River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-10-16
A GIGANTIC SCHEME.
4 Canadian International Transportation
scheme.
From the Buffalo Commercial.

scheme.
From the Buffalo Commercial
The Great International Transporta.
ton company, which was chartered by
the last Dominion parliament with q
capital of $5,000,000, is beginning 10
move. A glowing prospectus has been
issued and subscriptions to the stock
are being solicited in Canada and the
west. The following extract from the
prospectus shows what is contemplated.
"This association is established for
the purpose of combining the capital
and great commercial advantages OF
Canada with the capital and influence
OF the western states of the United
States, as well as with other districts OF
the United States which may become
Interested in the movement, and organ
izing a system of cheap freights for the
grain, tobacco and other products of the
/ United States from the interior, by way
Of the great natural highways to the sea
/ board, and from them by steam or sail
to Great Britain and Ireland and to
the continent of Europe. BY means OF
such a combination it is believed to be
able to successfully compete with the
grain and other products of the Baltic.
Adrlatic, Black Sea and the Levant,
which have been gradually driving the
the products of the west out of the mar
| ket.
The scheme is in the interest of Mon
treal and the Canada RAILWAYS and
water route, but the producing districts
OF the west are expected to contribute
largely toward furnishing the necessary
funds. The design is to construc. q
fleet of propellers to ply between Mon
treal and Chicago, touching at Mil
waukce, Toledo, and Detroit in pass
ing both ways In connection with
these vessels ocean steamers are
to run from Montreal and Quebec
1t would seem that this was I'M
dertaking enough for one company, but
the managers of this grand Canadian
enterprise We're not of that opinion. In
addition to the steamers. fast freight
lines are to be organized to run trains
from Cincinnati, Louisville, st. Louis,
and other leading centres in the south
west to Montreal, and to connect with
the propellers at the lake ports. The
steamers are to be used principally in
the grain traffic, and the fast freight
lines will endeayor to turn the cotton
and tobacco trades from Baltimore and
New York to Montreal.
Much stress is laid on the fact that the
Welland canal improvement will be
completed in about two years, when
large class vessels will be able to run
Though the entire chain of lakes with
out Interruption The advantage of
Montreal as receiving and shipping
port are also dwelt upon at length.
Whether the desired 5000, 900 can be
raised remains to be seen, but il would
not be surprising if success attended
this part OF the undertaking. The
Canadians will doubtless subscribe freely
in the expectation OF leading the com
mercial people of the west to follow
their example. If any considerable
amount is raised al this way, the re-
mainGer can be negotiated in London.
But to carry out the practical
part of the project is quite
another thing. If the money is
forthcoming, the vessels and ears may
be obtained without trouble but to Sc
cure the necessary freight to make the
investment profitable is where the diff
Guilty will be experienced. The people
of New York, however, would do well
to initiate the enterprise manifested by
their Canadian competitors. The latter
are continually devising means for at
tracing commerce down the St. Law
renee, while the former remain perfectly
quiet, waiting for commerce to thrust
itself upon them. The superior advan-
tages which New York has enjoyed have
caused trade to centre there. But of
late rival routes, furnishing good facili-
ties, have been opened; and unless New
York shows more spirit than she has dis
played in the past, trade will gradually
seek other channels.