Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-31
Concluded from first page.l

VChtufe
come to Massachusetts, over this line Of road than
will come to her through the Hoosac tunnel, or
over the Boston & Albany-I think more than
both,-hence her interest in its completion:
1t sppeais by the recent report of Mr.. W alker
.tatistician of the New York Produce Exchange,
that New York has lost in 1875 nearly one-fourth
Of its grain trade, while other Atlantic ports in
this country have gained.
The receipts of grain at New York during the
first nine months Of 1874 were 81, l66 0i9 bushels,
and during the first nine months of 1875 only %,
2S4, 20l bushels, loss Of 2093l ,s4S bushels, or
nearly one quarter. In grain excluding -four the
loss at New York was l9, u.s. l3 bushels during
the same period, or more than one-fourth; for the
receipts OF grain at New York in 1874 were 69,
l002 7e bushels. and in 1875 only u.s. 5l3 bush
els.
But DUNG the same nine months the receipts
ofgrain alone at the five American ports, Montreal,
Boston, Portland, Philadelphia and Baltimore
were larger than during the corresponding period
Of 1874 by DOC, 1863 bushels.
The report of the Exchange attributes this loss
TO the fact that ghterage and transfer changes at
the city of New York are about four cents per
bushe, or about Sl.33 per ton, while the charges
At Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston are SO
cents per bnshe including ten days storage. The
difference about "a cents per bushel, is virtually
premium paid to the Western shipper to send his
grain to other cities.
The report observes, moreover, that this SIS
only the beginning of what must in the near fu-
ger. grander scale, when the improved facilities
of rival routes shall have been brought into prac
teal operations" "For the enlargement of the
St. Lawrence canals TO be completed in 1879, will
give to Montreal important advantages, and yet
without these advantages. and in spite OF thu re-
duction of tolls on the Erie Canal that city has
nearly maintained its aggregate receipts, and pos
lively increased them in proportion to the crops
handled" 1t is clear from these statements that
the expectation of grain from the port of New York
is N the and that tho 81 proIuefs of
the Northwest will continue to seek the cheapest
line Of transit to the Atlantic seaboard, for trans
shipment to Europe-ths fact is a rigorous law Of
trade.
The wise forecast of Dewitt Clinton in project
ing the Erie Canal, and the enterprise Of New
York merchants and capitalists in experimenting
that water line Of communication by lines of rail-
roads radiating from New York TO the great St.
Lawrence Lakes, had the desired effect, Temporal
rily at least, in making New York the great en-
porium Of the immense grain trade of the West
and Northwest, and thereby enlarging the general
commerce Of that city, depending in very con-
siderable degree, upon the handling ofagrcultural
products.
Nothing has contributed more to the CONNER
cial supremacy of New York than the fact that it
possessed for many years, control of the chief out
let for Western products, and thus became the
most ready and national market for the purchase
Of supplies for the West"
"But marked advantage in trade will Pass to
succeed in wrestling from New York the traffic in
grain, and it is therefore q matter of common in
terest with the merchants and manufacturers of
New York to remove the obstacles which are di-
verting the grain traffic to other ports
1.-The recent report ofthe Cheap Transportation
Association. of New York, set forth very infinitely
and fully the nature and extent of those obstacles,
and suggested some excellent means by way of
remedy. But, says the writer, something more
than excellent propositions are needed"
Nc h,ratn Of .rrtk 81 In
aroused to earnest and united efforts-such effort
as shall command all the capital needful to pro-
vide ample terminal facilities, and control traffic
enough to induce all transporters to yield to rea-
sonable demands. In this step they will not serve
themselves only, but the people of the country,
for every step towards economy in transportation
is step towards national prosperity"
The history Of commerce warrants the saying,
that the great lines and marts of commerce change
~ cheaper and more feasible lines and marts are
discovered and utilized, as cities and communities
discover and put to good use the fact of their pos
sibilities.
The discovery of The Cape of Good Hope route
to India snnihiliated the commerce of Venice
at the head Of the Adriatic, and made Eng
land the factor and the srbter of the rich COM
merce of India, and has done much towards max
ing London the banking house Of the world. And
the opening of new lines Of communications, in
our own country. and in our own time, have, in
many instances, substituted new marts Of trade
ioT Ofu Ouesy ny CuanSIiiy Tue WOnteQ course OF
commerce. it will ever be-and the completion
of the great line of communication under consid-
Grafton must, from the unequaled advantages Of
ito geographical position, all other lines of
communication from the St. Lawrence to the At
lantc, and from Its unsurpassed terminal facilities
and their proximity TO the British channel, at
once become a powerful and successful competi-
tor for the great transit commerce between the
ST. Lawrence and the Atlantic, making towns and
cities on our coast, that are to-day Of trifipg sig
nifcance, the Ravens of merchan, fleets, and the
homes OF factors and merchants in large transit
and foreign commerce that will bring to them
prosperity, wealth and power.
Our noble State of Maine, it seems to me has |
material interest in the of this great en-
terprise. For with the enlargement of the St. |
lawrence canals to be completed in 1879, and |
with the completion of this International line to
Quebec the same year-and it must be completed !
by that time-every barrel of -four and bushel of
corn, to be consumed in Maine, can be laid down |
on the line Of this road, from the great St. Law
renee lakes by reason of its short land transit for
less money than it can be laid down from those
lakes, in Portland, Boston and New York. 1t |
was recently stated in reliable Maine paper, |
that Maine imports annually about |
$40, 000, 900 of cereal products. l have no |
doubt that the completion of this line of road to
Quebec. with its great advantages for sharp com
petition with existing lines would reduce the cost
OF our imported cereal products to the Maine con-
sumner i've per cent, $500 900 annually and make !
the MAINE CcntrAi the distributing agent for this |
vast trade. l1 an able article in the New York
Stakeholder Of May 1872 on the trade Of the St.
Lawrence, supposed to be sound authority on
matters Of this kind, aud edited by Maine man
tho able Samuel P. Dinsmore of Bangor-I find
this important and significant statement which
quote. "lf the navigation of the st. Lawrence
were supplemented, with q view to commerce in
the winter, BY short and cheap communication
from Quebec to good Atlantic port, not only
would the lumber trade receive q large benefit,
but il is likely that Quebec would become large
market for grain and other exportabe products Of
the West. When these products are upon the
water, whether shipped at Duluth, Milwaukee,
Chicago or Toledo or other point, it is of obvious
advantage to carry them by the same freightage
As far Is possible towards their market. Quebec
il $50 miles nearer the market than Montreal.
nearer the market which is to become more and
more important with respect to our wheat and
meat products. We refer to the market for Eu
ropean consumption" 'What is needed, so far as
Quebec is concerned, to justify the undertaking of
this trade, (the expectation of western products
Is cheap and direct communication by rail with the
Atlantic. That by the Grand Trunk or the Inter
Colonial railway is too indirect and costly.
The plain line from Quebec to the Atlantic ind.
Gated by the geography and topography of the
country, is up the valley of the Chandler. which
flows through fairly fertile country, and thence
by the route Of what is known 10 Maine as the
Canada road in the valley of the INNER Kenpehec