Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-02

| has been shown that the canal must receive
the entire tonnage Of the Gulf trade to paw its
| expenses. and it has been shown with equal
Iorce that very large percentage of that
trade mas not, and never will, have any use for
that or any other canal This would narrow
It's patronage down to a point that must SO
greatly increase its charges as to do away with
the small advantage Of its use and if we add
to this scantness the competition of a barge
canal emptying the commerce of nearly AL
the Gulf ports of the Union into At
iantic ports north Of the ship canal,
to the plethoric stockholders of that enter
prise This is the really great obstacle to the
ship canal and no doubt that which go sui.
denly and effectually quieted the boom" that
enterprise worked up three years ago General
Gillmore's survey of Okefnokee (then in pro-
gress) proving it to be lake III feet above sea
level, affording an ample supply of water for
the summit level OF a barge canal, and develop
ing continuous waterway already connecting
the Gulf and Atlantic. enabled the ship canal
people, the state of Florida and all others in
terested TO discern the fact that whether
the ship canal was ever constructed or
not the Okefnokee Atlantic and Gulf
barge canal was foregoue conclusion. No
thing short OF exclusive priUtleqe could now
save the snip canal, and this could not be
secured through the Florida Legislature, be-
cause the barge canal assumed an Interstate
ana national Importance that could not be
ignored or restricted. Beside it would have
been exceedingly unwise and short-siphtei
policy on the part of Florida to grant such
privilege across the narrow peninsula, If that
exclusion was toprevent barge canal passing
over her borders in the northeast, spanning her
interior, and lining the whole seacoast of her
middle and western divisions. TraversIne her
territory from northeast to southwest the
barge canal viii drain ami reclaim for her
about 100000 acres of excellent land and render
accessible millions of acres, covered
with valuable timber now compare
be claimed for the shin canal which
on account Of its great cost must seek the ad-
vantage OF the shortest cut across the penin-
sula; without regard to local Developments
Whlle the latter presents for State considera-
ton yawnlng chasm. one hundred feet deep
and two hundred broad. seventy five or eighty
miles long, for the use of sea going ships alone
the barge canal meanderS narrow, shallow
stream along her northern border masses Awn
centrally through the State connects the land
locked waters Of her southern coast. and hears
upon It's bosom the trade Of the mighty MiSsis-
slppl valley, The barge canal proposes to the
State or Florida no less than the location
through her territory and along her coast the
grand highway of trade of the twenty great
States sandTerritorieS composing the MisSlssippi
valley, already with a population of 25 O0' 900
and destined to contain double that number
Wlthn the next two census decades. Once con-
structed and in operation, it will present the
most astonishing business aspect ever wit
messed IN TINS or any other country. Hundreds
OF barges will be seen passing dsily-some
from Minnesota in the extreme North, s5me
from colorado, Kansas and Texas in the West.
some from every locality af the great interior
of the valley. aud some from the towns and
cities along all the Southern rivers intersected
by the canal. Its cheap transportation will at
tract mills and manufactures to its heavily
tlmbered forests immigrants to its now cheap
and uncult1vated lands, and thousands of labor
ers to its multiplying industries, while villages,
towns ami cities spring up as by magic through
out its vast extent
1t is we'll that the State of Florida did not
strangle in the interest of a cut across her mar
row peninsula, this grandest opportunity for
O6YelODmenC that she will have and If
will be well for her il Congress shall be induced
to countenance and aid the movement now on
foot. to set the wheels of this great work in
motion. L. @. B.