Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-05-01
THE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION.
STATE OF Iowa, }
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Des Moines, April 8, '73.

DeS MONIES, Apr1tJ, 10.
Mn Dear Sir.-At convention held
in this city, on the 23d day of Jsnuary
last, comprising representatives from
nearly all the industrial and business
interests of the State, the following
resolution was adopted:
.Resolred, That this convention re-
commends that the Governor of Iowa
correspond with the Governors of the
different States lying between Lake
Michigan and the Rocky Mountains,
and north of the State of Arkansas,
and also with the leading men Of exist
ing transportation lines, with the view
of calling aconvention, at an early day,
at some suitable point to take into
consideration the Improvement Of the
Fox aud Wisconsin rivers, and the
Huron and Ontario Ship Canal, and
make such arrangements as will tend
to promote the early contamination of
these enterprises.
The three months which have elaps-
ed since this action Of the convention
have not diminished the public interest
id the question, of which, It may be
hoped, the improvement Of practical
routes, forming links in . complete
water communication between the
East and West, will afford in part the
solution. 49, -s
Iwrite, therefore, in accordance with
such resolution, to request your opin-
ion:
F1RsT-As the practicability of hold.
ing, sometime during the coming sunl-
mer, such convention as the resOlu-
tion contemplates.
SECoNp-if it is your judgment that
such convention would promote the
efforts of those seeking to remedy some
of the evils connected with the present
facilities for transportation, of which
Western producers justly complain,
and that il it should therefore be held,
at what time would You suggest 1t
should be called?
TmRD-What place wonld you re-
gard as most convenient and that
would afford the greatest facilities to
insure q successful issue, not only in
the number attending the convention,
and the interests to be promoted, but
in the influence resulting from its
action.
FoURrH-In view Of the absorbing
interest with which the people are
coming to regard the whole subject Of
transportation, do you think it would
be well to enlarge the scope OF . call
for : convention, so as to comprehend
3 more extended consideration Of the
question involved?
The Importance to the West Of
cheaper transportation by which to
effect the exchange of our surplus pro-
ducts, is a sufficient excuse for my call
ing attention to one or two reasons
which should impell our people to
immediate and concerted action for
the promotion of the reform which all
acknowledge is demanded.
The enormous over-production ofthe
Mississippi Valley now seeking an
eastern outlet, but absolutely withheld
from market, and the consumption of
populations clamoring for bread be-
cause Of q lack of facilities for trans
portation, and exorbitant charges of
railways now in existence, cannot be
regarded as financial stringency aris-
ing from wild speculation, or any OF
the ordinary causes of business stagnA-
ton; nor is it portent of evil in the
future. 1t is, on the contrary, simply
an evidence that the industry and Ell.
terprise of the agricultural population
of the West have reached point In
advance of the transportation and
manufacturing interest of these States !;
therefore it Is not strange that the
people of the Mississippi Valley clamor
for increased facilities with which to
carry on profitable exchanges with con-
sumers upon whom they are dependent
for market.
II railroads charge 81 1-5c bushel
to move grain from st. Louis to the
city of New York in the month of JAM
uary, when there is no water cOmmuni.
cation between those two markets ex-
cept by way of the Gulf (and this l
find to be the average winter charges
for the last five years. and If, as is
claimed, the same grain could be mOv-
cd were there direct water communi.
cations from the metropolis of Minne-
sofa to the sea-board, for 10 2-3c .
bushel, the necessity for increased IA
cilities of transportation and cheaper
carriage than the producer can now
obtain, is enforced with powerful
effect. s.,s.,s /
And when, we consider that the pre-
sent population of 100000, now oc-
cupying the grain growing portion of
the Mississippi basin, will be increased
to another 1O,OOO'00O, while the profu-
sion of marketable products will more
than correspondingly increase, as inn
proved machinery in the future, as in
the past, will enable the agriculturist
to realize more returns from o given
amount of labor-the importance of
this question becomes of such surpass-
ing magnitude as to promise an irre-
pressible agitation until finally and
wisely solved.
If, as l have above advanced, and
as is believed by practical men, BUSH
ell of corn can be carried from the Mis-
sissippi river to the Atlantic Ocean for
less than IL cents, proper facilities for
transportation being provided, it
serves to show whatever Improvement
may be made for the purposes Of util-.
izing any water route at all practicable,
and whatever may be done to establish
new railway lines and to protect the
people from their consolidation when
built, will be of vital benefit to the en-
tire country. And it is believed to be
demonstrablc that the difference be-
tween q reasonable price for transport
ing Western surplus products and the
present charges Of freight lines for .
single year, would 60 far toward the
completion of an entire double. track
railway from the Mississippi to the
Atlantic sea.board.
The whole railway problem is, com.
paratively, Of recent origin, having
grown up within the last half century.
As preliminary, therefore, to the dis
covery of q remedy for evils insepara-
BILE from vast corporate enterprises,
managed solely in the interest of in
dividual corporators, to which the
commercial habits of every civilized
people have almost entirely commit
ted the carrying business of the world,
more specific and general knowledge,
among the people, Of the whole trans
portation question, is Of the first Inn
portance. And convention of the
character contemplated would. If no
other result followed its action and its
discussions, enlarge the boundaries OF
public information upon the issues in.
volved in the questian of harmonizing
~ :. hv,.f ., noa IF FRO N ~ finu NTH the