Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-29
And upon this point the committee use
this significant language:


York 80. cents and the rail and water charges, ex
elusive Of all terminals, 436 cents per bushei. Ii
Wisconsin Rivers improvement and the nennepir
| Canal, We have shown that an average saving car
be effected through their agency of least 10 cent
per bushel all the cereals transported from point
west of the Mississippi River and north of the south
7 ern line of Iowa.
, 1t is believed by those who hate studied the sub
, ject that the enlargement of the New York canals
q so to pass boats OF six hundred TO thousand
tons, will reduce the cost OF transportation tina
part of the line so per cent. The establishments
reel proeal trade relations with the Dominion o
Canada, which shall induce the construction Of tn,
4 Caughnawaga Canal Of such an arrangement car
be made), and which will encourage Canadian ship
) makers TO compete for the carrying trade on the
lakeswil also materially cheaper the cost of trans
, | port to New England The evidence taken by
your committee fully juses the opinion that by che
enlargement of the New York canals, the construc
ton of the Caughnawaga Canal, and the of the
enlarged Canadian canals the cost OF transport from
: Chicago to Burlington, Vermont and to New Yors
City will not exceed from u To - cents per bushe
making the entire cost from the Mississippi River
10 Burlington, Vermont, or to New York. not more
than - cents per bushe, against the present cosi
Of i3.6 cents by water and 50l per rail. We may
therefore, reasonably estimate that by the proposed
improvements upon this route a saving be effect
ed of - cents per bushel 500 per ton. all the
, east tonnage moved between that river and the
East.
During the year 1872 the average cost for
transporting bushel of grain from Chicago
to the New England States was 81 cents.
The average cost for the last five years has
been 80 cents. Now, if it can be transport
ed by this northern route for the prices
named at saving at least Of Is cents per
bushel, the amount of benefit to the con-
sumers of New England alone would be an
nually, taking the shipments of 1872 as a
basis, Sc, l69, 1874. If you say this ought to
be divided between the producer and the
consumer, the saving to each would be 3d.
| ba tpp 10 hot xra ka
Mississippi River and Lake Michigan pro-
posed BY the committee are made, further
saving of at least cents per bushel would
be realized which would amount to 81 ,056.-
COS or more, or S., 226. 439 in all.
Thus far have been laboring to show the
existing necessity for the immediate con-
struction of this great northern water-line,
and will close this part Of my remarks by
calling your attention to the opinions Of
Others bearing upon this same point.
Sir Morton Peto. in his very interesting
work on the Resources and Prospects OF
American Agriculture and Commerce makes
the following truthful observations
How far is the amount Of tonnage employed in in
land intercourse in America adequate TO the wants
of the country, In considering TINS point We have
10 regard the very great length over which traffic
has to be carried, and, looking at those distances.
reasonable doubt can be entertained that
the inland navigation Of America is very
INADEQUATE TO the wants Of the people 1t
has not, in fact. kept pace with the population
and progress Of the country. vast
mass Of produce is yearly destroyed from the in
ability OF the carriers IL forward It. The owners
ruined and parties in the Eastern States who
advance money on this produce must eh9rge exces-
slve rates to cover the risks Of delay. The grain
producers OF the Western states are quite unable 10
lind sufficient means OF conveyance for their pro-
ducts because the railroads from West to East are
choked with traffic. The produce OF the
Western States has in fact increased faster than the
Of transport and additional facilities for the
conveyance thereof are urgently needed.
The prosperity Of the West. the value Of is produce
the value Of il land and the extent Of land cult
yated indeed all the material Interests Of the coun-
try therefore depend upon increased facilities for
the conveyance OF It's products To market
These are but few and very brief extracts
from the observations of that very astute
and keen-sighted Englishman on this sub
iect of a. cheap transportation between
the East and West which he has recorded |
in his book. These observations were made |
more than ten years ago. Since then our |
agricultural products have vastly increased, |
while the means and facilities for transport |
ing them TO an eastern or European market |
have not been enlarged at all, and while |
the cost of transit on most articles has been
nearly doubled.
The Chicago Tribune. in speaking upon
this same subject, more than two years ago.
end of its transit ability. Not another ton
of freight can be moved from the West TO
the East with the present means and iacill-
ties of transportation, immense a they con-
fessedly are.
