The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-24

pofts-kaete Hearing ON the Efforts o
the Baltimore q Ohio to Compete will
the Water Lines.
WASHINGTON, March 92.-The following
is an extract from the annual report 0
Mr.. Joseph Nimmo, chief Of the Bureat
Of Statistics;
It Is estimated that over 50 per cent o
the provisions and breadstutfs exported
from the United States during the las
hscal year, was produced In the region
lying north Of The Ohio river and west o.
the Atlantic seaboard States, embracing
the States Of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana
Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Min
nesota, Kansas and Nebraska.
The development OF this region has been
due to Its practically illimitable capacity
Tor agricultural production; to the iaCl
that the cost OF production is much les.
than III tho more eaStcrly States, and Ia
the fact that the railroad system OF the
country has been widely extended
throughout these States, thereby securing
cheap, rapid and regular transportation.
During the year 1866 the average rate
for the carriage OF wheat from Chicago Ia
New York by lake and Eric Canal was a
little over q cents per bushel, but during
the year 1878 the average rate from Ohi.
cage to New York was, BY lake and Erie
Canal, u cents, and by all rail 12 cents.
During the present year the average cost
Of transporting wheat from the region oil
the Red River OF the North, in the north.
ern part OF the State OF Minnesota, BY rail
to Duluth and thence BY lake and RrIe
Canal to the city Of New York has been
only 90 cents per bushel.
The practical effect OF this cheap trans.
portation Is that points In the western
part oil the States OF Minnesota, Iowa,
Nebraska and Kansas arc now more IA.
vorably situated, with respect to foreign
markets, than were portions OF the States
of New York and Pennsylvania only
eighteen years ago.
A large portion OF tho agricultural pro.
ducts Of the Western and Northvostcrn
States Is now transported to the Atlantic
seaboa:d both by water and by rail, al
equal and, in many instances, at lower
rates than those which prevail for the
transportation Of like commodities to the
seabOard from many points on lateral
lines, as well as on trunk lines, east OF the
State OF Ohio. Such low through rates
have enabled the agrfoulturiSts al the
West to place their products in foreign
markets, not only in competition with the
agriculturists OF the States situated nearer
to the seaboard, but also In competilion
with the agriculturists OF other countries
from which such products are exported
thussustainlng our enormous export trade.
COMMERCIAL CHARACTERISTICS or cRors.
From the annual report OF the Chief oil
the Bureau OF Statistics it appears that
there is larger proportion OF The cotton
crop exported to foreign countries than Of
any other crop or product Of industry Of
this country.
OF the various crops reported the per.
centage by quantity, Of each exported dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 80, 1878.
was as follows: OF the cotton crop, 1917
per cent; ofthe wheat crop, 25.3 per cent;
OF the corn corn crop, IS per cent; Of the
oat crop, % Of PEI cent; Of the barley
crop, 1l.S per cent: OF the hay crop, .O3 Of
per cent; of the potato crop, .4B Of ! per
cent; OF the tobacco crop, about 81 per
cent; and ofdairy products, including only
butter and cheese, 90 per cent Of the total
product Of butter, and 10 per cent OF the
total product OF cheese. OF the total pc.
troleum product OF the country there
was exported during the same year GO pei
cent.
1t has been ascertained that there /.
shipped out OF the States producing q
surplus OF grain about 81 per cent OF the
cereal crop, and that there is shipped out
Of the cotton-producing States about o.
per cent OF the cotton crop.