Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-12-01
RAILWAYS AND wArnRwAYa,

'~1AAo ~ - ANA WAx6kS ~ - -,
Oh cago papers claim that the great
railroad war has demon strated the fact
hat waterways are not essential 70 the
cheap tran portation Of the products Of
The Mississippi valley states. They
say that neither the St. Lawrence riv. 1
er nor the New York canals will ever
again be great highways, nor il i'm
provement Of the Mississippi river nee
essary for cheap transport. This con |.
clusion is based on the assertion tina
the railroads have recently been carry
ing at rates cheaper than ever before
known, but still high enough, owing
to the enormous amounts carried, to
yield the carriers profit. Time has
become 80 important an element in the
movement Of products that tho water.
ways Of the Erie and Welland canals
are from year to year falling out OF
use, aud it is predicted that the day is
not far distant when the Law rates
made by the railroads in their "war"
with each other will become pc manent
or rule sthe highest. This is not st
all improbable. since experience has
proven that with the incre $50 of traffic
railways have been able 70 make steady
reductions. In new country where
traffic is light it requires . long time
to grow to this condition; hut in an
old country, where the busines 10
practically without limit, the railroads
can compete effectively with tbs wa.
ter~ays, and promise .oon to supersede
them. The shorter times by rail gives
an immense advantage. - Oregonidn
There is bu. little, if any doub', that
the large annual increase Of traffic over
railroads within the few years past has
enabled the companies, who own them
to materially reduce the price Of freight.
and yet leave for hem . g cd m rQin
of profit. It was once claimed tha,
the raw products Of the country, such
as wheat and other grains could not
be transported by rail over f~e hund.
dred miles from the interior to the sea
board with profit to the producer. So
great was the prime cos Of transport
ing ly rail- But the carrying Of grain
l,y rail for several years has demon.
strated such advantages in speed thu.
producers have preferred the rail ship,
ment even at higher cost. The dif
ference in cost being more than made
good by the short time employed in
, getting their grain to market, when
the market was good, and producers
have sought the railroad to . very
large extent, which has SO augmented
transportation that owners Of 70 d,
could make . material reduction i,
price. To what limit this can 60 re-
mains to DO seen. But we have reason
to believe that with the great increass
in production in the Western, and
even the Pacific States, it may be car
ried 50 far that grain from all tn
Pacific Coast can he shipped to Ncv
York and other Eastern cities by rai
cheaper than by water, without loss Il
railroad men. Hence we look for tn
regular shipment Of whe from th
great Columbia basin by rail TO Ne,
York, 40 soon As we have one two o
three railroads directly connecting thi
great basin with eastern cities. With
in the ensuing three years we MA,
look for wheat to be TRANSPORTED il
bulk from this section to New Yorl
for less than els per ton. II once in
augurated the business will be in
mcnsc aud both the railroad companie
and the producers will make money.
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