The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-11-13
The Kationa! Problem.


How can a cheap carriage OF
freight between the great grain pro-
ducing countries Of the west, north.
west and the seaboard markets be ei-
fected ID problem not only ma.
tional in its character, but one that
apparently admits Of msny partial
solutions. While the problem is ma
tional in the highest degree, section
al interests CLASH, the east is arrayed
against the south in the matter OF
furnishing tie west with market
Tor her Surplus products, but it no
heed OF the sectional interests is tax.
en-, ne may hope for more of good
to result from Congressional action,
than otherwise. The plans Of effect.
ing partial solution of this problem
are almost numberless. A double
or quadruplc railway from New
York to the Mississippi Valley, the
enlargement Of tho Erie and We'll
land Canals, the construction Of
Niagara Ship Canal, the improve
ment OF the Wisconsin and Fox riv.
ers. the construction OF the Kanawha
canal, canal through Georgia, and
the Improvement of the Missouri and
Mississippi rivers are but some Of
the plans for effeciiny cheaper &C M
munication between the interior and
the grea, markets of the country
The solution of this problem, it has
appeared to us, must be sought IN
two things, viz a greater diversity
of interests in the west, which will
render u, less dependent upon the
east; and the Improvement Of our
rivers, whicE are the arteries Of com.
merce, and the construction OF such
canals as may be found necessary TO
render continuous the water route to
tide water. The aversion that has
become SO universal against rail
roads, will. we doubt not, have the
effect TO cause millions Of capital to
seek investment in some safe manu-
featuring enterprise, that otherwise
" Guild have been used in the con
structlon and equipment OF railroads,
/ The need OF establishing manuiac-
trrino establishments in the west for
the production Of fabrics and other
articles OF prime necessity is oecom
ing more apparent each yeur. And
with tho gradual increase Of wealth
In our midst, it is reasonable to ex
pect that factories will spring up
amid the vast coal fields, and grada.
ally the west will become lndepend.
ent OF the east to q degree hitherto
unknown.
This, however, is not matter of a
day, it is q thing to be looked for
ward to, and IN the meantime i. be-
hooves Congress- TO devise some plan
to secure a cheaper communication
mo lk has fbe eea 1 pGfesssseTlsd
for the Improvement of the upper
Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois rivers.
The originator OF this scheme Is
Brig. Gen r. S. Roberts. who, in a
letter TO the New York Times saws
Thirty eight years ago, in my
earliest observations of the flow Of
population toward the north west,
the ne cessily OF improving the navi-
CATION of the upper Mississippi, the
Illinois and Ohio rivers. SO as to at.
ford cheap transportatil II Tor the
products OF the principal gram grow.
ing States 10 the Southern and East
ern markets, became an almost su.
premc and ruling thought OF my HE.
Ia its scope was embraced the engi-
neers problem OF restoring to their
ancient channels in the Mississippi,
Illinois, aud Ohio, the surplus waters
Of the upper lakes, that now dis
charge their waste volume through
the St. Lawrence to the SEA.
And now, after nearly forty years
Of my best study, thought, obserya.
ton IN person of the geography of
these lake regions and rivers, and
collections OF statistics embracing
their rain sheds, ram supply evapora-
ton, and the volume OF water dis
charged over Niagara Falls, | am un.
doublingly convinced that the pre-
sent question OF cheap transportation
is to find Its solution in resolving
this great hydraulic problem. 1t is
the engineering Of three great artifi
cial riYers-the first connecting Lake
Superior With the upper Mississippi
at Lake Pepin, the second by an en-
largement OF the existing Chicago
drainage of Lakes Michigan and
Huron into tie Illinois River, and
The third by the enlargement Of the
Toledo and Wabash Canal 10 the
OHIO River. The proposition EN-.
braces simply practical problem OF
10 econom.zc and
utilize to commerce the surplus
of the greatest interior seas on
Tho globe, that now waste by evap
,ration before reaching Niagara