Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-13
1850.
The Florida, Atlantic and Gulf Ship
Canal.

Il
Planters Convention held in Atlanta on the
| Sth instant viz:
WHEREAS, The Gulf stream through the
| Straits OF Florida is notorious in the history
OF ocean navigation as being the most dan.
| gerous, destructive and costly ship route to
navigate on the known waters of the globe;
| and that large amount of the commerce of
| Europe, the United States, Canada,
Mexico, Central America, the West Indies,
the Atlantic and Pacific, Inter-Oceanic
| commerce across the Isthmus of Darien, and.
above all. the export and import commerce or
the great Mississippi Valley is obliged TO be
| shipped through these straits, and over other
| and circuitous and costly routes, by water and
rail, subject to incalculable losses and dam
ages, amounting to many millions or dollars
annually, which would be saved to the COM
canal across the Peninsula of Florida, connect
the Atlantic Ocean with the Gulf or Mexico and
Caribbean Sea on straight line.
And whereas, BY sundry surveys, made by
the Government of the United States and by
private parties, since the year 1924, the fact is
established that grand maritime canal can
be constructed across the Peninsula or Florida,
of the required capacity. at a reasonable cost;
that il has long since become, ana now is, a
great necessity, and will for all time to come.
secure and possess advantages over all other
routes by water or railways for this COM
merce.
And whereas, 1t has been computed from ac-
tual losses for the ten years, by wreckers on
the coast Of Florida that the annual loss there
hY is 81, ,0c0.000 and the insurance alone for q
Gulf port is one per cent greater than for At
lantic ports;
And whereas. Commodore Matthew f.
Maury. the highest authority known to the
scientific world on this subject, declared 10 his
report on the Florida pass that rather than
incur the risks of that dangerous navigation.
four times the equivalent Of railway transpor-
tation, with the DELAYS and expenses or two
ship trans shipments. are preferred across the
peninsula"
And whereas, it will
/. Avoid entirely the dangerous and costly
navigation of the Gulf stream through the
straits and around the Peninsula of Florida.
2. 1t will greatly shorten the time and sail
ing distance from all Atlantic ports of the
United States and of Europe to and from all
Gulf ports, and the westerly ports Of Carib-
bean Sea and Havana in Cuba.
3. All international commerce, and the pres
ent and increasing vast coastwise trade of the
United States, using the Gulf stream route
around said peninsula, will and must be
shipped through this canal, because of this
great saving in time, money and sailing dis
tance.
4. 1t will save the damages to and losses of
ships and cargoeS and extra high insurance in
CURED through the Gulf stream, amounting to
many millions of dollars annually, and will save
the extra supplies and wages, wear, tear and
use of ships, interest on commerce and ship
ping capital now lost in the long time and per-
ilous, circuitous voyages around the penin-
sula, while it will greatly reduce the freight
charges on all commerce going through the
pass.
5. 1t will be the shortest, cheapest and best
water route to the Atlantic seaboard possible,
for all that vast surplus commerce of the Mis-
sissippi valley and the Gulf States, now seeking
cheaper and better route, and for which the
United States Government, by its improvement
of the Mississippi river is aiding to establish
outlet by that route to the Atlantic ports of the
United States, and for the markets of the
world. The two hundred millions of dollars
worth of produce that now perishes annually
for the want of means of transportation would
thus be saved, and thereby that immense sum
added to our productive wealth.
8. 1t is the shortest and cheapest ocean route
for trans continental commerce to and from
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which will be
carried over the Southern and Texas Pacific
Railways, having their Ternini at or near the
port of New Orleans, and also over the rail-
roads across the Isthmus Of Tehuantepec.
z. 1t is the shortest and cheapest route for
the interoceanic commerce to and from the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the pro-
posed Panama or Nicaragua Ship Canal, and
the Tehuantepec Ship Railway.
8, 1t will always make New Orleans, Calves
ton, Mobile, Pensacola, Vera Cruz Havana and
other Gulf and Caribbean Sea ports, great
and direct trans shipping ports from the land
to sea and from sea to land markets; and to
the Gulf States it will afford the only feasible
export route to the Atlantic Ocean markets.
g. To the United States Government it will
afford very great national advantages for de-
Tense and protection Of her Gulf States, and
for the safe protection of her navy and army
ing the Southern portion of the Union and the
commerce of the Gulf of Mexico.
