National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-03
THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND
THE SEABOARQ. ---.-L


LISA good sign that New Workers are
awaking to the necessity Of cheaper and
more capacious facilities Of transportation
between the Mississippi Valley and the
Atlantic seabosrd. But the great COM
mercial emporium never swskes to
realizing sense of her danger Of losing the
grasp which she has long maintained upon
the trade of the West until she is aroused
to It by the imminent prospects Of its d.
version to other points through rival chan
nels to her canal system. Thus, in 1851,
the progress of the Ogdensburg railway and
the proposed enlargement Of the Welland
and the construction of the CaughnAwaga
canals stimulated the friends of the Erie
canal to the enlargement Of that channel TO
its present dimensions. Since that period
the Erie and Atlantic and Great Western
routes have been opened, the New York
Central and Hudson River and Harlem
lines have been consolidated, and all have
been supplied with numerous tracks afford
ing greatly increased facilities for light
freights. BY these means, and the enlarge
ment Of her canals, New York has been
enabled to retain her ascendency in great
measure in controlling the trade of the
West. But 1t Is demonstrate that her i'm
mense traffic does not now increase in like
ratio with that of Boston, Montreal and
Quebec. Baltimore is also putting forth
alarming pretensions as q rival for both the
Western and European trade through her
railway system and her successful steamer
lines.
Observing these facts in the history Of
transportation, New York has taken the
alarm again, not from any fear Of losing the
trade she possesses, butle she should be un.
able to monopolize all the prospective aug
mentation which Is certain to annually &C
crue from. the increased area Of cultivation
that follows the opening of new lines Of i'm :
provement in the far West. She is casting
about for the means Of enlarging the
capacity Of her inland channels and at the
same time chespening the cost Of transit
The Dominion Of Canada has several
projects on foot for inviting the trade Of
the West down the St. Lawrence, which
the commercial emporium is watching with
q Jealous eye. At One time her system Of
grand trunk lines Of railways was the cause
Of considerable alarm, but this system,
taken by itself, produced no very alarming
results, and has ceased to disturb the
equanimity of the capitalists and merchants
of New York. 1t is the water facilities OF
the Dominion which, If prosecuted to sue
cessful operation, will, It is feared, threaten
the commercial supremacy Of the present
emporium.
Experience has shown that transportation
by rail, as now conducted, is too expensive
70 meet the necessities of the times. The
producers of the West are tired of raising
| five bushels of grain for the purpose Of car.
ryinp one 70 market Railways are found
TO have cost two prices in the first place,
and ii Is also apparent that they are operated
upou ANYTHING but economical principles, SC
that freights upon cereals and perishabl'
property are taxed by them beyond wha
they win bear.
The New York press is now turning III
attention with good deal Of earnestness Z
devices by which the canals may be 50 i'm
proved az 10 admit Of steam towage, and Z
present an enlarged capacity that win Prov
commensurate with the demands Of the IN
creased productions Of the West which seel
an outlet to the seaboard. It isa great stel
in advance to have arrived at the conclu
sion that something must be done In th'
way Of more capacious water facilities
The press of New York has never befor'
fully appreciated lis indebtedness TO thi
Erie canal That improvement has neye
had any stock in the market FOR Speculation
TO gamble IN, and has always been neglected
by the press for the more attractive railwa.
/ lines whose stocks have always ahorde'
lucntiTe and entertaining paragraphs