Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-06-26

enter into the construction OF more
than one or two of such vast and cost
ly undertakings at the same time
Des Moi,aes Republican.
To Europe by tho Mlssissippi.
For several weeks past leading cap
italists of st. Louis have been discus
sing the plan of organizing colossal
stock company with capital of $1O,.
OOO, 900 for the purpose of construct
ing a line of twenty ocean steamers
of 5000 tons burthen, not to draw
more than twenty feet fully loaded,
and specially adapted for carrying
the grain, cotton and tobacco Of the
New World to the Old, and bringing
emigrants from the Old World to the
New. The proposition-which was
first made by the st. Louis Democrat
was to organize the company as
speedily as possible, and then to cam
vass the cities of the entire Mississip-
pi Basin, if need be, for subscrip-
tions-not only the cities, but the
villages and towns, and not only the
villages vnd towns, but boldly solicit
even the farmers Oranges for mo-
ney. "Cheaper transportation" is the
living watchword of the "Granges,"
"and the creation of this line OF
steamers" says the Democrat, "is
precisely the shortest cut to tho de-
sired end" There is line of barges
now in existence that will contract to
deliver 200, 900 bushels of bulk grain
per week; from now or for all time,
at 6 cents per bushel, and they will
double, quadruple, or quintruple that
amount over and over again, If need
be, at the same rate, only give them
few months notice, so that they
can put more barges afloat. The sa.
wing to farmers by this route thus
equipped, would be 80 cents per BUSH
ell, which would pay them $50 per
year than they now get, and which
would add from $40 to 500 per acre to
the value of thousands upon thou
sands of farms in the Mississippi val
ley, the produce raised upon which
is now comparatively worthless. 1t
is proposed that no call upon the
subscribed stock of greater than five
per cent. shall be ever made, each
call being sufficient to build one
steamer, and that after the first
steamer is built no call shall be made
until she has made at least one round
voyage and fully demonstrated her
power for money making.
The Democrat insists that sub
scribed capital Of $4,000, 600 may be
raised in the Valley by the proper
kind Of exertion, especially consider
ing that the calls are to be no greater
than five per cent, and cannot posi-.
bly, occur more than twice or thrice
tpsr' mTnun. hrs faith to bt.
iieve that long before the line iscori.
| pleted--say It's stock were all sub.
scribed--the tide of emigration from
Europe can be 80 entirely changed
from tho bleak, drear and comfort.
less New York route to the cheap,
balmy and comfortable one via New
Orleans and the Mississippi Valley,
that this line would make money
faster, and more of it, than any pre-
vious or present line has made or Is
making. BY that time too, st. Louis,
New Orleans, Memphis, Cincinnati,
and many other large cities In the
Valley will have embarked very
largely in direct importatiOns, and a
great freight will always await each
steamer. Without doubt, fifteen per
cent. per annum can be earned upon
the investment, beside increasing the
value of every farm in the Mississip-
pi Basin. Let 1t not be imagined
for one moment, says the Denaocdt,
that there would not be sufficient
freight to load these vessels all the
time. There would be, and more
than three such lines could carry,
only provided the rate is saving
one over all other routes. Twenty
vessels could not carry away more
than lOO, 900 bushels Of corn per week, !,
or say 100000 bushels per year.
England will want sc, 600, 900 bushels
next year, and as all of it is grown in
this Great Basin, why should 1t not
take the cheapest route to market? 1t
will, depend upon it. There will be
produced this year more than 4,OOO,..
600 bales Of cotton, and line OF
twenty such steamears would take
away, In addition to their grain, say
| 10, 600 bales--eXtra cOmpressed-per
| week, or $40, 900 per annum, very
small moiety of what will seek trans
portation once the rate is put at q liv-
| ing figure. All that cOmpels the
barge line to lay half Of their barges
up at this time, while the water Is
SO good, is the want OF adequate
ocean tonnage to carry away the
grain after they had brought " to
New Orleans. 1t is not want OF
freight, for at thia moment more
than lIO, ,OO0, 900 bushels Of corn choke
the cribs Of this great Valley, corn
which the farmers would gladly sell
il there was u route TO market open
to them, the expense of carriage over
which would not entirely consume
the corn.-R60ister.
American Morals.
The grand evils which menace the