The New York herald., 1873-09-08
RAILWAYS VS.. CANALS.
Variance Of Opinion on the Economy Of
the Two as Freight Ways.
THE WEALTH OF THE WEST.
How Farmers Contribute to the
Needs of New York.
TRANSATLANTIC TRANSPORTATION.

Merchants, Shippers, Importers and
Transporters on the New Far
mers' Movement.
The effect OF the great Granger movement on the
mercantile and commercial interests of the coun-
try Is best anayzed by obtaining the views of lead
ing merchants on the subject. class interested
mainly in the prosperity OF all parts OF the country
and, to some extent, Indifferent to the political
possibilities is best in formed upon the mercan-
tile prospects of the movement, while In its poit
cal phase there may be the trickery and diplomacy
which inevitably enter into all movements OF a
purely political character. Following out this idca
the reporters OF the HERALD have succeeded in
obtaining the views, not only OF well posted mer-
chants and ststisticians, but also of the general
freight agents OF the great railroad, canal and
steamship lines.
MERCHANTS ON 'CHANGE
At the Exchange In whitehall street recently q
reporter mingled with the representatives. of the
more than 1900 merchants who form the New
York Produce Exchange Association, and endeav-
ored to ascertain the ideas OF the leading men
upon the absorbing topics OF farmers combinations
and transportation. Most OF the attendants were
intent on selling or buying, and seemed to have
devoted small thought to these topics, appearing
to take 1t for granted tnat as New York has now
the lions share OF the business OF finding market
for the farm products OF the Western producers,
the same conditions will continue, and her wharves
and st0rehouses will still be the great food
depot OF the Continent, while her market will re-
main the regulator of the value Of crops, and the
source from which the farmer or planter must
draw his money In exchange for corn, wheat. cot
ton, wool, meats and other merchantable prod
ucts. They have the management of an immense
trade In their hands, and probably many OF them
hardly trouble themselves about the source from
which their staples come, the means or routes by
which they are brought to their stores the cost
Of their transportation. When addressed on the
subjects which are agitating the farming class
throughout wide sections of the country several
replied that they had paid little attention to them,
and were II not ignorant, at least somewhat indif
ferent, thereupon. Others of the more thoughtful,
professed an interest in the matter. and were
glad that the organs Of public sentiment are In
structing their readers upon the nature and ten
dency OF movements which are likely to have seri-
Gus effects upon al branches OF trade and indus.
try. ,-SF
Views OF . Foreign Shipper.
Among others, the representative Of the HERALD
was introduced to prominent shipper Of grain for
the British market. This gentleman affirmed that
he had not studied the matter OF transportation
in all its details. He had looked at 1t only as a
geographical problem, and in that view he consid-
cred mainly the three water routes-by the lakes,
the Canadian canals and the st. Lawrence, by the
New York canals and by the Mississippi. For trans.
portaton OF grain certainly the climatic conditions
are against New Orleans and Canada has advan-
tages over New York In cost by reason OF the pos
9D1lltV to carry large Car0Oes without from
the upper lakes into the St. Lawrence to the side OF
the Atlantic ship, or even If preferred to continue
clears from Chicago.
REPoRTER-Are not these advantages of the Ca
madam route overbalanced by Its closing during
winter
snIPpER-Certainy that is drawback, but then
the New York canals equally labor under that Diff
Guilty To overcome tnat we should have large
stock in store here at the close Of canal navigation
to meet the winters demands In my opinion no
railways can compete with waterways in transport
Of such heavy and cheap commodities as grain.
Interest on the first cost OF corn at fifteen cents
bushel in Illinois would amount to very little in
cost OF shipment by rail or boat. BY rail 1t is
necessary to handle the grain more times and it is
''Rn REronTEs"De III not The railroads make good the
deficiency
snIrPER-In some cases they do. As rule l
lines they do; but the New York Central would not
be likely to, say from Buffalo hither. Much is
flched or leaks from the cars; but when one OF
the chief on1cers oil company guarantees the de-
livery in full there Is not likely to be any loss
REP0RTER-Is not the corn brought here in bet
ter order by the cars than by boats ?
SRIPPER-As to grain for consumption here that
may be, but for ocean shipment it is better to Sc
lect grain which has arrived in good condition by
boat. II 1t would not spoil in the canal voyage 1t
will be safe to expect 1t to the ocean unin-
jured but II 1t IS already heated one can see and
propulsion no railroad can ever compete with
water carriage for such coarse articles. case OF
silks or laces would require to be moved rapidly
YrInfi inn Af iptn tna
cost, but not so a cargo OF wheat. When the Erie
Canal locks are all doubled and the bed completely
OF 200 at present. and the increase Of carrying
capacity will greatly reduce the cost Of bringing
the grain here.
Views OF q ssHeavy Dealer.o
Pursuing the inquiry into the interests and
opinions of New York merchants relative to the
Granger movement and the transportation prob
lem, the reporter called upon Mr.. b. =. Baker, of
Pearl street ana Old slip, heavy dealer in grains
and cotton. This gentleman was fully alive to the
Importance OF these subjects to the commercial
community Of this city. lie had just left meeting
of merchants preliminary to the mass meeting to
he held at Cooper Union the 10th inst, to dis
cuss the needs of New York for improved and
cheaper freight communication with the great pro-
duclng sections oil the Union. He expressed his
conviction that, to enable New York to maintain
THE CHIEF MARKET OF THE CONTINENT,
she has to take care that no other Atlantic port
shall be able to offer cheaper freight rates from the
great interior grain centres. He iully endorses the
proposition made editorially In the HERALD some
months ago for grand double track trunk freight
railway TO connect with the several lakes, the Mis-
sissippi, Ohio, Missouri and the Gulf OF Mexico, eX-
tending far west as Omaha at once, and eventu-
ally to the Pacific. This road should be built sub
stantially, over the easiest lines and be devoted
exclusively to the running OF freight trains NOV
ing at an uniform rate OF speed, therefore subject
to no de tentions, and would, from its conditions
nat IN cov vru
freight at
VERY GREAT REDUCTION
from the present actual cost, which is much
enhanced by the greater wear OF
fast trains and by the necessity
Tor freight to wait and lose time in avoiding pas
senger cars moving on the same irons. Mr.. Baker
said other cities can now offer lower rates than
New York can. Boston, Baltimore and Phadel-
phia have roads built by merchants who control