The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-06
THE HENNEPIN CANAL.
A Thoughtful Article Showing its Nh.
tional Scope and Manifold
Advantages.



markets of western Europe for its pro-
auctions. 1t is dependent on the power
to place its productions in those markets
on terms of successful competition with
other great agricultural regions-Russia,
India, Argentine, Australia, and the vast
wheat growing district of British North
America. Let its productions be excluded
from those markets by conditions that
would disable them to compete success
fully therein against the like productions
of other lands, and much of the enormous
agricultural industry Of America would
die. What would its death import to this
nation? Nay, what would even the ces-
salion of its growth, the arrival of its maxi
mum of possible development, import in
this nation?
To anyone who considers the matter
fairly, it must be obvious. that whatsoever
means will remove an obstacle to the
placement of the surplus bread and meat
products of America on the markets of
Europe whatsoever will reduce the cost
of moving them from the place of pro-
duction to the place of foreign consump
tio2-is a matter not of local or provincial
but supreme national concern.
1t is well known that the statesmen and
economists of England, Belgium, France
and Germany have long been devoting
their best faculties to the study of the
ways and means of getting cheaper bread
and meat than America has been able to
supply them. England, in particular, has
exertcd, in exerting, all her efforts to make
India the grand source of her food sup
plies. Every year the exports of cereals
increase. To the vast plains of Russia all
the populous states of Western Europe
are looking with hope and expectation
that in the near future the surplus bread
and meat production of that region, by
competition with the mora distant pro-
auctions of America, will give them
cheaper food. Already, Russia is the
formidable rival of America in the bread
markets of Europe.
America cannot hope to avoid conlpe-
tition with formidable rivals, some of
which, as Russia, are far more favorably
conditioned, by proximity and easy access
TO the great food markets of the world,
than America is, or perhaps can ever be.
Whatsoever will place this country in
more favorable conditions of access to
those markets, whatsoever will reduce the
cost of removing the food products from
the harvest fields of the Mississippi valley
to the store houses at Liverpool, is to
Americans a matter Of supreme national
concern.
Here is the national argument tor the
projected Hennepin canal--a connecting
waterway to bring the Mississippi river to
the great northern lakes. 1t is an argu-
ment that it will be difficult for any sec.
lional adversary of that national project
to answer But the statement of the data
of the argument is not yet complete.
Not only has this bread and meat pro
ducing nation to encounter in the markets
of Europe, at no very distant day. a
formidable rival, Russia, another, India;
another, Argentine; another, Australia;
but also another on our own border. The
great country of the Saskatchewan, infe-
rior in extent only to the Mississippi
valley, is without doubt equal to the best
portions of the latter as a wheat producing
land There are many inhabitants of
America-perhaps some in congress
who might be surprised to learn that the
wheat product of Manitoba can be placed
in Liverpool at less cost for transporta-
ton than the wheat product OF this
country.
Already at Winnipeg, a movement has
been initiated to place a line of grain
carrying vessels on the Hudson bay
route A Winnipeg paper states that
English capitalists are ready not only to
provide fleet, butt build railway from
the Manitoban metropolis to Churchill,
the chief port on Hudson bay.
In this country. the notion has prevailed
that Hudson bay is, most of the time.
frozen sea; that only for a brief period in
midsummer can ships enter or depart
from it. Upon the authority of men,
Der of the Manitobian parliament, Fargo
correspondent of the Times has contra
dicted that notion. According TO the
Manitoban legislator, Hudson bay is open
and navigable throughout the year, the
only obstacle being in the strait that CON
meets that great inland sea with the
Atlantic, and even there, in latitude 50
degrees, the obstruction has never been
sufficient to prevent the Hudson bay
company from navigating the strait dur
ingevery month in the year 1t is stated,
moreover, that Nelson river connecting
Lake Winnipeg with Hudson bay lis
navigable for the largest steamships over
100 miles from the bay" The whole
distance from the bay to the lake is only
800 miles, and throughout that distance
the stream is navigated by the Hudson
bay company's boats. Winnipeg lake
with an average width of 25 miles is 260
miles long, its southern extremity, where
thenavigable Red river of the north enters
it, being within twenty miles of Win
nipeg.
IF these statements are true, the metro
polls of the British northwest has the
advantages of situation not unlike that of
Chicago, at the head of a great inland
water route to the ocean, between which
point and the Liverpool docks the navi-
CATION is continuous. with single re-
shipment. The distance from Chicago 10
Liverpool is 1000 miles. The distance
from Winnipeg to Liverpool, by the
Hudson bay route, is little less. Even for
the wheat of Dakota, the projected open
ing of the Hudson bay route means a
price from % to 40 cents Il bushel more
than can be obtained if shipped by any
other route.
These statements can only be accepted
subject to very grave doubts whether
their accuracy can be practically shown
So little is known, however, of that far
northern region that their inaccuracy can
not be positively asserted. 1t is certain
that the project of opening the Hudson
bay route to Liverpool is receiving great
deal of attention both in Manitoba and in
England and that English capital is ready
to place feet of grain carrying ships upon
that route if it shall be found practical.
The question of its practicability will
doubtless be determined by experiment
during the present year.
What for this country, would its prac-
t!eability mean?"
1t would mean the discovery of new
and practically unlimited source of cheap
food supply for Europe, with which NOT