Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-29
Articles shipped by the Lakes.

' 1t will be seen by these figures or table
b, that over 1900, 900 bushels of wheat wer
9 transported by water against little owe
' 5000 900 by rail and that of corn ther'
: was shipped from Chicago by water owe
r 3i,OOO, 900 bushels as against only littl
over ,OOO, 900 by rail. Now, if you add t.
= the wheat and corn shipments, the tonnag,
OF the other articles named in the tables
, have given, | have no doubt that the traffic
e through this northern route from West tC
East Will exceed 6 200 900 tons annually.
: The return tonnage of course is not near
ly as large, but is annually on the increase
: Reliable information will bear me out in
this statement that shipments West from
f the Eastern and Atlantic States, including
, imports, are full one-half in tonnage of the
shipments from West 20 East. If this is
correct the freight passing through thi,
route when completed would not be less
than l0,O00, 900 tons annually.
Mr.. Speaker, another essential element
which should enter into the discussion OF
the question of necessity is the subject OF
cost OF transportation by the existing means
and by the proposed means. And first,
assume that it will be admitted that the
cost of transporting grain and other mer-
chandise has much and in many instances
all to do with the question whether the
and again, that distance from market, and
the facilities with which producers of COM
peting nations can reach these markets
must be and are matters that should be con-
sldered IN this connection and for the pur-
pose OF my remarks at this time | will only
refer to the effect of these conditions on the
production of wheat and corn in the United
States.
From 1850 to 1872 inclusive the United
States exported into the United Kingdom of
Great Britain 2j7 .S52, $50 bushels of wheat,
and Russia exported during the same period
into the same territory 22i 03j, go bushels,
and Germany lJi. 76l .2s3 bushels From
this it will be seen that the United States
has two formidable competitors. Russia
and Germany. in wheat-raising for expor-
tation.
Our competitor in the shipping of corn
to the United Kingdom is Turkey we hay-
ing exported in the same years. l.GO to
ls'2 inclusive, 1913 1918 ,O07 bushels, and
Turkey l07 ISL 81 bushels.
In the matter of wheat expectation Rus
sia has been rapidly gaining ground. as
will be shown by these facts From IsGO
to l,6i inclusive, five years, Russia export
ed to the United Kingdom 1876. 500
bushels, and the United States l27 OF I26
bushels. From lo6S to lS72 inclusive. five
years, the same country received from
Russia liz, 1867 ,023 bushels. and from the
United States lie. 462 $50. An increase
from Russia Of over 20 200 200 bushels. and
a decrease from the United States of over
10000 900. Now, why j. this, and to what |
can it be attributed2 1t Is not because |
Russia. Germany and Turkey can produce |
at any less cost, but because they are nearer |
the British markets. and their facilities for |
BAL
their cost less
II our western farmers had no COMPETE
tors the question of distance and means of
transportation would be of little import
ance, because Europe must be fed. cost
what It may; but the competition exists
and our western producers must be pat on
an equal footing with those of Russia.
Turkey, and Germany 1t i stated by the
report OF the committee THAT the value of
American wheat in the British market is
about cents per bushel over the average
from all other countries, and about cents
per bushel above that imported from
Russia" Now, unless this difference Is
overcome in some way, We shall in a few
years be driven from the markets Of Europe
and shall only be known then when the
crops OF Russia, Germany, and Turkey are
a failure.
In order to keep this trade. which i the
life of the West, We must furnish the pro-
ducers cheap transportation. To my mind
this solves the whole question. Bring the
wheat and corn fields commercially A. near
to the consumers of foreign countries a. l. in :
our power and within reasonable expendi- c
lures, and we shall retain and strengthen 4
our position in the British markets, and
shall become permanently the f0od-produe- }
ng country for the entire United Kingdom, l
France, and many Others of the foreign y
will now speak of the cost Of transport j
If wheat and corn by present means be- $
ween the West and the Atlantic u
In 1872 the average rate between Chicago &
md New York through the year on wheat t
IN all-rail lines was 335 cents per bushel :
