Daily globe., 1879-01-04
LAKE IMPROVEMENT.
Voice of the Memorial Committee of tt

AAlAH llul lOOY INlUN IL
Voice of the Memorial Committee of the
St. Paul Convention to Congress--Cursory
but Forcible Review of the National Ad-
vantages to be Derived from the I'M
provement of the Great Inland Water
Route.
The Lake Improvement convention held
here on the 18th ult. appointed committee
to prepare a memorial to Congress- urging
the improvements on the lake water route
advocated by the convention. The com
mlttee have been engaged upon the work of
preparing suitable and comprehensive doc
ument, and yesterday finished the following
MEMORIAL.
10 tie Honorable Senators and Representatives
o the congress Of the United States:
Ihe committee appointed by the lake i'm
provement tonvention-held at ST. Paul De-
cember IL, 1878, composed of delegates from
the dl1erent trade centers of the country in
terested In the commerce of the great lakes
present to your honorable bodies this me-
mortal, and beg leave to refer to the follow
ing resolutions and extract from the report
adopted by the convention:
Ihe most prominent feature of our inland
water system is the great lakes which pour.
through natural and artificial openings their
waters to the sea. These lakes extend from
near the northern boundary of Minnesota. a
distance of 1,400 miles, to the Atlantic
ocean, nearly one-half the distance across
the continent from ocean to ocean. Between
the head of Lake Superior and the Pacific
Ocean, distance of ]. 100 miles, and inside
of the limits that will mainly seek this water
outlet-we speak of American TERRITORY alone
is large portion of Minnesota, Wiscon-
SIN, all of Oregon, and the Territories of
Wyoming, Dakota, Montana Washington
and Idaho, making an area of over 6O0. 900
square miles, and more than three times in
extent the great States of New York, Penn
sylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Mary
land and Connecticut. This region of coun-
try IS capable of sustaining, at the present
rate OF population in the Eastern States. over
zo,ooo,ooO OF people. Itmay be further and
sa1eiy SAID, that this vast region, as devel-
oped, Will, IN the production of the cereals,
STOCK, capabilities OF sustaining population,
wealth OF minerals and salubrious climate,
fully equal and favorably compared with any
IKE extent OF territory on the American CON
tlnent. AS this region develops and be-
comes the homes of millions of people, the
bulk OF its exports will move for distribution
to the cities of the East, and via the Atlantic
ocean to the markets Of Europe, while it's
imports must mainly come from the Eastern
centers and from Europe, through the same
channels for distribution.
That these limitless productions which
will greatly contribute to supply the wants
OF many millions of people shall be carried
from the producer to the consumer at the
lowest cost of handling and transportation.
Will not be disputed. That this commerce
Will md its most direct and cheapest passage
through the great lakes, is equally plain to
all. Ihls important result, however, will
not be reached till the people of the coun
try fully realize the deep interest they have
IN the question, and the government re-
spends with the help required. This work
IS easily accomplished and at cost that.
commensurate with it's importance, is mere
~ nominal. What is imperatively demand
ed IS the right improvement of the harbors.
especially the harbor at the head of Lake
Superior, and the waterways, straits or
canals connecting the lakes with each other
and with the ocean. This done, unbroken
navigation is furnished to full-sized vessels
through the lakes, and 1,4OO miles of water
navigation is extended towards and reaching
into one of the most fertile sections of the
continent.
Wheat can then be carried from Duluth or
Superior to the Eastern cities at less than
cents per bushel; flour at 25 cents per barrel.
wheat and Il our respectively to Liverpool. lS
cents per bushel, 80 cents per barrel, and
other tonnage in like proportions; thus will
the consumer and producer receive like
oenehts from the reduced cost of transpor-
tation.
The Northern Pacific railway has opened
TO settlement the country west to the Mis-
sour river; section of the same road is.
completed at the western end, and 600 milss
OF the line is now in operation. Thus, if the
lake improvement asked for were completed,
more than two-t ,irds of this great con
tinental highway by rail and water. wonld
to-day be open to the profitable uses of com
nerce, while the extension of the line is
steadily progressing to the Pacific ocean.
The st. Paul & Sioux CITY, the Sioux Citv (,
st. Paul, the ST. Paul g. Duluth. the ST.
Paul q Pacific, Minneapolis & st. Lonis.
and st. Paul, Saltwater & Taylors Falls
railways, are now reaching to and traversing
the country we are describing, yet whatever
may come by way of business or usefulness
to these lines, the benefits to the people
from their construction, can be bat partly
reallzed TIL they can carry their tonnage to
Lake Superior, their natural and cheap out
let to the markets of the world
Inc country referred to and tributary to
these roads is being rapidly settled by hardy
and industrious populations, while its pres
ent productions and future promise are
awakening the surprise and commanding the
admiration of the country.
Emigration from the crowded cities and
agricultural sections of the East, as we'll as
from Europe, is moving in to occupy the
section we have described with unprecedent-
ed rapidity. 1t is not possible that our gov
ernment will much longer permit the few i'm
ped1ments in the lake connections to fatally
hinder and obstruct the movement of it's
present and future production to the mar
kets of the world.
Ihe distance from head of Lake Superior
to Montreal via the lakes, the Welland and
st. Lawrence canals, is 1850 miles, while
from Chicago or Duluth to New York via the
lakes, Buffalo, Erie canal and Hudson river.
1t IS 400 miles, distance of 139 miles in
favor of the st. Lawrence route The dis
tance from Montreal to Liverpool via Belle
Isle straits, 2,79O miles, and 1900 via Cape
Race; against 3,O4O miles from New York to
Liverpool. The distance from Chicago to
Hi'o!p pooi via NAOutfedl ana oCraltS OF Belle
Isle, IS 4,O5l, and via Montreal and Cape
Race, 4,259 miles, against 4,459 miles via
New York.
The rates of freight from Chicago to Kings
ton in 1876 We're from six to seven and a
half cents bushel, with additional charges
of three to three and half cents for the
barge transportation thence to Montreal: an
aggregate of nine to eleven cents a bushel.
equal to $500 to 1857 per ton from Chica-
go to Montreal. The rate in 1877, including
freight from Chicago to Kingston, and barge
charges of three to three and half cents