New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-19
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
THE ONEIDA SHIP CANAL.

OSWEdO, sept. lS.-Ibe u. ,. Senate Com
mittee on arriving here last night met by Col W.
ID. smith and several other prominent citiZons OF tho
city and taken In carriages 10 private dwellings, the
mander OF the party going II the Revenue House At
10 this morning reception rendered to the Com
mittee In the Mayors room by delegation from the
Board OF Trade. among whom the Hon. J. c.
Churchill er-nembor Of Congress. IRA K and Isaac g.
Jenkins. Mr. Pitkin. ]. Mott. Mr.. Kellogg President
OF the Lake Shore Railroad; II. G. Tanner. ex-senator
Cheney Ames, y. b. Lathrop Col Davis. Daniel l..
Couch 8. Doolittle Moses Merrck. and Joseph owen.
Judge Churchill presented. in substance follows the
views OF OsWego people the proposed ship canal
route from Oswego through Lake Oneida to Syracuse.
where it would join the Erie:
When we look at the United States.
bushels Of grain and cereals to each individual their
respective populations. whle six northeastern
states prouuce less than Six bushels To each individual
can see what great national necessity xists and
called Tor the appointment OF your Committee. Tho
great production at the West which Is oYless be-
cause pIont,ess joyful. because profitable The rail.
great facilities exist for combination among them
to put up lrelghts The water route competition
Is open Tor every one. You fine in the Oneida route
continuous water line and it Is tho shortest between the
Fast ana tne West The actual number Of miles OF these
different routes from Chicago TO NewYOrk is follows
by way OF Montreal l643; by way Of the Buffalo and
Lake Canal. l,4l0 That Ia, have fewer miles, a
matter OF fact by the last route although the difference
between tne Owego and the Buffalo is not so consider
only get az u by reducing the rates TO the other
methods OF navigation. According TO Mr. McAlplne the
cost Of transportation is follows: IL costs Il mills
to move a ton one mile on the lakes; mills upon the
rivers mills upon ship canals taking vessels from 500
TO 1000 tons, aud mills 10y the present Erie Oswego
canals. That Is based upon the actual cost to the
IN this statement which have given to the Commit
IN pamphlet form. It is that there ia little
Buffalo. The entire lockage By Oswego would be 93s
feet, by Montreal and Lake Champain u.s. and by Buff
fao feet We should have IN other words Is locks
",
Champaln route. Each OF these Is locks in its cost
equal to mule OF canal 30 that when you subtract Is
miles you have allowed for the entire difference in lock
age, ana That stu leaves US very large advantage over
these Othef routes.
The cost OF carrying a ton by the Buffalo and Erie
Railroad Is VI II over the Erie Canal or the present size
surprising TO be used s. 81 by the Erie with $50
bargrs used 81 49, by tho Caughanawaga route g. 49,
while the cost by the Oneida would be g. That estimate
is based tho suppositon that each barge carried
with itself motive power, but II the machinery put
on hall inc Darges that cost would be- reduced TO 81 p
cents bushe As TO other advantages say that 1t Is
superior to the Caughanawaga Canal since this route
passes from Chicago to New York entirely over Amer-
can territory except the Weand Canal portion and
that Is secured 10 lis BY treaty which also grants %
Canadians the right TO navigate Lake Michigan which
is Of the greatest importance to them also the privilege
OF using the ST. Mays and st. Clair Flats Canal.
II they should Interpret the treaty so far as we are CON
oerned in the OF the weIand Canal in an antagon
stic spirit or Infringe upon our rights therein we have
In hands the remedy because can Withhold from
them privileges far more important to them than the
Weand Canal to u.s. Another great advantage OF our
project Ia that we get two weeks earlier navigation III
Spring and two weeks later In the Fail, and that at
when the pressure Of the Western grain for
ment is greatest This route can always be kept open
long ihe Weland Canal can, and always open in
the spring as soon as that canal could Another adyan
age which our canal has over the canals OF the 81 Law
renee that escapes the fOgs OF that river. Every
body knows who Is cOnversant with the st. Lawrence
RIVER that during the entire season it or less
dangerous consequence Of Ogs this particularly
true Of the Spring and FAN OF the year.
