, 1873-02-03
BRIDGE VS.. TUNNEL,
Tho Question OF tho Movement Oh
Freight Ovcr tho Detroit 1Ifver Com
stttoroA by tho Detroit Honr& Of
Trade.


From the Dttrrts Tribune, Jan. 80.
Aftor tho noon transactions ut tho board Of
Ss Hqs P,d Ga e p9sd M osn es o's suS 1 1s sF BY
1,itoa appointed OH Tuesday laat rolatlYo to tho;
probable fatlure Of the tunnel undcr tho Detroit,
Niyer and tho prospective building Of Il bridge
at or near this city, submitted tho following.
Tho Committee appointed Oh tho 2sth inst. to-
examine into the probablit Of tho completion
Of tho Detroit River Tunr d, and aa to the prao-
tho event Of tic fainro Of tho tunnel, rospect-
lively report that thcy havo had quito an extend
cd interview with the President Of tho Michigan
Central Railroad, and have asccrtainod tho fol-
lowing:
First-That the eraall trial tunnel, preparatory
to tho main tunnel, is not yet haff completed,
and TINT almost insuperable difficulties, in the
tho complsaion Of the main tunnel q 1aatter Of
great doubt, and that In any evontt at least Eve
yearB will Big consumed in Its building:.
nIge esu Essa1 n
! tunnel, aud within ono year from Its commence
ment, land that. with two draws, very little, IT
! any. inconvenicnco would be encountered by
! structod bridge, At no time during tho year
| would auy accumulation Of freight bo necessary
at this point.
Ihird-rhat at this timo there arc at lcass
1000 cars each side OF the river awaiting ttan-
alt, and at II, 600 bushels Of grain in elevators
! awaiting shipment by cars.
Tho Committee would suggest that these facts,
and d would remind tho boaza that by great eGor2.
! and groat expengo We hhve ut laat suoceedod iii
| bringing to completion seyeral now Important
railroad connections with tho South md West,.
! largely incroased receipts Of produce. which We
| really cannot handle during FIVE months Of the
! year when wo arc virtually imprisoned, md That
without more facilities Of outlet our efforts to"
1a4u hnn $FttT
I In brief, TINT The mora oasy and certain pas
sage Of tie Detroit Rivor at this point has be-
come vital necessity, not only for our own In
>toresta but for those OF tho State, and, as we
bcen and il a tunnel, and tho previous action Of
this Board with reference to bridge was based
On that preference, but in viow Of tho fncts
above set forth, VIC would recommend tor your
! adoption tho following:
WHEnrAB Tho commercial interests Of not only Ds-
troit but Of tho whoo Norhoa for years PIT hnSe
been aeroH dansaod during n t WINTER ontas ~ D.
accumulatioas Of freight on either side Of the river.
3A WHEREAS, We arc infozmsa by tho best authority
that there great douba as e u Hucccsstul com
have 20 confidently rolled for relief and that II cus
p1eted at least vo years viii DO consumed IN Its bnaae
J WuEnEAs. We sep no other possible remedy for tho
embarrassment wa 1ahor untnr anu more rapsa ana
buro means Of transit across aad river Is becoming
NesoIved That this Boara Of Trade earnestly pet-
ton Congress to paBa bill authorizing tie conssr1c-
ton OF bridge Detroit River At hnch point near
this city as may b found most desirable. and by ts
provisions guarding tho intercsta Of con1naree.
On motion OF Mr. r. p IfaIl the report was
accepted aud adopted unanimously. This shows "
a.docded change Of feeling relative to bridging
ths hs Tepoi. o9 the @
since conaideTa1 1d ~ns5esi!ion was 1aanifo1tea to
tho proposed bridge aE Trenton, but the facts y q
that freight has accumulated hoEo to NO greet an
coutering il this oity have groatly i1eleased II
the last year or two, and demnnd 40 Eastern oqt
let during all seasons Of tho year, hayo pX,ugn'
about about tho change Of view. Hasld e..
| zuuaber OF vosael-ov1era Wore present, anf*eapp
proved OF tho report of tho Committee, "&ucl
was unanimously adopted.