, 1876-04-30
OPENING OF NAVIGATION, AND RATES 0F
FREIGHT.

FREIGHT.
The Straits of Mackinac are open, and the
fact marks two events: the departure from
Chicago Of an immense feet Of vessels loaded
with grain, and the starting Of a fleet of
other vessels from the Lower Lakes with mer-
chandise for Chicago; and the no less i'm
portant one of decline in railroad freights
to the ocean. The feet began to leave Chicago
on Friday, and will be all under way in few
days. Many Of the vessels have been loaded
for several weeks. This fleet carries $50, 900
bushels of wheat, 1,500,0 600 bushels Of corn,
900, 900 bushels Of oats, and 80, 600 bushels
Of rye; or 1850, 600 bushels Of grain.
Within the last two or three days, over
1900 cars have been engaged to move grain
from Chicago, at the rate Of IL cents per
bushel, or 20 cents per hundred pounds. The
contracts include the transportation Of
400,0 600 bushels of corn, $50, 600 bushels Of
wheat, and 100, 900 bushels Of oats. This is
only for through freights, the grain to be de-
ivered at Baltimore, Philadelphia, and
Boston; if any is destined for New York,
We have not heard Of it.
The shipments by lake, though chartered
before the opening of lake navigation, have
been ut very low rates, and now stand at 90
cents per 100 pounds by water to Buffalo
and thence by rail to New York. This rate
will not be reduced by canal rates, the rail
roads Of New York running in close compe-
tition with the canals. The all-rail rates to
Philadelphia, Baltimore, snd Boston are re-
garded as much cheaper than the charges to
New York, because of the harbor charges
and other e1tortions which are demanded at
that place, and are not exacted elsewhere.
But this is not the only danger which
threatens the grain trade Of New York The
Canadians are rapidly atwork on their canals,
and, as early IS 1878, promise to furnish the
lake trade with continuous water navigation
for vessels requiring IA feet Of water, from
Lake Michigan to Montreal. This will give
uninterrupted water travel to the largest
vessels .~that can enter our lake harbors.
When vessels leaving Chicago can proceed
without delay direct to Montreal, and there
discharge their cargoes into an ocean steamer,
and at once receive a return cargo Of mer-
chandise for this city, it is no improbable
that grain will be delivered between these
points at 8 to 10 cents per 100 pounds. This
will completely cut of the grain trade OF
New York during the season Of lake navi-
CATION
But the winter trade is also in as great
peril The New York railroads last winter
entered into combination against Chi
cago. They sought to punish us BY fixing
such rates as they thought would break up
the grain trade of this city. The rates were
so arranged as to offer large profit to ship
pers outside Of Chicago to send grain direct
to the East without coming here. In this
way large amount of grain WINS kept GU.
Of Chicago, and, to accomplish this punish
ment Of this city, there was established the
pooling of freight receipts with roads that
were much shorter and could afford to do the
business cheaper. The game was bold one,
but at the same time it was costly. The New
York roads did not profit by the operation.
They made no money, and drove the grain
trade elsewhere. New York ought to under
stand that it must depend for its grain trade
upon Chicago and Milwaukee. Any diversion
Of grain from these points must BIO diver
sion to ths shorter aud more southara zoa3as,