Senator WlndOm-What points on the riverl
Judge Churchl-The whole distance from Cape Vln-
cent Montreal AFT cted by fOgs which often
make navigation certainly Very slow, and sometimes
Al wit the
have one considerable advantage, In the fact that
TINS route passes almost all the large cities and villages
Buffalo, LockpOrt, Seneca Falls, and other places,
through which the Erie Canal passes The cost Of con-
structon would very considerably enhanced by tho
necessityOf enlargng the bridges BY route, all the
way from here TO Rome there Is not single village OF
any Importance, with the exception Of the village Of
Another point ia the water supply The Committee
are aware, course of the fact That the clearing
away of the timber tho water supply Of the country is
SSa nee3 70 proyde for SUPPLY for wears TO come
and a route should be chosen winch Will always supply
so much water be drawn upon. In the vicinity of
Rome We have the Mohawk River, and beside this
have Wood Creek, Black River. and the Chenango
Canal All OF these sources OF supply are At this
concentrated upon this route, and that Is not
fcent there is an opportunity OF storing the waters
Of tho lake. In the Spring. In reservoirs, and the
furnish large tracts Of country almost yalueloss where
at a minimum cost, reservoirs might be constructed,
which would make the route perfect Tor ali time To
come. There is another advantage. The extended in
tercourse would develop with the most fourishing
province OF Canada-OntarlO-wOud attract to our ter
OTy trade OF this rich and prosperous region not
only enrchng the people Of the state OF New-fork but
restoring the commercial and maritime interests OF the
City OF NewYork.
The question is asked, Why call upon the General
Government do it" The State OF New York does not
care. 1t is the West with It's necessities and the East
destitute OF that cali When the Erie canal was
first constructed the freight that moved upon It's waters
almost entirely the product OF the state or New
York After u years the amount OF Western produce
entire amount that reached Albany by the Erie ana
Oswego Canals tho other being the product OF
the State OF NewYOrk OF course then IL WAS NewfOrk
hswas benefited Shy the existence OF this route but If
you look Canal Auditors report for the last year
YOU will that only Onetwefth of the freight which
reached Albany product OF NewYork State and
the other eeven-twelfths was the product of other
states 1t is because of this that call upon the
Congress OF the United States to build these works from
the National Treasury and not from the treasury OF any
state.
At tho conclusion OF Judge ChurchPs speech, the
Committee we're driven around the city by their enter
tainers and at O'Clock took the cars by the Midland
route for Oneida along the line OF the proposed oneida
ship canal leading New-York merchant, whose name
"a withheld writing to OF the Senatorial Committee
says:
elegraphsd you to Burlington this morning, as fol-
lows:
Rat. Of fsh. Central Road to BanO lie to Al
bOn 40 miles this side 39e TO Hon. which " n'h way! -fe all
Thus Mr.. worcesters statements to you were not
true. morally certain OF It At the time, but was
not prepared to contradict direct statement then
There are some 70 places which are not competing
points the freight tariff between Albany and Buffalo
where they charge these local rates. The competing
nont such as Rochester, Syracuse. &C. they leave OF
the list entirely. while Buffalo is left blank on the list
o that the discrepancy In rates VIII not DO APP
narent to everybody who IT. The fact Is that the
rroad companies have their business systematised
mat able their interest able 10 present To
vour Committee fair showing while they conceal and
cover host OF great upon the people earn
esy hope your Committee will be able 10 unask them,
bnt fear that unless only testimony Is received
they will be able to conceal much that should come out
An agricultural and commercial revolution Is lnlpenu-
M and unless the case receives prompt and honest
dealing at the hands Of the present ADMINISTRATOR III
will he political revolution also. Your Committees can
40 much to make or mar the material interest OF this
country. - -
THE ARRIVAL AT BUFFALO.