Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-21
REsoLp TONS.


which the population has flowed into the vast tract,
10 the west and north Of Lake. Erie, Michigan and
Superior, ana Of the increasing commerce and pro
duction Of the great West, il is plain that the
means o. transit between that region and the sea-
board limited for the present necessities
OF tTade and il has become question % universal
interest how the products Of the fields. the mines
and the forests can be most cheaply forwarded 10
the consumer.
? Resohsd. That the opening and continued
growth Of the unOccupied regions % our country
largely depends on the cost transportation, which
should be reduced 10 the lowest practicable rate
both by water and hy rail.
3. ResOitef. That SO .long this country has a
surplus Of cereals and other natural products, the
price Of these prod acts at the shipping points WI
lie regulated by the price at which surplus sells li
Foreign markets, ard that every cent saved 10 the
cost transport to the seaboard, OF point Of dlstr
button for the Eastern market, adds that much %
the value o. the products Of the interior.
!. Rss9luea That the interests Of the United
Stsies and the Dominion o. Canada n reference To
transportation between the West and the East re
Identical End that while the Dominion grants 10
citizens Of the United States free use o. Canadian
canals and rivers, similar privileges should be
guaranteed % citizens OF the Dominion. on terms OF
mutual advantage
s. ResoHed. That IN view " the enlargement OF
the Melland Canal now in progress, and OF the
present and prospective diversion Of the carrying
trade Of the Northwest TO the ST. Lawrence route.
the construct on Of ship canal from the st. Law
renee 10 Lake Chsmplain, for which a iavora-
tie charter has beea granted by thelDominion Gov
eminent and OF the enlargement. Of the Champla n
Canal by when vessels Oh ltafl tons eau rtdcu
ChAmplaln and New York IN from SIX 10 eisht day
less time than by existing routes and at much less
expense and depre nation o! value in transport is
Of vital importance to New York and New Eng
land and to the entire country.
6. ResOired, That this convention c0ncurs IN the
opinion expressed q the report Of the nited States
senate Committee IN 1ransportaton,to the Thirty
ninth Congress, that the enlargement o. the New
York canal, the construction Of the Caughnawa- "a
Canal from the St Lawrence TO Lake Champlain',
and the free OF the Canadian canals, Will great
-. ITO HWH.WV hR
East, and that we are in favor OF the appointment
Of joint commits on on the part OF the United
States Government and that OF the Dominion o.
Canada 10 arrange and recommend terms .Or the
mutual free OF the canals and inland waters o.
the two countries iy the citizens thereof
These resolutions were unanimously endorsed by
your delegates anC also received the appreciation
% the Canadian delegates. Ii deemed best
that they should be presented by Western man,
which service Ex-Governor william Bross, OF Chi
cag0, was quite willing TO perform and after the
ganzati0n of the convention was perfected, Cover
BrOss introduced the above resolutions and fol-
lowed them with earnest speech iav0ring the st.
Lawrence river and the Caushnawaga canal as the
only route by which cheap TRANSPORTATION from the
West to the East can be permanently secured. Hon.
u. ii. Bigeiow followed IN support OF the resolu-
tons in an effective speech, and closed by intro
ducing Hou. John Young who ably supported the
other speakers with statistics from the reports Of
the eminent eng neers whose reports o. surveys 90.
the Caughnawaga canal route are conceded 10 be
the best authority and strongest arguments in a.
Yor OF the feasibility o. that route. In accordance
with the precedents Of the Board in reference o.
the disnosItiuu OF business coming before the Con
ventluu, the "CaUg hnawaga Resolutions were re-
ierred 10 the Starding Committee on Resolution,
snd Reports, Of which one Of your delegates was a
member. IL was soon ascertalned, through the
chairman Of that committee, Mr. Thurber, OF New
York that the practice in previous conventions had
been 10 receive the various resolutions, and the
reports O, the staining committees, and to embOdy
the subject matter OF so much Of each as worthy
" mention in the nal report OF the committee and
further that i was not the purpose OF the conven-
ton ~ especially avor any particular route OF lo-
cGlty, because of the discord which such i course
Won create, with the de eg2tes from different To-
calltes WHO represented conflicting interests, and
especially SO, because nearly all the routes. both
rail- and water which were recommended by the
COngressional Committee on Transportation, were
dependent upon nd from the General Govern
ment. But such was not fact in rela-
uon % the tAuE hnawsga route, therefore that
point vas struuz ly urged before the committee,
and soou enlisted strong feeling In favor OF oar
resolutions. Il WIS urged further in support OF
this route. thar L SMALL cost in mIarison with
other proposed routes, and It's exceedin. capacity
Tor transporting, entitled il to 4 marked endorse
ment by this convention. These indisputable facts
convinced the committee that our resolution, de
served 10 be reported entire; and they were
accordingly Incorporated in the full re-
port Of the committee, and were unanimously
sdopted by the convention and will in due time
sppear in the printed reports Of the proceedings
thereof.
In the election Of officers and appointment OF
standing committees OF the American Board G:
Transportatlon and Commerce, the following an
pointments were made F. c. Kennedy, vice-pres
dent .or Vermont, d. {. Linsley on the committee
on natural water routes, W. W. Henry, on the CON-
mittee artiic al water routes. and Lawrence
Barnes on the committee to 20 10 Washin ston and
urge upon the government the opening OF the
water route recommended by the Senate Commit
tee On Transportation.
Your delegates would further report that the
Caushnawaga and Lake Champlain route has
msny strong advocates in Chicago and the Western
states. and very few Il any Of the farmers and com
mercal men are aga INST It. The speech Of Mr..
Randolph secretary OF the Chicago board OF trade,
banquet gwen TO the convention by the CITY OF
al a Chicago anc state Of Illinois was abe and con
elusive ia reference 10 the utter impossibility
o. railroads 20 compete with natural water routes
and with the opening Of the Canadian ship canals
the West could not hope to ever another route
the competitor OF the St Lawrence.
The sixth resolution in the series recommends
acten 10 be taken relating 10 reciprocal transpor-
tad, privileges between this country and The
Dominion Of Cana Ia aud we would recommend such
Hctl0n by this Union as will secure, If possible
lhe earnest ana early attention OF our people to this
matter ana also OF bringing the subject OF joint
commission 10 the early attention Of the members
u Congress from this State.
And your delegate would further recommend the
adoption by this Union OF suitable resolutions cali
ing the attention Of the boards Of trade and SINH
lzr organizations in New England 10 the import
ance OF immediate action looking TO the construc-
ton Of the Causlnawaga ship Canal also that
such action as may be deemed best be taken 20
cooperate With the state executive, committee OF
the Board o; Trans Bortation and commerce to Sc
cure the early ano united effort OF all the friends OF
this enterprise
Your delegates desire to thank you for the sener-
oslty and interest with which you have sustained
US in our labors in this matter. All which We re-
specially submit.
F. C. KENNEDY, Chairman.
The various reports wera accepted and
adopted.
On motion, committee of FIVE was APP
poiEted BY the chair, to report to a future
meeting of the Union, resolutions request
ing the cooperation of the Vermont delega-
tion in Congress, in securing the joint COM
mission referred to in the report of the dele
gates, and calling the attention of the New
England Boards of Trade to the Caughns-
TaRa Ship Canal enterprise-as follows:
.. G. Benedict, r. 5. Taft. G. Ii. Bigelow,
;. e. Allen. W. G. Shaw.
The matter Of printing the reports Of the