The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-12-04

A Good Atsendance-Tbe Officers
Chosen-Resoiutton Passed, &C.

/ seh-hes"iottohs Easseos e'es
Pursuant 10 a call from the executiv,
committee, q State convention OF Oh,
friends o cheap transportation aud the
construction Of a ship canal connect
ing lakes Michigan and Erie was held
at the court house in Allegan. at Il
o'clock a. m, on Friday, November
10th, and was called to order by Col
Joseph Fisk, who nominated Hon. w.
u. Williams as chairman pro tenn, with
III. Hudson as secretary and Il. III.
Phetteplace assistant secretary OF the
convention. The Court House was fill
ed, and some 200 delegates were in at
tendance from all along the proposed
route OF the canal-from Saugatuck to
Battle Greek.
A committee of organization was APP
pointed, consisting OF Hon. Henry l..
Thomas, Col. Joseph Fisk, Gen. Ben
iamin ID. Pritchard, j. Il. Harding and
Away ID. Botsford.
The committee on resolutions con-
sisted of the following gentlemen:
Henry Willis. OF Battle Greek; Don g.
Henderson, ID. II. Waters, Allegan;
Russell Il. Fenner, Plainwell.
Tho secretary read a number OF SYM
pathetic letters and kilograms from
several distinguished gentlemen in ia
vor of the opening of this new avenue
to the internal commerce of the coun-
try. Among others tho following tele-
gram from Hon. Charles NJ. Croswell,
Governor OF Michigan.
ADRIAN, Nov. 10, 1877.
To d. @. Henderson:
Official duties prevent my attending the
convention tomorrow Present the assur-
anee OF any deep interest In all that concerns
cheap transportation, aud of my cO-Opera-
ton In measures designed 10 secure new aud
desirable channels for the commerce of the
west {. VI. CROSWELL-
Polite letters of acknowledgement of
invitations 10 attend the convention
from Hon. n. Chandler and ex-Govern-
or Robert McClelland OF Detroit, Con-
gressmen Brewer, McGowan aud
Keightly. Hon. Dwight May and Col.
Delos Philips. OF Kalamazoo, Col.
Turnley of Chicago, II. ID. Post Of
Holland City, and the Governors OF
several States, and many others were
received for which we have no space.
The convention then took a recess till
l:30 p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The committee on permanent organ
ization made the following report
which was adopted:
Prcsident.-Gen. B. ID. Prltchard, Allegan.
Vice Presldenls--J +. Harding, Wayland;
III. j. Redheld. Monroe; H. /. Isham, Otsego;
Joseph Lomax, Kalamazoo; Hon. Geo. viii
lard Battle Creek II. 4. Shaw. Eaton Rap
ids; X. W. Line, Gibraltar, Wayne Co.. Hon.
David w. Wiley. Sangatuek; Thomas Gray,
Douglas
Secrctary--H. b. Hudson, Alegan.
Assistant Secretaries-E. II. Phetteplace
and Byron Markham.
Gen. Pritchard made a neat and ap-
propriate speech on taking the chair.
The committee on resolutions made
the following report, which was unani-
mously adopted after speeches and re-
marks fIom Hon. Henry Willis, Hon.
w. B. Williams, II. l.. Newnham, L.
II. May, II. b. Hudson, NJ. Bandle, II.
L. Blackburn, Col. Fisk, ID. @. Hen
derson and others.
RESOLUTIONS.
/. 1t has been clearly demonstrated
and made evident 10y competent civil
engineers in several preliminary sur
veys that the construction of a ship
canal across the lower peninsula OF the
State of Michigan via Saugatuck and
the Kalamazoo river route and thence
east TO some eligible harbor on lake
Erie is q perfectly practicable and feas-
ible route for canal. 1t has been
well established 10 be the shortest and
best outlet through our State for this
waterway, shortening as il does the
distance between Chicago and Buffalo
500 miles. Its completion will lessen
reduce the freight rates,
prolong the season OF safe navigation
for two months and greatly lessen the
dangers Of comerce over the present
route via the Straits of Mac
inaw.
2. The extension, faciliation, i'm
provement aud cheapening OF water
transportation by the opening Of new
outlets to western products is a ques-
tion the right solution of which is OF
vital importance 10 the producers of
the Mississippi and lake valleys. The
surplus productions of the great mid
die division Of the country have been
increased in a ratio FAR exceeding that
Of the population of this progressive
region OF country and must find a mar
ket in the commercial centers OF the
where the products of other
can be purchased in exchange.
The long distance OF the interior (bet-
ter known as westerly division OF
States from the seaboard will require
for the larger proportion Of the ex-
change in products the cheapest me-
dium of transportation, which, so far,
has been by water routes.
B. The producing States Of the mid
die division OF the Union have greatly
suffeIed IN their commerce and purse
by marine losses, extortionate freight
aud vexatious delays in
shipment by the roundabout aud
lengthy Mackinaw route. 1t behooves
the western people for self protection
to favor the the shorter canal route
and thereby saYe millions OF dollars
lost ia marine disasters, not
forgetting the lives lost. A ship canal
through Michigan will give the people
of this State and the northwest another
cheap and short outlet Tor the internal
commerce Of the great west, thus af-
iording water communication 10 Mon
treal on the st. Lawrence, New York
on the Hudson river, New Orleans aud
the Gulf Of Mexico, Green Bay and the
Upper Mississippi river. Only one
link OF about l7S miles across Michi.
gan is required 10 complete the grand
chain Of improved waterways as point
ed out by ex-President Grant in his
message Of '73 for connecting the Mis-
sissippi with tide water on the Atlantic
aud establishes the feasibility Of an al
most continuous land-locked naviga-
tion from Maine 10 the Gulf OF Mexico.
A. That the great losses caused 30
the carrying trade OF the lakes 10 and
from Buffalo during the recent disas-
trous storms on lakes Michigan and
Huron are potent arguments To our na-
tional legislators for the construction
of a ship canal, aud We respectfully
call the attention OF Congress to these
terrible aud most destructive marine