Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-05-01
Transportation.
WASHINGTON, April q

| WASHlNGfON, April "a.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Window pre-
sented a report from the Committee on
Transportation, and stated that the COM
mittee have come to the conclusion that
no substantial reduction in the cost of
transportation is to be anticipated from
unregulated competition between exist
| ing railways, nor is competition to be in
| duced by authorizing the construction of
additional lines, if they are to be under
private management and control. AS to
| the power of Congress under the Consti-
tuition to regulate Interstate commerce,
the committee find:
1. That Congress, in its discretion and under it's
responsibility to the people, may first prescribe
rules by which instruments, vehicles and agents
engaged in transporting commodities from one
State into and through another shall be gov
erned, whether such transportation is by land or
water.
2. That it may appropriate money for the con-
struction of railways or canals where the same
shall be necessary for the regulation of commerce.
8. That it may incorporate companies with au-
thority to construct them.
a. That it may exercise the right of eminent do
main within State in order to provide for the
construction of said railways or canals, etc.
pensation therefor, any existing railway or canal
owned by private persons or corporations.
These propositions are discussed at con-
siderable length in the report of the COM
mittee, and the decisions of the courts
from which they are deduced are there
cited. After most careful consideration
of the merits of the various proposed i'm
provements, taking into account the cost,
practicability and probable advantages of
each, the committee have come to the
unanimous conclusion that the following
are the most feasible and advantageous
channels of commerce to be created or i'm
proved by the National Government, if
Congress shall act upon this subject,
namely:
l. The Mississippi River.
2. continuous water-line of adequate capacity
from the Mississippi River to the city Of New
York, vio the Northern lakes.
tba atra ter " Of States rom the Mis-
sissippi River, yiG the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers,
to point in West Virginia, thence by canal and
Or by th freight railway vd to wv ter
Ohio and Tennessee Rivers to point in Alabama
or Tennessee, and thence by canal and slack
water or by freight railway to the ocean.
The committee estimate the cost of the
improvement of the Mississippi River
at $16,OOO,000; of the northern route, in
cluding the Fox g. Wisconsin River
ment of the New York canals, the cost is
estimated at $19,000,000; of the central
route, including the radical improvement
of the Ohio River to give six or seven
feet of navigation at low water, and of the
Kanawha River to give six feet of water,
$25 100000, and the connection by canal
or freight railway to tide-water in
Virginia, a canal to cost $50, 600, 900,
or railroad $25,0O0,0O0. Of the south
ern route. the improvement of the Ten
nessee River to give three feet of naviga-
tion, So, 5,000,000 and the construction OF a
canal or freight railway to the Atlantic
Ocean at acost respectively of $35, 900, 900
or $30,OO0O0O If canals be constructed
the total cost will be about $155, ,000, 900.
If the railways be chosen, the total cost
will he about S120, 100000. An actual ex-
penditure of from $4,000 900 to $25, ,000,-
600 per annum will be required for six
years, when the whole work can be COM
pleted. The resulting benefits will for
all time annually repay more thaa the
entire cost.
But am asked how the money is to be
raised for these Improvements. reply:
1. BY a system of rigid economy in all
expenditures not absolutely necessary, by
which nearly enough can be saved for this
purpose. 2. By the issue of public i'm
provement bonds; or, 3. By taxation. If
the latter policy be adopted l suggest
that a restoration of the tax on tea and
coffee will produce about $50, ,000, 900 per
annum, which will be sufficient to COM
plete the entire work in six years. The
repeal of that tax has caused but little, if
any, reduction in the cost OF those arti-