" the lakes, Erie Canal and Hudson River, y
&c cents by lake to Buffalo and thence
y rail. 2Ss cents. The charges from the t
Mississippi River 10 New York the same :,
ear were an average Of l6l cents per bushel fl
more than from Chicago. That is, the rate is
rom the river to Chicago was l6t cents per :,
ushel: the cost per bushe from Chicago d
0 Boston and other competing points in l.
lew England was 81 cents per buShel and u
little over 30 cents from the Mississippi a
liver by the way of Chicago or Milwaukee. ol
now ask your attention for few mo- el
tents to the probable rates for the moving N
( wheat and corn by this northern route pi
his class of freight can be moved by water bl
)r about one-third the cost by rail, and | ca
link many good and experienced men put R I
at less. | have but little knowledge II
pom this subject, and must rely somewhat u
pom statistics and the opinion of Others. or
Careful estimates have been made as to Of
le cost of moving grain through this 81,
Drthern waterway from Chicago and other wi
Ike ports in the West to the Atlantic and
points in New England, as well as from pc
lie Mississippi River to the same destina- IN IN
on. ai
The cost or rate for the carrying of wheat an
ON the Mississippi River to New York will ~, H.,
about IS cents per bushel, and to sr
)ston about 80 cents per bushel The tn
st from Chicago to New York ~
i'll be about Is cents. and to BOs- au
n a tritle more. As have shown, the ch,
esent rates are about Is cents per bushel ma
rger saving well worth contending for. u no
say that the saving will be Is cents SIS:
ION every bpshel of grain transported is
rtectly safe. Inc saving will depend ola
newhat upon the kind of vessel used ma
ION this question will quote from Hon.
hn Young, of Montreal. In a communi- the
lion TO Mr.. Window, as chairman of the TIVE
zap transportation committee, he says: ton
he cost per ton from Chca 20 to New York by md
ling vessels would he 1916, about II cents per per
hel and by steam vessels 1921 or s.6 cents per ron
hel. Val
will here read an extract from his COM sd SIDE
upon this point, in which he t" 4
npareS the cost by the three routes TO best
W York that is, by Buffalo and Erie con.
nal. and Hudson River; bv Oswego and s nae,
al to Troy. and Hudson River; and by Fall
st. Lawrence and Caughnawaga Canal, II
xe Champlain, and Hudson River. a.
lie says: 'no
he Champlain route thus improved will have To
further advantage OF the more economic use of
els OF the largest class proceeding from any port TT
ne axes wlthon, breaking bulk; direct 70 New that
on by that route The construction Of the hi ntsl
shhasaga lanai viii enabie such vessels 10 coml
and receive cargo ut Burlington and White the
from whence western irelghts can be carried reai
md from Boston hv railways cheaper than by Fox
ctftr rohte 10 Hqf eifg- and
lis Caughnawaga Canal into Lake Champlain | this
Id thus open large portion of New England TO carr
route, and add lar-eY TO the revenues OF the capt.
land and 81, Lawrence Canals, and give value eral
he railways Of Western New England. which succ,
innate at Lake Champlain The Caughnawaga the l
u mutt the state OF New YORK would not long legs
tate in the enlargement OF the Champaign seen,
II, to allow the vessel of so tons to sail co-or
the interior lakes to New York rect without coun
King Duik , Mort
ioowh table OF the cost OF transport py inc some
raj routes Is made up from Chicago start gyaI
'ont common 70 AL from which vessels OF so FULLY
viii perform the uuty a. Lar eastWsru as they cont
be navigated on each route The routes through ,
Erie Canal, both by the way of Buffalo and III
go, will require the voyage Of the large YES man
ne AT ,nese anu ,e Cargo 10 men
We omit this table, to save room. 1t IN
VS. the cost Of transportation from MIN
ago to New York to be, by way of the morl
Canal, $3.50 per ton by sailing vessels, watt
$6.9S for steamers by way Of the Tue
land and Oswego Canals "a As for sail Law
vessels, and $3.50 for steamers by Hud,
of the st. Lawrence. Caughnawaga 1t
Champlain Canals 1916 for sailing opini
els, and $6.2l for steam vessels. "