The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-03
FACTS AND FIGURES.
An interesting Statement Concerning
the Hennepin Canal.

Hon. J. G. Dore. of Chicago, who has
devoted considerable time TO the promo>
ton of the construction of the Hennepin
canal has prepared the following:
"Nimmo's report on internal commerce
of the United States for 1880, page 81,
shows the cereal receipts in bushels at
and exports from the cities of Boston,
New York aud Philadelphia as follows,
viz:
Recent. Exports
Bo.ton ................ 37091,0O4 Is. fa7. 24g
New No' 49,. ...,... lo4P2,4 s5 l32 $50 ~
Philadelphia .......-.. 49,lG26ss 81 500 +65
subtracting the exports from the re-
ceipts OF each of these cities. the balance
Will show what was retained in each for
home consumption, as follows. viz; Omit
iug small fractions, Boston retained 10. :
900 600 bushels, New York retained 80
600 900 bushels, and Philadelphia retained
l7,5O0,000 bushels, Suppose one>halt OF
receiving the benefits of all-water trans
port-that is, in case the Hennepin canal
was built connecting the Mississippi with
the great lakes (Which supposed amount
no candid man having investigated the
facts will question)-and suppose, fur
Their that four (4l cents per bushel would
be saved on this half by an all water
route from ST. Paul and all intermediate
points on the Mississippi, and west of that
river as far south as Keokuk 10 Chicago
Oo prevent cavil the saving is put two
(2) cents lower per bushel than any est
mate heretofore made). the exhibit would
be as follows, viz:
Boston, one>half OF nineteen million
bushels is nine aud one-half millions;
four az cents per bushel saved on this
number of bushels would amount to three
hundred and eighty thousand dollars
$3.50, 900 New York, one half of
thirty-two million bushels is sixteen mil,
lions; four CA cents per bushel saved on
this amount would be six hundred and
forty thousand dollars (S640, 000.)
Philadelphia one half of seventeen and
one half million bushels would be eight
millions seven hundred and fifty thousand
(s,750,0o0); four ~ cents per bushel
gained on this amount would be three
hundred and fifty thousand dollars 1880,
000). Now should the government issue
three (3) per cent interest bonds to the
amount of nine million dollars 80 900 :
OO0) a little more than the United States
engineers estimate Of cost of construction
of the HenHopin and the enlargement of
the Illinois and Michigan canal, the an
nual interest would be two hundred and
seventy thousand dollars 1910, 0o0).
Thus it appears that the saving on what
was retained in Boston for home con.
sumption, in Boston aud vicinity, would
amount annually to one hundred and ten
thousand $40, 900 dollars, more than
enough TO pay the annual interest on cost
of all the improvements contemplated.
The same reasoning shows that New
York could psy interest on cost of said
i'm improvements from the saving of what
vas retained for home consumption in
the city uf New York and vicinity. and
save three hundred and seventy thousand
(SS10o0U dollars by so doing. And the
same reasoning also shows that Penusyl-
vania could pay annual interest on entire
cost Of construction of said improves
mcnts, or two hundred and seventy thous
and (S210,0OO) dollars and save eighty
thousand $4,000 collars annually by so
doing.
The foregoing does not state more thar
half the saving that would accrue to each
of the states named Every business mar
knows that shipments of grain from tn,
west TO PiItsburg, Springfield, Worcester
Lowell Lawrence, and numerous Other
cities and towns in Massachusp It's do MOI
60 TO Boston at all, but directly to thos,
cities and towns.
Neither does the grain from the west
shipped TO the many cities and town:
west of New York CITY go to the city o
New York, but directly TO those cities ant
towns. There is no extravaganza there
fore in the superstition that the amount %
grain from the west consumed in Massa
chusetts, west OF Boston, and in New
York, west Of The city of New York
equals the quantity retained in thos'
cities for home consumption in thos,
cities and their immediate neighborhOod,
respectively. This granted, the showing
would be that Massachusetts could pay
annual interest on cost of said improve
ments and save four hundred and ninety
thousand (S49O000 annually; and New
York state could pay interest on cost o
said Improvements and save one million
and ten thousand ~ ,010 ,000) dollars an
nuSlly. Tht other New England states ar
as much interested as Massachusetts,, New
York, and Pennsylvania in supplying tn,
missing link tthe Hennepin canan to con
meet the Mississippi river with the grea
lakes.
II is surprising that the national boar
of trade, the New York produce exchang
the New York board Of trade and tran
sportation, the Buffalo board of trade. ant
numerous other boards of trade and con
ventons in various parts of the country
Illinois and Iowa should have so unani
monsls passed resolutions calling upol
congress to make the necessary appropria
tions for the construction of these muc
needed improvements Is it any wonde
that the knights Of labor are now aoodn!
congress with petitions for an appropria
ton to commence the construction Of tn
Hennepin canal, the only missing link L
complete waterway from the Mississippi
to the seaboard"