10. To the State OF Florida it will prove of in
calculable value for the development of her
commerce and vast natural resources, increase
of population, agriculture and manufactures
IL will establish great city at each terminus
OF the canal, and will secure to the State all
the advantages Of direct trade with the mar
kets of the Northern cities and States, and with
foreign countries; and it will greatly promote
the drainage of the Internal improvement
lands Of Florida.
II. The United States Government has de-
cared this Mississippi river and Florida Ship
Canal the cheapest and best route possible for
the expors or the surplus product OF the Missis-
sippi valley and the Gulf States to the Atlantic
seaports and to the foreign markets. The
British Government reports declare this route
will establish direct trade between Europe and
the Mississippi valley; and the Russian Govern
ment declares that by this Ship Canal and Mis-
sissippi river route the cost of transportation
of grain from the Mississippi valley to Europe
will be diminished more than fifty per cent
and that it will render the United States the
absolute controller Of the prices OF grain in the
British markets; and that Russia will be utter
ly unable to compete with her; and that on its
completion, the United States will drive Rus.
sian grain out Of the markets OF Western Eu-
rope.' Any improvement which will accom-
plish these results would be cheap at any cost
Of construction.
II. That this convention indorse the conclu-
SionS OF the United States Senate report on
transportation routes TO the seaboaTd, which
declares that "the uniform testimony deduced
from practical results in this country, and
throughout the commercial world, is that wa
ter routes, when properly located, not only
afford the cheapest and best known means of
transportation for all heavy, bulky aud cheap
odities ;but that they are also natural com,
petitors and most effective regulators of rail-
way transportation; and that the Mississippi
river ie the most feasible and advantageous
route now in existence or that can hereafter be
created. This royal river, with itg tributaries,
off de foA
$4,000 miles IL length, which our National
Board OF Trade declares can be increased to
$4,000 miles, by utilizing its sub-tributarfes.
This conclusion is confirmed by the greatest
commercial nations of Europe. After long
and steady trial they have demonstrated that
the cost of transportation by canal is seven
times cheaper than by rail- while by river il Is
fifteen times cheaper. The same rule must hold
good in our country. In Europe the railway
and water routes are worked in Cooperation
and both have become established successes.
commercially and anancially. The same rule
is being adopted in this country and in the
near future will become as popular and usefuI
here as it Is in Europe. The railway COM
panies now carry wheat froln the trans, Missis-
sippi States. to the seaboard, each car
averaging about twelve round trips and de-
livering one hundred and twenty tons of
grain IN one year; while the same car
on the average can make fifty trips
TO the nearest river porta and deliver
800 tons Of grain in the same time. Thence by
the barge system all the surplus grain and
other commerce can be carried down this
Grand system OF rivers to the Gulf OF Mexico
cheaper than at ocean rates, thus making the
grand railway system OF the Mississippi valley
five times as efficient in local traffic, and prac.
tically ave times as profitable. That the rail-
way system Of our country has accomplished
gigantic results of incalculable value and bene-
fits-that the improvements proposed will not
affect the great trunk railway lines unfavora-
bly,, from the Mississippi river to the seaboard,
as they now have and always will have all the
business they can do to make their capitsi
in their construction and operation remunera-
tive and very profitable. AS an example of
what good results the operating Of the Missis-
sippi river has already accomplished In it, pre-
sent imperfect facilities for handling Commerce
It is encouraging to quote from the circular is
sued by the Board OF Transportation of the city
OF Ne= YORK, dated May, 1881: That the rate per
bushel tor Tre1ghting from st Louis 70 New Or
leans by barge is cents per hushel, while the
pool rate by rail to New York from st. Louis
Qess mileage than the river transportation to
New Orleapsl is 20 cents per bushel. The
average OF freight from New Orleans to Liver
pool Is about pence per b1shel; from New
York to Liverpool, 4S4 pencei so it appears
thaG grain Is carried from st. Louis to Liver
pool via New Orleans for II cents per bushel,
While 1t costs tc transport via New York 29%
cents. From st. Paul, Minnesota. the rate
through to Liverpool via New Orleans Is q
cents, while via New York 1t Is 421z cents; and
the fact seems elf-evident that upon the open
ing Of the ship canal that grain can be shipped
20 New York and all our Atlantic ports BIZ this
cheap and allthe-way water route at much
lower freight rates than the railways can ever
do the same,
Therefore. be 1t resolved by this Convention,
That ls is the duty in the interests Of the Mis-
sissippi valley, the Gulf States and the Atlanta
States, for the National Government to i'm
prove the river system, to make ie thoroughly
eftcient, and to grant aid and encouragement
tor the construction OF the Florida shin canal
a the immediate future; and that the Gulf