, 1874-05-04
HENNEPIN & ROCK ISLAND CANAL

Memorial OF the COMMITTEES.
Ths Committee appointed BY the Rock Island
Canal Convention, held March a, hayc, In obe-
dionoe to their Instructions, sent memorial to
Oongross, embracing many important facts in
rotation to this aubjoct. After quoting tho roso-
lutions publiahed At the sime in TIE Tn1DusE,
tho Committee say:
We arc persuaded that tho question Of ehoapsnlng
ths coat Of tsansporsatton boscn tue producers Of
Tho interior and the oonsurners OF agricultural pro-
On Tho e na T. Srgn I'D of a.
,our honorable bodies, and do not desm i
minds tho fsot ;hst npon tais subjcet lbs .ontment
Of tho country u mors nearly united than por-
oefn. Ihs fact has besn den0n,tr.ted 70 you,
tims and ag.in, that ths lyaluc Of agrieultut.l
10 nearly " absorbed BY shs eo,t Of s trsnsports sa
ton that only tho mo1est ptttanco romans to those
%hs h.ve 1S time bor sud money r. IT. Pc
10 pay for h1s suppes much mora than would bs no.
eesaary ware transportation charges reduced to tho
'fe ton fof now reo1od Wet q Tch
gan and north Of ths fortsh dosrc. Of latitude md
a.es st. ta ii no % Wi.aosin Mansse, 80 G io.o, ao
hrAakn. sud Missouri, and, Whethor marketed in tho
form Of grain or In tho 5oducod form ot aouF prov.
this portion d Tho country TO is fullest cspsbltcs.
ton Of ths sonhry .rs now compelled 70 ssat market,
By meaus Of railway transt for long distances, rail-
shs ss ,'1 ss Ia @
that by Tho q ito water route Tor much tho
gato IL made substantially tho that all
rail- and thus tho advantages Of the magnificent une Of
iarseiy neu.razcd lad Va 500 vast quantt.ea q
produce seeking tho Al rai zoute in order to avoid tho
excessive lucal rates OF Western railways.
| hA Ina n nv
large convention which ho have tho honor to roprs
sent has already been surveyed by order of Congress-
aud its entire feasibility auuudanty established willie
tho ocsnl estimates Of is sacortainod to DO
an amount quo insignificant In visw Of tho benefits
7our asasea % as . tho completion
Of ts line OF canal would prove ths key TO tho aou
Illinois In Tbs aar,s 1ne.suro and degreo that
ths Eric Canal yars stss's ~ rates crossing H.
soooop 81 ,he Work n b,s nor. oi drsae
interest to tho States west Of the Miusissipp! River
than to the State Of 1linots itss Paet erporience
arailabe for tho movement Of tbs products OF the
great Northwest aud "a all portions Of The country
our country, ws think NO may with proprlety claim
this 10 bB great national measure, and whoa
He ss asis foE f.
ment Of property Eat md South ~ will tnfusa now
and IT, a I ba9 adSs .s
| wloe country.
Your me.noralists also pray that tho improvements
projected IN tue navigation o. the Mtsssrpi and I'LL
ouon vii! socurs to the comnerce OF those ssreamn
FREQ aud uninterrupted deveiopment, and that they
sy 90 ~ law u say fnrtar .nS =:
briefly as po5aiee thas tne SommorGe noTeen Lnke
sna n ~ ~ Innla and Ner,
nente 1he oustness u ae atuo.e hM ~ omccngaa ~
oar m 1af LUIS .os r.
yesr ls7a 2 nearly 400; ;oo9 tons. n..,,-n,.-,
to nearly 1,oooM, MM 9oo MM tons; = ,.,,n,,o. ,,,,..
than J, 500. 900 tons. -.
Ihe tonna9o 9pon @ sne tnfee Iatoaas ana inc canal
:.rs IT.
business Of 70 NorshWest II Ihs aggregate tonnsge
eSnnot haHe @ been 's. than for ths year 1872
such f7ots, and tho capacity Of this section Of
country for Development, becomea worry important
The ohBrges upon the railways west Of rake Mlchi-
ars about doabs hs rate. caat of thst lake,
asss Il ssn demand for til.
extension ct tho Illinois Mchsan Canal to the Mia
stssppi IN Furnished in the reports OF tho business and
| The canal runs westward from Uhicago about 100
miles, and terminates In tho 1nola lttvcr at Laalle
HcnCo It has icon confined in is busuess and unu.
lannn8 close aon
aide tho canal is entire lengh and several others ths
1874 G,8so 938 bsshe4 Of corn who the Chicago lock
aud extending four tne. the diatsnce, and through
ths very best portion Of Iowa. carried ouy SAG
Of corn 10 ne to1 s3s ns1oa to ct ss o
thu year 1878 Nhs 6S9 tons The co1t Of transport
Ing this amount Of freight on tho canal was about
100000.
Ths cost by rn as ths ordinary rates west Of Lako
Michigan, Awny frnna water composition, would havs
beon s. 49, This makes saving to the people Of
more than IL 600 In ono year by ons little sectional
! oannl.
but this II NOT all that thu canal saved 70 the people
IN ono year.
The se1erai " stn too canal cafe5
during tho uavgaole season These san9 Foada carry
frelghts cheaper In winlcr than they would do II there
Was no canal near ny. pecanse tho heavy kinds q
Hence NO may safely add largely to ths smonnt
already aaved md make mneh morn than u COP o00
When INC 1l!lnoa aud Ach'gan Canal 10 extended to
the iasssipp ~ proposed by tho convention We have
Tho honor TO Represent aud several hundred noa Ok
that great river are thus mndo tributary !ts busnesH
must bo quadrup!ed, and is induenco IN relieving
railway rasos W! 10 increased IN proportion. Il wv
million tons Of freight carried by tho railroads. Iowa