, 1874-03-22
TEE TRANSPoRTATIO QUESTION.
The following letter viii explain Itself.
BOARD OF Trade, aEcEETAnx's Orr1cE.l

| CHICAGO, ILL.,, Maryh II, 1874, I
john Pag<, Esq, Chief efEne1neer Pubic H'orks o.
&u1nd, canada:
"DEAn sm: Your circular addressed TO the Chicago
Board Of Trade on the question OF enlargement Of the
St. lawrence Canals. etc., ETC., Ibid e:ore the
Directors Of this loly at meeting held the 18th
iust., tni by them -eferred 70 tbs Committee on
Transportation, who take pleasure in replying to your
questions as follows:
FIst-Tla e1act cost Of transporting g7zsn ~ In
that during the last two the rate WHEAT by
rail to Kingston by vessel passing through the 1fe
6sates curreney-we shoud say the bulk OF the bust
uess was done 1t about IL cents Chicago to Kings
ton. The rate from Kingston to Montreal, in
round figures, averaged cents, making q oet
toal OF IL cents United States currency per busel
wheat through to Montreal from Chicago, By Rall to
kingston. aud bargo thence.
without minute atatistcs to rates By seam from
Chicago to Montreal, would place the average
at ~ cents.
The average difference ia time By the two modes Of
transportation above referred to- sail and stea1n would
be q. days shorter by supposne tho ssdresses
Wei]and Canal {Note-The number Of fuD~szed can nal
vessels that load full load here for Kingston and
go through without tightening is small that We
refer vtssels requiring to nghten) between Chicago
and Kingston and between CnicaEo and Montreal tie
difference would ba about ten days, surprising the
stesm.cargo vera to 60 through rnbroken, or with
only the uaual hgher9a at necessary to suit
tue st. Lawrence Canais and the sa-cargo bs
trsnEshpped 70 barges, as customary at Kingston.
goes to kingston q coo bushels. and full Etzed
staam cargoes to the same place. say 900 bushel
navigation st present exists.
''seco'ad-1n reply to your second question, we arc
unable TO determine the exact cost By any sized vessels
We unable to give my Approximate ldea cost
by vessel Of 600 tons, but would suggest that II
sels ray Of y QUO bushels capacity, ron carrying
st, t4s y cents, chacago to Kingston land think
they dob then thk vessels carrying oCD bushels
could acosd to carry at about cents, Chicago to
Kingston. provided your inpoat OF tolls the Wa1and
C4nal is not increased.
"1hird-In reply to your third question, and par
hruarly to the adylsabiity Of IN expenditure of
So QUO 00e on the st. Lawrence Canals, would
thXt in opinion this OF come such expenditure IL
not ouly wr=nahe but absolutely necessary order
to fully reaze the benefits to 10 derived from the en-
arge1neut OF the Weliand Cunal
50 In connection With t1is We would here draw Jour
attention to system of navigation introduced On
these lakes, VIZ the tow system.
" We have now trading between this port and Buf-
fao pTopelers of capscty Of 2 900 to 900 bnshels
vessels hargcs cf capacity Of $1,000 bushels each
tow, Eo called. thus having capacity Of 125. .GoO
to Is, QUO bushels al draft Of Is feet Of water
This tow can make the run 70 Buffalo in from Ave 10
ssnce Of tbs full rigging theae towed ycssea and
tho fewer hands required TO work them, these lows
nas work great reform In the carrying trade on
these likes.
s'1 Of the improvements now in progress On the
Welinnd Canal, VIC look forward to III Jew years
towH Of 1o coo to c000 BUSHELS trading between Chi
cago ind Kingston, making the voyage down in about
nine dAys unG if the st. Lawrence Canals be go en-
larged to admit Of barges Of Eay bushels ca
1,acts passing through loaded then look forward TO
the time when We may see cArgocs Of $1,000 bushels
each in this tow sJsei leaving the elevators Of Chi
coGo 20 alongside the sea~gong vessel Montreal
without breaking bulk, making the voyage down in
kbout eleven days. We are yours, respectfully.
"TuoIAs W1GHr,
ftALEIASDER GEDpEs, |
IA. MORRISON,
Committee on Transportation"