Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-10
CHICAGO WANTS A sHIP-CANAL.

The people OF Western Pennsylvanla,
Eastern Ohio and West Virginia will not be
inclined to take the less interest in the pro-
posal for a ship-canal from the Ohio to the
lakes when tloy learn that the great city of
Chicago is now engaged with fervid interest
upon similar plan whereby it may reach
the Mississippi river and the Gulf, and thus
control Southern trade as efectually IS it
now does that of the lakes. The truth is,
and people are beginning to see it, that the
development of the trade and industrial re-
nomlc, convenient and adequate lines is
problem which is daily forcing itself more
and more upon thinking people. The great
development for the past 80 years has been
by railroad; and railroads will continue to
have not only undiminished, but growing
uses. So rapid has been the progress with
this agency, and SO busily has the capital
and engineering talent of the times been en-
gagged upon it, that relatively little consid-
Grafton has hitherto been spent upon the
powerful auxiliary of ship canals. These
can only be enjoyed by cities which are
tunities. Pittsburg, at the head of the Ohio
and close to Lake Erie, happens to be one of
them. Chicago is another. We all know of
the newly awakened interest in Pittsburg
and In the surrounding country, rich with
resources which would profit immensely
through ship canal to the lake. We now
quote from the Chicago Inter- Ocean of re-
cent date, showing what interest is felt in a
proposal of the very same sort in relation to
that city. The foresight shown as to the fu-
ture of South American trade may we'll be
considered here, while the remarks upon the
stimulus which a ship-canal would newt
ably give to manufacturing industries has
a still more special application for our own
district:
MIR. Tisdale's representative character gives
weight to his words on the subject of ship
canal and South American trade. He speaks
as a man with but one object in view. the sue
cess OF the Worlds Fair, not as fieeting show,
but as an exposition of what the United States
can do and as means of its doing more in the
future than In the past. That part OF the world
to which Mr.. Tisdale is accredited as a commits
sIoner by the directory of the Worlds Fair is
South America. 1t is a wide region, but he re-
ports fully concerning it. 1t, in all its subdivs-
ions, should be great customer of the United
States. and it would be if regular communica-
tion wera established between the ports Of the
northera and southeen republics. And Chi
cago should be made port having communica-
tion with the EXTREMIST South by way of a ship
canal the Mississippi river and the gulf. Mr..
Tisdale talks very plalnly on this subject.
His argument for a ship canal, and not "a
drainage ditch, Is convincing. 1t is not Chicago
alone, it is the whole West that is interested in
the construction of this great waterway. 1t is
but a few months ago that we were panied and
puzzled by the problem of the Illinois coal
strike. The miners were not getting wages
that afforded good living the mine owners
were not getting prices that warranted higher
wages; Braidwood coal, in some few instances,
sold as low as 81 per ton on theChicago tracks !;
there was over-production. Mr.. Tisdale points
out market at Punta Arenas where the aver
age price is Sl7 50 per ton. This coal now is
shipped from near the extreme north to near
the extreme south of the habitable world, from
English mines in English vessels. Given a ship
canal and the Illinois coal has shorter transit
by thousands of miles. The grain of the West,
also, can find an outlet by this route. though
we are of those who believe that the time is not
distant when our own trading and manufactur-
ing people will be numerous enough to con-
sumo all the grain grown in the United States.
The West is the seat of agricultural implement
factories and South America has yearly need
of thousands of implements. Iron and steel
rails are now being made in large quantities in
the Mississippi Valley. and South America de-
with clothing. boots and shoes. locomotives,
rarnantars, tools and all the mIscellanv of m an.