIX times greater
aR ns ~ ake va eoats b Sas
necessity Of going st. Clair hats and the lime
kilns. II these distinctions were removed
our vessels would have an increase OF
tonnage of about 200 tons. Large cities of tie
West owe their existence to the Erie Canal.
Mr.. PrOsser urged that the present railroad ia
rilties would be suffcent, for railroads could not
prontaply reduce their present rates; but the
meet the capabilities of Montreal Tor that city would
be able them he believed to carry at the rate Of five
and Mr.. McAlpine since had estimated that Ger.
tain important alterations would cost $S,000,000,
or or this the
OF $lOOOo,oOO would give those and all other
needed engagements. Insurance rates OF New
York ana Montreal some years ago averaged about
the same.
ASSemDlymen AlDerger SAID that II the question
of cheap transportation was to be practically
dealt with 1t must be done by the state con-
trolling powers over railroads by a water route.
AS to ship canal, to those who had travelled down
along the route OF the st. Lawrence River 1t
seemed as though it were impractlcable for they
had seen scarcely sailing ship along the route.
In investigating the value OF different routes what
the probable return cargo would be from each
place should be taken into account. In Oswego we
were told that nearly all coal came by railroad.
That was very important question.
Cyrus Clarke said that this A. M. fifteen vessels
arrived in this harbor, averaging $50 tons each.
These had been discharged to-day and would to-
ton Of cargo viii viii cost from Chicago to Buf
falo So SO, and cannot be sent for less.
Mr. Wnslow builder Of vessels had t9id
coal from Buffalo to the West at 81 per ton and
bring corn here at 50 80 per ton III; The state Of
coal, and was not using the Hudson River for its
transmission to the West. In 1883 the receipt OF
1875 600; $780, 800 1871, $50 600; 1878, 425 Ooo
and. according to the estimate for the present
What had caused the present demand for vessels
was bringing forward iron ore from Lake Superior.
senator Lewis as Chairman OF the state Committee,
spend SO much time and do much work in so short
time as the Congressional Committee, and ne
thanked the committee for their courtesy. He
then explained at length his views as to the Erie
route.
Senator Window, in response to the remarks Of
State senator Lewis said
PreTming that when we adjourn to.night our pleasant
Sea win co sss yoS
Mr. Chairman and 70 the eonmitteee represents ne
aI the ,e so y6 Sss sSsd u. to 4 ss
ESosfsatsn q work sna in E:Ts beg :.y
5%pe STATE Of tn great Rsp1bsa you Will
%,stees and the people WON ySp rspreent the
for reaching a market
The committee receive delegation from Lock-
port Tomorrow, and then inspect the Welland
Canal at Niagara, previous to going further West.