The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1873-11-06
TRANSPORTATION.

-
the continent originate mostly in the
interests Of eastern states, that they may
retain the control they exercise over the
finances of the country and the exports
Of grain to Europe. But in the west
the Mississippi project is more generally
advocated a. afYording more immediate
relief and cheap TRANSPORTATION to the
seaboard.
At meeting Of the Senate committee
At St. Loais, on the 30th ult., Msssrs. 4.
T. Van Horn and W. II. Pawsll present
al . memorial, on behalf Of the Kansas
City Board of Trade upon the need OF
improving tho Missouri and the A''''s'
sippi rivers, and the constructing and
other transportation facilities connecting
that city With St. Louis, Memphis and
Galveston. The memorial sets forth the
location of Kansas City, Is centre for
tho products Of the west, and from which
cheap transportation to the Gulf can be
easily obtained. In this connection II
says:
There are two outlets for the products
We have referred to: One by way Of the
Missouri and Mississippi rivers; one by
the harbor at Galveston, Texas.
We shall consider thom in the reverse
order in which they are mentioned. .
From Kansas ~ity to Galveston it If
now 800 miles Is the railroads are con-
struetcd, but which can be reduced with
in 700 miles-or just half tho distance
10 New York. Il is ss to cost OF trans.
portation, ~ if Kansas City was rsnov.
cd cast TO Columbus, Ohio. The ques.
ton ~ it addressed issct 70 us 10:
"Why should Kansas City, and the
country Surrounding it. with its one
hundred millions of annual production
| be compelled to seek the market through
Columbus, Ohio, any more than thai
Columbus should be compelled I" seek
her market by way Of Kansas City
II the port Of Galveston was made &C
cessibis for ocean going vessels, ths
xbc., and corn Of the Missouri Valley
could seek the ocean At 264 cents poi
bushel, and pay the same ratio 1t doc: to
day TO New York at 521 cents-addins
a quarter OF dollar o the price Of the
| H.. DOC, 600 of bushels Of these crops
produced in 1870, or moro than s2s, 900,
t0O 10 the farmers Of this New Wcs
every year. AZ,
Then the country embraced in thii
central portion Of the nation would be
as to foreign markets, as favorsbly stu
ated - the States of Indiana and OH"
and our rich lands Increased in CORES
pouding value. :,
And Why the national treasrry should
not improve this harbor equally will
these Of the Atlantic seaboard is, VI
submit, ne. q question for discussion
Ito needs is oil that requires 10 be estab
lish.d. And :hus We feel our illustra
ton and the facts rscited most eonclu
sively established.
Tia other outlets for the Upper Mis-
souri, to the markets of the world 10 byth
Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
J There are two questions to be consid
cred in connection with this route.
The navigation of the Missouri rive
by barges, in seasons Of low water ant
ice-and tho low water and Ice Of tn
Mississippi river above the mouth Of tn
Ohio.
And connection by railway with tn
Mississippi at point below ice, and a
permanently deep water.
The cost Of shipping grain, per bush
81, from St. Louis To Now Orleans may
DO fixed by present facilities, at higt
stage of water, at eight TO ten cents. l
may be brought 10 = lower minimum
but We prefer TO be within actual figures
as demonstrated in practical transports
ton.
At present, as 3 channc! is in the Mis-
souri,, it wsuld require lighter tonnage il
vessels, and thus the cost be somewhx
enhanced over the s:me distances in tn
Mississippi. We depend entirely uPo'
conjecture when ws put the cost from
Kansas City to ST. LOUIS, by baryes, .
about Is to 20 cents per bushei frou
} Kansls City to New Orleans.
This would be saving to ocean ports
over tho present rates TO Now York, q
32a cents for all grain for European do
mand, and Of 223 cents to New iorl
itself, counting ten Genus from Ne~ VI
leans to New York.
| The repor, thsn considers the obstacle
which present themselves on the adoI
, ton Of this later plan, viz: ice aud lo'
) vater. Aud in summing up the poin,
: presented in considering these obstru'
, tons the report says:
/. The general result arrived at By thss
/, facts and figures is, that this central are
Of tho country has . common intsrsa
:, with the whole Mississippi Valley, i
! the removal of obs,ruc,ions 10 navig,
] ton in tho channels Of that river and !,
1 tributaries, and the removal Of the bal
!. riers at it's mouth, ~ the cheapest an
most available oa,lst to the markets Q
the world.
+ But confined rs We are to the on
river, the main dependence for gather,h
!. the crops and concentrating the produce
!. OF the agricultural lands for transport j
!. and for all time must be, upon the raj
, war. And for fully cae-hs!f the yea
! We must use the railroad 10 reach th
. Mississippi. And - fully utilize tn:
river il must lie reached by rail eeio'
! Tie mouth O. the Ohio, where an ope