St. Paul daily globe., 1885-02-14
BY RAIL OR WATER.
D'ifmfh's Position as a shipping Point.

Aarfmth's Position as a shipping Poihf--
Lake and RaH Rates to the Aeaboard.
| Duluth is fast hurrving on toward her des-
tiny as one of the greatest primary wheat
markets in the world. Such a remark few
years back would have appeared absurd, but
considering that half as much was handled
there as at Chicago last year, 1t is not so
startling. The importance of Duluth lies In
its position as shipping port for the north
west to the seaboard. The competition
maintained by the lakes for grain and other
! bulky freight bears heavier upon the railroads
west OF Buffalo than the roads between the
eastern lake ports and the seaboard. The
reason Of this is the lower rates obtainable by
the lakes than by canal, against which the
roads are forced to compete.
TIE GRAIN RATE.
The average rate Of grain from Chicago to
Buffalo during the past season of navigation
was by lake POI cents per bushel, the through
rate by lake and canal &c cents, and by lake
to Buffalo and thence to New York Q. IS cents
per bushel. The division OF the lake rate
aud canal was 2.01 cents per bushel to the
former and SO cents TO the canal When
the route was the lake to Buffalo and rail to
New York the proportion was IA certs per
bushel. The average all rail rate was almost
1875 cents per bushel for the season. The
difference between lake and rail rates from
Chicago to Buffalo ia SAB cents per bushel,
while the rail rate from Buffalo to New York
is only Las cents per bushel more than by
canal. As Buffalo will be the terminal point,
it is believed that II will again achieve i'm
portance as milling center.
The SHIPPERS ADVANTAGE.
The advantage to the Northwestern ship
pers in transporting from Duluth rather than
via Chicago, is that Of short haul and a
straight lake route, or nearly so, to Buffalo.
During 1885 II ia supposed that the elevator
capacity at Duluth will be increased from
5000, 900 to 5000, 600 bushels. The only
com pettor which Duluth has in the wheat
industry Is the Min nneapois Millers' associa-
ton, and the matchless bard wheat Of West
ern Minnesota and Northern Dakota goes
either TO Minneapolis to be manufactured
into -four, or to Duluth for shipment 10 east
eru markets. Thtre were received at Duluth
during 1884 over 13, 523, $40 bushels Of wheat,
not any Of which was raised in the region
tributary to the shipping point. or this guam
tity, II, l,4ss,497 bushels were shipped, the
remainder being still In the elevators.
THE RECEIVING POINT.
The wheat is taken TO Duluth over the
Northern Pacific and the st. Paul & Duluth
road, the latter receiving all Of its business
from the Manitoba road at Hinckley. The
Manitoba road traverses both sides Of the
Red river as far north as the British territory.
aud in this Red River valley the best wheat
in the world Is grown, most Of which Is
shipped to the seaboard via Duluth. When
the ST. Louis river bridge between Superior
and. Duluth ia completed, it will allow the
Wisconsin division Of the Northern Pacific
and the Omaha roads an entrance into the
city. These two roads, the latter Of which
has direct line to Chicago, ending at Su-
perior, must be regarded as outlets, not as
feeders. They will serve 10 equaiize in some
measure Duluth's relative position with that
Of Chicago as regards winter transportation
Of grain 10 the east. The Northern Pacific
and Manitoba lines will continue to be the
chief carriers Of grain TO Duluth. II IS be-
lieged, however, that the time is not far die
tant when these receipts will be greatly aug
mented By = movement from southwestern
Minnesota, southern Dakota, northern Iowa
aud Nebraska. Many thousand square miles
Of wheat land in those regions are nearer TO
water transportation at Duluth than at Chi
cago.