Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1881-05-20
OUTLET FOR GRAIN TO EUROPE.

hOouG A'e years SSO CeIdtOI \uOW
Secretary Window led movement,
looking to increased facilities for the
marketing of our grain, which result
ed in the appointment of a committee
to inquire into the subject with in
structions to report at as early day
as practicable. They spent the most
Of the summer in our principal cities
and the result Of their inquiry was re-
ported to the Senate the following
| winter. The recommendation made
by this committee took the eastern pa
pers by surprise. They were nothing
less than urging upon the Government
an expenditure of about eleven million
dollars for improving the Mississippi
River, and the Chai, man in his speech
at the time of presenting his report
backed his recommendation by data
in which he claimed the Great West
would save the amount expended in
the Enhancement of the price ofgrain
in one years crop. Some ofthe New
York papers spoke of it as a visionary
scheme-one not likely to be adopted.
They called attention to the fact
that New York and the eastern sea-
board cities controlled the markets,
and only small portion Of the crop
would ever tind it's way to Europe by
way of New Orleans. 1t appears
now that with but comparatively
small amount expended in the i'm
provement Of that stream, that the
tariff on grain from St. Paul to New
Orleans is 23 cents per bushel less
than via all rail to New York, and
we read in the New York CONNER
cial that vessels are leaving that port
for New Orleans, in ballast, to load
for Europe.
This cannot fail to effect business
IN New York, Boston, Philadelphia
and Baltimore; for, with such an adj
vantage in the cost of ship
ping grain, New Orleans is destined
to become what it was many years
since-one Of the leading cities; and
with the assurance Of Il full cargo of
grain on their outward trip, vessels
will deliver goods at New Orleans at
prices that will enable it's merchants
to make their influence felt all over
the western country. They will be
enabled with their lines of steamers
to South America to control the cof-
fee and sugar markets, and we be-
lieve in the near future that in addi-
ton to the market created at Mime
apolis by the immense number Of
mills at that point that St. Paul and
Minneapolis will become the great
wheat markets of the west for ship
ment to Europe.
Should this scheme prove per-
mancnt success, and there is no rea-
son to believe that it will not, the
people Of Dakota, and the whole west
will have reason to be thankful, for
instead Of beng 1900 miles from
market as in the past we will have
but = short distance to send our grain
which will add 20 cents per bushel to
its value.
In connection with this We call
attention to the feasibility of improv-
ing the Minnesota and Red rivers in
connection with the chain of lakes,
composed Of Lake Traverse, Big
Stone Lake, and several smaller
lakes in which there seems to be
natural outlet for our grain in barges,
which, with the expenditure of no
more money than would cost to build
a railroad, the merchants of Fargo
would be able to load barges at their
warehouses and ship direct to New
Orleans without transfer.
This may appear visionary to
many, and might not be direct adj
vantage to Fargo, with its competing
lines OF road, but to the merchants
and farmers who pay as much for
freight to and from St. Paul only a
hundred miles from that town as
they do to Chicago five hundred
miles away, it would prove a bless
ing, if not in the amount Of traffic on
such water way, on the influence it
would exert in the reduction of rates
by rail.