New-York tribune., 1874-04-06
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

THE TRUE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM Io bE
POUND IN THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CANA.
FROM OswEGo TO TROY
To the BdftOr OF The frtouHs'
SIR 1t appears az if at present the hnanclai
crisis through which country II passing prevents %
capitalists aud merchants OF NeW-forK Hon piopy
approaching the extensive hold OF Montreal ana tue
Canadian traders upon the mighty Western grain trade
stn Less do tnev seem TO realize that che Canadian GOV
ernmeut will IN short have opened to the ncreas
ing Western commerce a mammoth "ehanu ''""''
which will accommodate the largest class OF hAo wv
peers and sailing vessels and thus aiiow tnese oi"'
carrying from 3O0O0 5000 bushels OF wheat eacn'
steam directly down the st. Lawrence River '"u 50
alongside ocean steamships at Montreal The lfhine
diate conaeouenea will be-provided counteractinR
measures are tsken-that the independent Shippers u
the West will avoid consgring their gram throuHH
alo and via the Erie Cana. ana save tlue Anu ' y
q direct shipment 70 Montreal.
The most feasible scheme by whlch Ne"-io 80
retain the controlling share OF the Western trade IL LOT
her 20 improve and enlarge the most direct anu
cable water route between her wharVes anu
the nearest lake port. The nearest lake poF'
ot size and safety IL OswegO. lying IN tne
south-east angle of Lake ontario. II IL well proVueu
with elevators. run economically by water power -a
a snug and convenient harbor, and IL conhec'eu VIZ"
tie Erie Canal by a branch channel AIthoush 'ne We
tanoe from Chicago to New-YOrk via Oswego If L4ll
slight difference in is inappreciabe ~neh v"
consder the time gained by transporting the gram ny
steam through the new Welland Canal ana down LlAo
Ontario for over miles 10 Oswego, instead OF has
- discbaroed into canal boats at Buffalo. New-f orh
sbonld enlarge the canal between Oswego ana lroS s
that OF $50 TONS drawing 10 feet OF water
ond he navieated Grain IA now days in transit by
canal boat from Buffalo to Newfork at an average oos'
o - s cents per bushel while if steam we're used the
nassaCe would occupy days and the cost OF Trans
portation be reduced s33 cents per bushel' from
Oswego however II would be only TO- DAYS e 'o''e'
and the cost would be lessened 70 756 cents II inc
Oswego and Troy Canal is not enlarged ana reauy Io
use when the new Weland Canal Is opened the de oi
the grain trade. 10 "a TO be feared VIII De euoc'iai'
turned away from both BufIlo.and oswego'
Much bss been said in favor Of the Caughnawags
Canal which t s proposed TO fromYa point on Tue
st. Lawrence at the head Of the iachine Rapids onS
seven miles above Montreal. south 10 tue hcno,,ou h
River a narrow rocky stream. and which would re-
the expenditure Of millions u render h
large class of craft. Up tins river tne prVpeie
and grain vessels would sail into Lake Champain, anu
thence Dy another canal into the hudson Ihe ulsta
between NewYork and Chicago by TINS crcul,ous r T
IN places extremely dangerous route u lo44 hIes &
scheme was proposed by Canadian speculatOrs' Wno
thought enlist American capta III iIs coIstl
and by specious arguments have induced many capsI
ists 10 look uDon it favoraby. The fact s however
that the American grain once einnarkeu ou ln' 80
would reach NewYork CITY ~ all ior wnet AZ e @
ENTRANCE to the Caughnawaga Canal and over $50 mics
from New-YorK would be only seven miles rom Le
Chicago shipper in his would SEND Ms gram ~
York via Montreal the idea Is TOO preposerogS 10
be Thought Of significant fact Is that the Hon JONI
Young leading citizen Of Montreal IL the prime nio'Pi
and uphoider OF the Caughnawaga CanaI schehle'
The civil engineer, Mr. McApine, mas atter oAreI1L
iuves CATION, decided that the Oswego route tne og
feasible one New York TO improve be points ou YER
plainly the faacy OF trying TO enlarge the ERIE Cana
FOR its length. when by taking ADVANTAGE OF te
Weand Canal and Lake Ontario gram can 6e ,so uoE
in Oswego before 10 would have fairly lett buao on IL
road East. Time Is money, and no strongly a9VocHes
Tho euIarrement OF the section OF Erie Cana be
tween Osvego and Troy TO accommodate iSoh steam cam
bar4ea and which could be accomplished Dy tne uIio
the Welland Canal would be ready tor use Gram wouln
then reach NewYork from Chicago about as soon as II
was shipped Montreal instead ana at an equal Cost
10 cannot be strongly urged upon our men Oh
wealth that welfare OF the metropolis DEMANDS the
enlargement of the canal TO OsvegO, IN time Tor Amer
oans to beneit by the Welland Caual improvements
Jew OF the millions winch capitalists are prepared 70
sink In the rapid transit schemes 40 persseny
lobbed az Albany would return far greater prom
put into the needed OF canal enlargement ana
II to hoped that defined and lntelngeht action
will be matter before the present session o
the I.egs ldture closes. Yours, d D.
KeIo- York, March "a 1874.