Telegram-herald., 1889-11-13


another survey made - secure ~as~
Inat tne surveys now on ME Go not L1f-
nlsh. tie thought TIE water ~e need
migat be secured most ec0l0m .caliy -
movable OF permanent dams and 4oeAs
and dredging = b 70 Necessary.
According 70 tbe surveys " the rFer
nOB GA ME in the United states Engl-
neer's Office IA tnls city, it appears tAai
there Is fan between this city aud
lamont, 4 distance of tWenty-oae
miles, OF about SIX feet, beio" tnis
point there Is very LIIle II any TAI.
Thus IL Mi be seen that by the con
strucUOn ~ one or TWO dams With 3
Use OF say four feet each, we could
secure eight feet Of water al Grand
Rapids with only three feet of drecg-
ing. As Col. LUDLOW has no spproprla-
ton available Tor a survey, your COM
mlItee and the officers Of TINS po2rd
have taken the responsibility Tor the
purpose OF saving years Nmo 10
authorize hm % have survey made,
the expense OF which We have guaran-
teed. We expect this Will be- completed
III time - enable our Congressman 70
intelLgently present our claim for al
appropriation tor tins Improvement at
the coming session of Congress.
Ii hardly seems necessary 10 your
committee u call your attention TO the
importance OF this Improvement, as We
feel that every citizen fully appreciates
the enormous benefits that would
accrue 10 THIS city by It's completion.
Yet We wish 10 impress upon your
minds q few facts.
The commerce of Grand Rapids for
the year lsSS, according 10 the state
ments furnished 10 tins board by the
railroads entering here, was: Frelghts
received, 3s5.947 tons; freights for
wsrded, SO2 1902 tons; aggregatlng, 6Ss,-
279 tons.
We estimate that for the year 1889
this amount viii be increased IN the
aggregate 10 at least 100000 tons; TINS
on the basis OF ten tons IN each carload
means 20 900 loaded cars in and out of
Grand Rapids this year, or an average
of 233 for each working day. This IN
the aggregate is 400, 900 900 pounds of
freight that originated at or has been
delivered in this city this year. We
estimate that with eight feet of water
communication 10 Lake Michigan we
would receive q reduction IN freight
rates on an average of at least two
cents per hundred pounds, which
would amount yearly to the enormous
sum of S2S0,000. This estimate is made
on all frelghts received and forwarded.
We would get directly the benefit on
freight received, amounting TO sl56, ,0OO
per year, and our customers throughout
the United States would get the benefit
on freight forwarded, amounting to
1924 900, but the benefit would accrue
equally TO us, on account of the more
favorable position it would place us III
toward the trade of the country.
In addition TO the above must be
added whatever could be saved on pas
senger traffic to the West.
While an accurate estimate of cost of
the improvement contemplated can not
be made until another survey is COM
pleted, a rough estimate of the cost of
securing an S-fOot channel is from
S250, 900 to $500 900, and l6-fOOt chan
mel giving us virtually back water from
Lake Michigan can be secured for not
to exceed 81 ,OO0, 900.
An important consideration in a.
nectlon with a l6-fOOt waterway is that
several railroads now seeking lake
ports would undoubtedly be glad to
avail themselves of the facilities thus
afforded at Grand Rapids.
From the above facts and figures,
gentlemen, you will readily see Grand
Rapids is paying in excessive freight
rates every year, an amount sufficient
TO cover the entire cost OF securing an
S-foOt waterway to Lake Michigan.
As previously stated, a definite plan
can not be decided upon until another
survey has been made, but your com
mittee UNANIMOUSLY recommend that
this board formally approve of the river
route as means Of deep water com
muncauOn with Lake Michigan, and
pledge its earnest and untirIng support
for the accomplishment of this pur-
pose.
We also recommend that the action
of your committee and officers in guar
anteeing the cost of a survey this fall
be approved, and the president appoint
4 committee TO secure the necessary
| funds.
Mr.. Sigh stated that /. /. Wheeler
the Chicago engineer, had offered tC
make a survey for $500, but Col. Lud
low had telegraphed that it could bC
done for $25O0. l.. c. Thwing said he
could get the man who superintondeC
the Lake Pipin and Green Bay canal t.
do the work for - and expenses. c.
COmstOck did not favor the river route
He said that If it was dredged II feet
deep it would not toe S feet IN sIN
months. lie would cut across country
and strike the river seventeen miles be
low the city where deep water com
mences.
Hon. c. f. Belknap said thai
1 he thought Government engineer
should bc employed, a his reportwoulC
carry more weight with it tnan pr
vate engineers. Chas II. Leonard
moved that the report be divided AND
tho part which referred TO the choice OI
Grand River be accepted. This wa.
done, and then Hon. T. d. Gilbert said
that he thought they could not accom-
plsb anything more until the money
Vas raised for the survey. II it coUl,
not tc raised by the citizens then they
must depend on their Congressman
and that would delay the matter
The money gwen BY individuals
would be as q loan, for there
was no doubt that Congress
would grant the appropriation for the
survey.
Tie report was adopted, and the
pres dent appointed !. a. tovodo. II.
T. Hastings. r. Cr0it0n Fox. q. III
Leonard and samuel Lemon as tho s0
1 Ic.tng comm .tteo. Hon. Z u. tllhor
,aul taev should commence work a
once. and ho led of with Slo1. Hl
vas followed bv u. H. Waters. 800. r.
Drof,on Fox, SlDu. Foster, stevens &
...