The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-01-09

I To y OV. -, lNit, Ntlc, uCCplulHp W tlc ~
! falo Courfer, ji,4S2,35l bushels, against GO,
1924 IN 1873 showing decrease OF $685.
O23 bushels. The exports of grain by canal,
for the same period, were 40,6l5,6Gl bushels,
against so, 1876, i41 for the corresponding per
/ iod of 1873 showing a falling off of 94S4, 1856
bushels The exports of grain from Buffalo
during the year may therefore, be put down
at 10 O00, 900 bushels less than last wear. The
receipts of grain at the lake ports, Chicago,
Milwaukee, Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland and
St. Louis, were, up TO Dec. 5, 1G3,G19Oo3
bushels, against 1j1 ,300, 5l3 bushels in 1874,
showing an increase of over $500, 900 bushels,
but the shipment from these ports for the
same period were only 125,399,1S2 bushels
compared with 130,247,311 bushels in 1873.
The reduction which has taken place III
freights applies more to the transportation on
the lakes than to the canals. During the sea
son lake freights were so low that sailing,
vessels were run at a loss. Freights opened
at cents a bushel for wheat between chi
cago and Buffalo, and did not 60 beyond tins
figure during the whole season. II it had re-
NAMED at the opening rate, the transportation
companies would doubtless have been salts
fled. but it tumbled down rapidly until II
reached 23i cents bushe in September, ana
the average far the whole season has been
only 4.G cents for wheat and A. cents for
corn Out of these rates, too, "A rebate OF 81
per 1000 bushels had to be allowed as com
mission The canal treights opened at Is
cents, but like the lake freights, soon declin-
ed, and in September the charge was only s
cents, and the average for the season only W.
cents for wheat and 81 cents for corn. Con
,rasted with 1879, the lake freights show an
extraordinary falling Off In November, 1872,
the freghts were PA cents for wheat ana
ia cents for corn, while last month the
charges were only 46 aad AZ cents respect
lively, or only little more than one.thlrd OF
the rates two years ago. Taking the lake
rates for the whole year does not make II
more favorable for 1874. In 1872 the average
rate by lake was Ill cents, while this year It
has only been $50 cents. The rates by land,
although much depressed, do not show
such large reduction within two years as
that which has taken place in lake treighls.
In November, 1872 the rates were Ii cents for
wheat and IA for corn; last month they were
81 and 81 cents respectively, or about W per
cent. of the rates two years ago. In lS'2 the
average rate by canal was IL cents; this year
10 cents-a falling off of 90 per cent. Taking
the combined rates by lake and canal for 1872
and 1874 there would appear to be falling
og from 241 ce nts to l39-equal 10 reduc-
iion Of AZ per cent in Two years
The canal tolls collected in Buffalo from
the opening of the season to Nov. 30. were
81 ,106,355 against $l415, 493 in lS73,-de-
crease of $2l9,13S. The number of boats
cleared this season was about 5000, against
8, 500 last year.
One of the causes which have led to this
depressed state of affairs Is said to be the ac-
ton of the Changers of the West in holding
back their crops for the purpose ofcOntrolling
the European market. Last year. from Aug.
/ to Dec ), the receipts crop movemenO at
lake ports were 1G,343 6Sl bushels, while this
year, for the same period, the receipts at the
same ports were only G4,G50,5S4 bushels The
Changers, however, did not succeed in their
movement to increase the price of breadstuifs,
as Russia and other European countries,
having large surplus of grain, supplied
the English markets at reasonable prices
The successful introduction of steam on the
canals has had, no doubt, an effect to reduce
the canal freights. The steam canal boats
have carried wheat from Buffalo TO New
York for cents per bushcl, returning with a
cargo of merchandise, so that, having double.
freights, they realized a considerable profit,
and were email led 10 make their freights low
er than those charged by the ordinary canal
boats.
change, in conversation with the writer, said
that the falling off in the traffic of the canal
showed the necessity OF reducing the tolls on
the Erie canal. Speaking of the Erie canal,
the Lockport Ddtiy JOarHaI of the 1th inst
says;
I'm view of the experience of the past year,
The question, How shall we save and sustain
the Erie canal? comes home to the people of
his state and especially to Western New
ork, with unusual force. BY the experience
Of the past year, we have no reference to can
IL management, but to the active and to the.
depressing competition given to it by the
We do not find fault with compe-I
ition if it is from transportation prices that.
ire permanent, reliable, and not designed to.
break down the canal with the view of COM
handing the situation. The first step neces-
'ary to make the Erie paying institution is.
10 relieve il from the incubus of the lateral
canals The people of the state, by an i'm
mense majority, have decided chat the heavy,
depressing load of the laterals shall be remov-
ed, and the duty of carrying that decision into
effect by appropriate legislation is dcvolved
On the Legislature soon to assemble at Alba,
n.y. with these excrascarcos on, oe ,,o Erie
managed can be made to pay
WIN the tOiiS Sicatly lcuuceu, ant. INC IeuuC-
ion of tolls is another essential element of
sustaining the Erie canal. The legislators of
Western New York, on assembling. should
make it their first great object to carry into
Eject the obvious wishes OF their constituents
the looping off of the dead branches osthe.
Erie, and the securing of low tolls. Against
hcse eXcrcScences no argument worthy OF
can be brought"
Last year at the close of navigation there
we're nearly 100000 bushels of wheat, corn
and oats frozen in the canal, but this year 1t.
Is believed there is not a single bushcl frozen
in.
How Oysters are Born.
Our blvalye, says Prof Lockwood, does not
spawn after the manner of molluska general
r.. 4 u