The Grange advance., 1874-05-20
4. Cheap Transportation.

.essg..e Cheap transportation. e.=z--
After the present contest with rail-
roads shall have been settled satisfacto.
rily, there will still remain the stubborn
fact that railroad locomotion is too ex.
pensive at lowest rates for the transpor-
tation of cheap and bulky commodities
For instance, if Minnesota Was forced
to seek an European market, the entire
distance by rail, wheat in this State
would be worth from five to ten cents
per bushel. The carriage would con.
sumo its value.
We already have numerous roads
reaching from the Mississippi river to
the Atlantic sea-board, yet there is no
competition; no profit or advantage re-
sultlng to the farmer. Freights are
kept up and will be continued. Compa-
MES find it more profitable to get the
same amount of profit from handling a
small than large amount of freights.
This railroad project has been tried
long enough, and it is now high time
to seek relief from the only other chan
mel left open; and that is the channel
OF the Mississippi river. If this river
was in good navigable condition during
the open season, freights from St. Paul to
New Orleans, would be about as to
in favor Of the water against railroad
transportation. That is, if it cost 80
cents to carry bushel Of wheat to
New Orleans by rail, it would by boat
cost but 10 cents.
For data, We rely much upon the re.
port Of the Congressional Committee
who have had this matter in charge.
The committee say:
BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES ANTICIPATED
FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
IMPROVEMENTS.
The evidence submitted with the repor,
Justlfles the conclusion, that upon the com.
pletlon of the entire improvement Of the
Mississippi River, wheat and corn can be
transported from Minnesota, Iowa, Wiscon.
sin, Illinois. Indiana, Missouri, and other
States above Cairo, to New Orleans for an
average Of II cents per bushel, and that
the cost from St. Paul will not exceed II
cents. The average rate from New Orleans
to Liverpool in 1872 was about q cents,
(cu1rency, which can be reduced, as shown
BY the evidence submitted by the commit.
tee, to l8 or 20 cents by the improvement
at the mouth Of the river. Estimating the
cost from St. Paul to New Orleans at II
cents, the two transfers at St. Louis and
New Orleans at 1c each, and the charge
from New Orleans to Liverpool at 20 cents,
the total from St: Paul to Liverpool will be
80 cents per bushel. The charge in 1872
from st: Paul to Liverpool, including trans
fers and terminals at Chicago, Buffalo and
New York, by the cheapest route, averaged
67.5 cents per bushel. The saving to be
effected by the improvements Of this route
may therefore be estimated at % cents per
p1oportionate reduction from all other
points on the river.
Any one may readily estimate the
benefits which would insure to Mime.
sofa, taking one annual crop Of wheat
alone out Of the State. It would bring
from five to ten millions of dollars, in
proportion to an increased yield.
COST OF THE MISSISSIPPI ROUTE.
The Improvements necessary on the Mis-.
sissippi route are:
First. The opening Of the mouth of the
river, so as to permit the free passage OF
vessels drawing % feet. Estimated cost,
$10,O0O,O0O.
Second. The construction Of reservoir
at the source Of the river-(if upon careful
survey they shall be deemed practicable.
Estimated cost, $ll4,000.
Some papers are already exclaimin2
against such work as being so fright
fully expensive that no nation would
dare undertake it. If we could stoE
the national thieving, cut off the dead
heads filing useless Offices, check worth
less extravagances, and the saving from
this source alone would complete tn,
work in few Years.
France has expended on her water com
'nunications $240, 100000. England, will
. debt much larger than ours, with a small
or population. with far less ratio of in
crease in population, wealth. and annua
products. with . standing army nearly te1
times the size of ours, and with a cnrren