Governor Merrill, OF Iowa, in a letter to
Colonel L. \. Thomas, dated October 4,
ISL, in commenting upon this statement,
says:
Ifthis was true at that time and have not the
d .hiest doubt of it, how much more cmPhatieally
: it the case at the present day the facilities %
thus fully occupied then have not
been increased. yet the population ~ the West IN
that period 81 time has been augmented 10y nearly
IRE asricuturists. who by their Industry and eneT
y are addln- immensely 10 her agricultural pro
iucts even while the fruits Of their labor ed theu
tile more than a bare living. And no amount OF
probable increase Of railroad facilities viii be aue
uate u the demand.
| now quote from the proceedings OF dit
erent conventions, boards Of trade and leg
slatures in the West that have taken ac- {
ion upon this subject. I
The commercial convention held in the city OF
dubuque, IN May, ls6i, by delegates from nearly
Il the Northwestern States, in their resolutions 10
congress say The Increasing development Of the :
asst agricultural mineral, and commercial resources
the Northwest, and more especially OF the Upper
lississpp Valley require and demand the opening r
. the earliest possible period. Of a water c0mmu- =
ication between the eastern sea-hoard and the Mis-
=Sippl X yer, tN the nearest. cheapest most eN- |
editions, and most practicable route y
\ commercial convention Of the people Of Ms Fl
,uri Iowa Illinois. Minnesota and " iseonsin, held .
the came place on the 18th and 18th days of Feb =
nary. >66, in their report and memorial to Con o
ress, say Many Of the great staples are nearly G.
lluele.s and never before, IN the history Of the n
unry did the ruit % the ahorer produce SO little
m.ort Corn, in many places, Is used for fuel i,
rs in the stack rot uuthreshed barley and rye | +
nnOt be moved. and wheat, except OF the first qua
y. leaves no margin 70 the shipper. II animal | Y
-Oducts form an exception. il j. only because Of "
e scarcity war has produced, and their price u
IN reach the low level Q: the cereals. NJ
all this there j. great want, a sore need | 4
III i no remedy can be found, production | :
this region must diminish. and the al
ron-est arm Of the nation must wther- But one -
cans OF relief can be afforded. which l. To provide n,
per transportation 10 the markets oi the world -
our heavy products. The good results l.
flow from the successful accomplishment OF this u
eat purpose can hardly be enumerated They are II
multi piled rs the industries Of the nation, and n,
st as lis wonderful resources -
The commercial convention Of delegates from all "a
States OF the Mississippi Valley held at keokuk RI
the eth day OF September, ls67, in their proceed
= say. handicapped water transportation IN
im the Mississippi Valley 10 the Atlantic Ocean "a
Indispensable, and an imperative necessity" fr
In a memorial to Congress, extensively signed by "a
e people in the Upper Mississippi Valley, and 0O
warded TO their respective representatives IN N,
Il. lSt7, and l-is, they say Tine experience OF W
whole country Ior the last few years has most ed
undantly proven that new, cheaper. and more tn
Get commercial communications must be speedily 81,
ened up between the East and the West, or the al
Dansion and continued prosperity Of the latter WI
lst very soon reach limit beyond which il pu
pass. Railroads are entirely inadequate to sup
continued water commanieaton between the in!
tern sea-board and the Mississippi can, by any on
sibility, Obyiate this difficulty" These memo La
II further say; This region ,the Upper ssis- co.
pi Valley will raise and send to market this 7oN
n Qs6S) about seventy million bushels ofwheat We;
Two million tons. There will also be imported the
her at least one million tons Of merchandise and
er freight, making in all three million tons be- H.;
rs beef, pork, and other agricultural products oei
ch must seek an eastern market" wa
he city council of the city and the board SUI A
visors OF the county Of Dubuque, in memorial Ca
congress this subject. say That upon the tho
from tbs Mississippi 6v wav of the Wisconsin the
Fox rivers, the great lakes the River st. Law
re, and Lake Champain, To the tide-waters Of cen
:, r ,Ss anr apd the
led prosperity OF the entire Northwest" lt
he twelfth General Assembly Of the State Of tina
a. in memorial TO Congress in relation TO this ed ,
stion, say. That the great want of our State IS -
up transportation for heavy products 10 the strt
kets of the world. That the mos: feasible plan will
'eure this end Is To provide direct and eoniin few
ppi river and the Atlantic sea board" II
he executive committee of the CONNER
convention held at Detroit in 1871 - :,
sed the following resolution: a.
soired, That the business IN all parts of and
country interested in cheap transportation he IL
N the West and East he invited and requested tne
Get in convention at Detroit, in the State OF and
lisan, some time this autumn, to devise ways Tro,
"a continnn az S ,sT .aos.es , at o
2, OF maximum capacity, from the Mississippi To q
ey. around the Falls OF Niagara on the American
anence y .no WAY I" LAKE Un,I1,o anu RIVER estiI
Atlantic Ocean by the nearest, cheapest, and mat
route; also to petition Congress assist in the to II
immaton o. TINS great continentalas well as Verr
u"'' W '''' ''N'' ''' VI "' "''AS III NIAGARA SIR
sugg
nc following is a petition presented to nawa
Vi io"u III ioo' ] con
honorable The General JSS,1byD of m, Sta, the Ct
I Iotua. addt
dox.;,od ;,; . -, -, lengt