, 1873-04-29
THE GOVERNORS MEETING.

ab1e.
TIE GOVERN0RS' MEETING.
Gov. Smith, Of Georgia, has issued an invita-
ton to the Governors Of all the Western statesto
meet at Atlanta, On the Goth Of May, to consider
the propriety OF regulating the commerce OF the
country. The particular scheme which st this
time occupies the minds OF scuo persons in
Georgia is, that there is a number Of citizens
who have organized Canal Company, and this
Canal Company proposes to establish water
route from the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, by
wayo the Tennessee River, to the ocean. When
tho head OF that river ia reached, which is to bo
done by placing dams and locks upon the upper
sections OF it, the canal-boat which left
st. Paul or Pittsburgh will find itself
at Guntersvi1le, in the northern part OF
the State Of Alabama This Company proposes
to construct from that point one canal leading
to the Coosa River, at Romo, Ga, which, when
that river is sufficiently doctored by dams and
locks, will enable the boats to descend to Mont
gomery, where the Coosa, uniting with the Ialla-
poosa, becomes tho Alabama River, and thence
By the latter river until the Alabama, by
its junction With tho Tombigbee, becomes the
Mobile River, and thence to Mobile Bay. The
Company proposes to act fairly, 80 as to give
shippers Of grain Il choice OF routes, and there
fore las second eanal from Guntersvi]1e, Ala,
to tho Etova River, by which stream, locked and
damned, and another canal, a boat rnsy be passed
to the Ocmu1geo River; descending this stream
200 or 800 miles, it will reach the Altamaha River,
and thanco in time reach tho Atlantic Ocean,
Tho Company report that in this route Of 1,soo
miles. from the mouth Of tho Tennessee River
On the Ohio to the coast OF Georgia, and OF the
GOO moro miles for the branch to Mobile, they
will only have to construct about 500 miles OF
canal aud slackwater navigation. They are will
ing to build this canal or canals, and to lock and
dam all the mountain streams Of Alabama and
Georgia. dig out the muscle-shoals Of the Ten
nessee River, and guarantee an abundance OF
water in all tho rivers during the dry season.
all to furnish their countrymen and friends Of
the Northwest with cheap water-route to the
OCEAN from the head-waters Of the Missouri,
Mississippi, and Ohio Rivers. The Governor Of
Georgia writes his brother Governors from all
parts OF the country to examine this scheme Of
the patriotic Canal Company Of Georgia, and to
unite in commencing it to the applause Of E
grateful country.
There is, however, s1ight difficulty In the
way Of the construction Of this canal, but only
one,-and that is the trifing fact that the Canal
Company that offers to open these two grand
water-routes to the ocean has not got 3 cent OF
uoney, nor can it borrow any. The Company ia
aware, however, that tho Secretary Of the Treas-
ury has number Of plates for bonds and that,
it he Was authorized to do SO, nothing would be
more easy than to print oil an edition, say of
s1oo, ,ooo, 900, and lend them to the Company. To
secure their repayment the Company would do
liver to the Secretary, to be held by him as col
lateral, the notes Of the Company tor an equal
amount. The Canal Company, Of course,
will issue it's OWL bonds, and give the
Government a secohd mortgage on the
canals. The Governors Of Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota,
and Nobraaka will unquestionably hasten to At
lanta in May, and pledge the hearty support OF
the people Of their States to the proposition to
lend this Canal Company money enough to build
these canals IN the mountains OF Georgia and
Alabama. The navigation Of those canals Will
be looked forward to With great pleasure by the
ahippera Of grain. shipper from st. Paul to
Mobile, seeing his grain aaoat, can visit the Vi
emma Exposition, and call on the Khedive OF
Egypt, or, going in the opposite direction,
can spend a few weeks ut Yokohama,
and return in time to hear that his
grain has reached its destination. The $500
miles OF water navigation, now being locked
up hill and again locked down, With plenty OF
time to survey the country, will be a novelty
to the people Of the Northwest sufficiently
attractive to make them torego the faster and
less cheap use Of railways and steam on the
lakes.