Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-29

ton would not exceed Is cents. The saving
to New England alone in two years would
pay the entire expenditure in building the
Caughnawaga Canal.
So far as New England is concerned the
building of this canal is all that is required
to bring her the relief now so much needed
And the producers who have reasonable
facilities for reaching the lakes would be
benefited proportionately. The Caughna-
waga Canal built and the first great step in
the advance toward permanent cheap trans
portation is taken. Let the government and
. New York take the next, and the grea,
, prize, the northern water-line suggested by
the committee, is secured. Will the Caupb-
nawaga Canal be built and have we the IA.
cilities for distributing the productions and
, freights coming from Chicago and other lake
ports through this waterway into Lake
Champlain among the consumers of New
England and for transhipment to foreign
countries? | answer most emphatically
} yes.
With this line completed Lake Champlain
would become one grand harbor and the city
of Burlington the great central distributing
point. Saint Adams and Swanton are also
accessible points, and from all these railroads
, will be running in all directions, reaching
nearly every town in New England. Upon
the point whether the Caughnawaga Canal
will be built aud whether we have the facil-
tiles for distribution through New England
| will read from the speech of Mr.. Weed To
which before referred. lie said
Let US, Mr.. Chairman. look ut this question o.
building the Caughnawaga Canal in other a.
pect. Therecan be no question but that il will he
built and that, too, speedily. And desire to ca D.
your attention TO the Important fact that il will be
built by the capital OF New England, and built By
that capital for the purpose Of dyerting the western
trade down the Saint Lawrence, and through TIL :
canal into Lake Champlain, to seek tide-water al
eastern ports by the numerous lines Ofrailroads nov,
built and in process OF construction.
The eastern ports-POrtland and Boston-haye
built and are now not only projecting but build ~.
new railroad lines To intercept the western cum
merce over the Canadian canals at Like Champlaip
and il is under the auspices of these two important
cities, and similar New England interests that lie
Caushnawaga canal is being advanced to bring YES
sells Of large tonnage upon the lake unbroken, and
from thence to transport the cargo by their rail
| roads to the sea-bOard.
glance at the history o. the enterprise Of New
England capital will show you that il Is unlimited
ana that what It undertakes to do it VIII accomplish
From Burlington there are now two road.
running to tide-water; The Central Yer
mont, by the way of Concord and Lowell.
| to Boston the Rutland and Burlington. bv
the way of Rutland ndFitchburg to Boston.
with a line south from Bellows Falls to New
London, Springfield and New Haven The
distance from Burlington to Boston By the
| Central Vermont Railroad is two hundred
and forty-fiye miles only, and By the Rut-
land and Burlington two hundred end thir-
| ty-iOur miles. Still another and independ-
ent railroad Is being built between tide
water at the city of Portland Maine. and
Lake Champaign, touching it at two points.
Burlington and SwantOn. This is known
a the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad
By this line the distance from Burlington
to tide-water at Portland is only two humid
red and twenty-five miles, and the distance
from SwantOn harbOr is the same This ro,d
has most desirable connections by contract
with the roads running to Boston and roads
running through the States of New lamp
shire and Maine and also with the marginal
railway at the city of Portland
All these lines are tirst-class well and
substantially built, and will have all the
equipment necessary for any business that
may come upon them. The harbors at Bur
lingtOn saint Adams, and SwantUn are each
large. safe. and with ample depth of water
for the largest vessels. There is no better
point from which to distribute the produce
and other property destined for New Eng
land than Burlington. Not only this, but
IN my judgment vast quantities of the
cereals raised in the Northwest for export
will seek this line as the cheapest, quickest.
and safest. and will be taken by these New
TO the harbOrs at Boston and Portland for
transhipment.
With this contemplated waterway open.
the vast and increasing commerce between
New England and the West, and a great
portion of the export and import trade be-
tween Europe and the. Northwest and lake
regions, would pass through Lake Cham
plain. And, a. the committee has said.
store houses or depOts of supplies could be
established at Burlington. and the produce
OF the West could be brough; to these de-
pots during the season of open navigation
and stored for fall and winter distribution
by the railroads which | have referred to.
