The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-12-13
CANAL CONVENTION.

nepin canal, a large number of farmers ant
/ not few business men of Ottawa, met a
the appointed time and place. The con
yention WIS called 70 order by Col Plumb
the originator of the convention, who intro
duced himself by saying that he had
> attended a meeting Of the Canal Commi>
SionerS some two weeks ago, and was thel
appointed to look after the work in thi.
county. and il WAS in accordance Herewith
that the meeting had been called. He
suggested that Mayor Allen of Ottawa, be
made chairman This was carried, and
Col. t. C. Stevens was elected secretary.
Mr. Allen on taking the chair, thanked
the convention for the honor and said that
the meeting was called in the interest OF
ghiCh, If contaminated would be OF great
Importance, this proposed canal was tc
complete water course from the MiSsi>
sippi to the great lakes and thence to the
seaboard it was TO add millions of dollars
to the wealth of the country, especially t.
those states lying west of the Mississippi
and TO our own immediate locality. The
chairman then called upon Mr. Plumb for
a statement concerning the present situa-
ton and what was expected to be done
That gentleman responded by placing be.
fore the meeting map Of the proposed
canal, saying that no doubt all present We're
familiar with the route. He then pro-
duced prepared statement, report or
brief" As he termed it, from which he
read The substance of his address was,
of the arguments in favor OF the project,
which provides for canal from Hennepin
to Rock Island with a feeder from Rock
River; the canal to have a depth Of seven
feet and width Of eighty feet; allowing
the passage of boats drawing six and half
| feet and having q tonnage of three hun
dred. The length is 741s miles, OF itself
50 short a canal would not justify govern
mental aid, but as a part of the great water
courses of the country, the connecting link
in fact between the Mississippi and the
great lakes, 1t becomes of great importance
not only locally but nationally. He re-
ferred to the Welland canal. and several
others occupying similar positions,-it
would be but a continuation Of the Illinois
; & Michigan canal. We are met at the out
set with such questions as these; Why
not let Illinois build her own canals"
''Why are not the railroads sufficient for all
practical purposes To the first the an.
swer is Illinois has no canals considering
the situation in which our present canal is
placed; TO the second form of enquiries
the Colonel made \ more excessive answer
| Railroads do not fully meet the require
ments for carrying heavy and bulky
| freights their rates are too high, but these
| cannot In justice IA themselves I've reduced
one half, As would be necessary 70 bring
them down to water transportation rates
According To the returns for this year there
are hco HOusta6 mi lion bushPiS of. wheat,
try seeking market Besides this there
his an immense amount of stone. coal build
inc materials, Sc, TO be transported Then
there is the vast amount of ireightage that
is carried by sail and steam On the lakes,
all of which is seeking an outlet to the
east In addition We have also returning
quantity which is seeking the western
markets. In making comparisons between
water and railroad rates, the speaker gave
sample figures showing that through rates
by several New York railroads were from
OF 100 cents per mile per ton. To OF 30
loo cents per mile per ton, whereas the
canal rates were but 40 100 Of cent Rail
way rates west from Chicago are about the
same A. the New York rates, those railways
having water competition are noticeable
for having lower rates than those having
none Railways cannot entirely supersede
waterways They belong to corporations
and corporations want To make the most
money possible on their investment, but
proper restrictions may be imposed No
injustice towards railroads should be in
tended, nor should railways stand in the
WAY of public interests Waterways in
adding to the general prosperity of the
country also add to the prosperity OF rail
ways themselves The latter meet the
advancing needs Of rapidly growing coun
try for speedy transportation &c. they VIII
continue 10 scale mountains and permeate
every part of the country. Governmental
control of railroads would prove beneficial.
From the arguments the speaker advanced
II seemed clear to him that the govern
ment should build the canal. The growing
business of the country demands il. The
next twenty years will see large increase
in production OF cereals in this country AMI
the growing competition with Eurore and
Australia in wheat raising will neceS>itate
the demand for much cheaper trahspoFta-
ti,, rates than We now have. The speaker