Already the city of Burlington is one of
the most extensive lumber markets in the
East, second only to Albany. Millions Of
ieet OF pine lumber are annually shipped
from the forests on the great lakes and the
Ottawa country through the Saint Lawrence
and Rlchelieu Rivers into Lake Champlain.
resting at Burlington long enough,for man
liacture and sale, and then is distributed 10
III parts of the country.
Mr.. Conger says in his report to the last
congress. 10 which | have referred. that
there are probably nearly five thousand
million feet ofpine lumber annually moving
n the upper lakes, 4 very large proportion
! which goes east to supply the markets of
,ew York, Pennsylvania, New jersey, and
he New England States. This water line
pen, the amount of lumber entering Lake
'hamplain would be double what it now i.
nj tins Is very Important argument in
lyor OF the route | now advocate.
Now few words as to cost.
Ii has been thought BY great many peo-
lie OF the Northwest and also BY a great
lany In the East, that in order to secure
MS water-rGute 1t would be necessary to
instruct the Niagara Ship Canal. Nv
lend from Michigan (Mr. Conger) -
lought,and some of the Western legislators
ave so resolved; but this idea i now
early exploded. The cost of such a canal
estimated at sig 200. coo. | think can
teiy state and easily maintain that if the
eeessIty ever did exist for this canal. it
Is passed away and the country is saved
e Sl2 100000 for the present at least
ne present capacity of the Welland Canal
SnlhcIent for the passage of about five
mon tons annually, and when the i'm
oVements nov being made are COMPLETED
Will be ample for all the business of hi.
eat northern route.
III the members on this floor from the
eat northwest listen to the fact inst
i.eu -FOUR conventions, commercial AMI
iitleai, your legislatures, and Your pro-
cerS ana traders have time anu again me.
'rialIzed Congress to eonstrnct the
agara Ship Canal. They believed il ne
'sary, and were i'll earnest. They have
en- made to believe that this northern
i'e was VaIueiess without il. | now ak
anu Your people to pause and examine
iaets- Ibis Sl2 900 200, as have said.
ured -'''''
Take. sir. the SI2. 200. 600 and exncns It
nd
nal, and IN the Champlain Canal and
Ison River, and your line is complete.
me committee on cheap TRANSFORMATION
MT that there is no necessity for this ex-
future. III
Their language is this.
ne enterprise Of Canada by the enlargement o.
y, "el.a i canal work now in progress la. pre-
a. t.Vu IN thl- country. By means Of hi en-
ement large proportion OF the vessels of The
q ,aAes VIII ns able to pass from Lake Erie into
n,aoi. nhile there does not appear 10 DO
nineuiate necessity for the construction of an
tlonal canal on the American side of the Ma
IN view Of the fact that America n vessel.
Ices "a q, ~ .I'e ponllnlon governmentthe
q. 49, as canadian vessels passing through
"elahu canal. yet the committee are Of M,
ON taat the shorter distance between tie nav
: Nate,s OF Lakes Erie and Ontario aud the
favorable Typographical features OF The nanntrV
10 American side point To the necessity t,r m.
: ~, ues,un ~ IN american Niagara Shp-cansl At
slant period, in order to meet the dep,,n1sur
the West ''' '
ulid only what is needed, and then await
ats that shall call for the Niagara Canal
have already called your attention to
statement or estimate of the committee
i le cost OF each OF these routes. Now,
maintain that to secure the business
n VIII come over this route from the
e. have named, except Missouri and
- :, all that is necessary west of Lake
ligan is the expenditure of So 900 geo
ne " l'consin and Fox Rivers. and the
natures IN the State of New York. Is
'ed hy .ir. weed in his speech to the
York Assembly at about 81 900 900
We million dollars at the ontside i ali
Is required of the Government. The