Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-09-20
DEEP WATERWAYS.
Wealth to the western Farmer IL As
sured by Its Completion.


sured by Its Completion.
For many years the work of creating
deep channels between Lakes Superior
Huron, Michigan and Erie has been
going on. At length the work is done,
or under contract to complete, SO that
from all the lakes twenty-foot channels
may practically be said to exist. With
the completion of the inter-lalse
channels, AL the immense and rapidly
increasing navigation converges to the
common eastern terminus at Buffalo
The existence of the great lakes has
made possible the so-called northwest,
since it has permitted the products Of
the northwest to reach markets at a
much lower figure than has been
possible by all rail. From Duluth to
Buffalo, eleven hundred miles, 1t costs
about one-third as much as 1t costs to
transship and transport across New
York state. Increasing competi-
ton from those countries of
the world possessing cheap land
and cheap labor makes 1t
imperative on the producers, the farm
ers of the northwest, to search out, II
possible, some way Of getting their
crops to the eastern markets at a lower
rate than they have been getting To
every producer in the northwest it will
be OF interest to know that on Septem-
Der 1926 there will be convention
held in the city of Cleveland for the
purpose Of developing in large way
the facts relating to this deep water
navigation from Buffalo eastward
With view to decreasing the cost, it
is necessary to use the existing lakes
and river, with supplementary canals,
and to reduce the cost from Buffalo
east in some such ratio as has been Sc
cured in the upper lakes. An eminent
engineer, @. N. Dutton, who has given
the matter great deal Of study, has
prepared the following statements and
figures, which beg to present, with
out comment, simply asking that they
be read and thought on:
sixteen great states, namely, Ohio, Indi-
ana, Illinois, Kentucky. Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota. Iowa, Missouri North Dakota,
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana,
Wyoming and Colorado, must ship their sur
| plus agricultural products from the great
lakes to the seaboard. Deep-water navigation
would effect an immediate reduction In freight
costs, and consequent increase In crop values
of an average OF Ave cents bushel on grain
and potatoes, four dollars ton on hay and
Eve dollars and upwards ton on straw
"In the sixteen states most benefited. the
direct money gain, computed on the crop re-
ports OF 1895. will be as follows:
YEARLY GAIN.
| 40. Gain at 81
CROP. Yield, bx Value per b. per bW
Corn 49,. no 0OO0 900 $500 1853 900 s04i t36 900 O0C
| Wheat. 1886. 100000 167,C9312l ~ 1880, 00(
Oats 80. 500, 100000 i53,s7e,79s 30 00(
Rye ...... 100000 6,6s4,0O0 a 10000
Potatoes si,ooo,ooo 4e,e24,S7o b5 10000
.Hay /. 20. 100000 2I5. $1,000 za ll7soo,oo(
tStraw. :. 5000 900 80. 2.6 900. 00(
Annual gain on agricultl products $4.7, $50, OO(
sGsin at "a o ton. tGain at IS o ton.
| DOMESTIC ANIMALS (MEAT).
Mich cows. s,1Sssr $50. sos as4 IL s2a $50 es,
Meat cattle II, 686Oi4 S04.7906 52 10 6486S,3Ui
Sheep 80. 10, 947 4d.b8S. ITO "a 10,o0b, 14t
Hogs 80. .26,00S,275 ls9,07l,5l5 IA 26,4o9,eii
Gain in value OF meat animals 80. STA 9ot
Yearly gain one-third of above.... aS,05s,S3
"The sixteen states above referred to have q
total area in improved farm lands OF 100 s28, 67t
acres. The increased value OF the productions
Of these Snds will be s4e5 800, 900 annually, an
Increased annual earning Of 50. 33b per acre. II
| the market value Of land depends upon
It's earning power, and the ratio of In
/ of vol ha "a MT ttrnae the n
crease In yearly earnings, then the improved
| farm lands OF these sixteen states will In
crease In value $685. per acre. or o. $3.50 900 00
as the immediate result Of the opening OF tht
Maritime canal of North America.
"Vast as this sum appears, 1t Is partia
statement OF the gain to the west resulting
from deep draft navigation to the seaboard
because II Is based on the short crops OF 1894
and does not take account OF truck, fruits
small grains, dairy products, poultry, eggs
horses and mules, and wood timber, bark, etc.
neither does it take account Of mine product
and manufactures or the increase In values II
city and manufacturing property"
This movement has received the in
dorsement of most of the United States
senators from the west.
Last winter the legislature Of Mime
sofa memorialized congress in supper
of this measure. Senator McCleary, o.
Mankato, is gathering data from Can
ada and the United States with view
to urging 1t in the northwest and il
congress.
| The east has no transportation ques
ton. Her manufactured goods, wortl
perhaps thousands of dollars ton, ar,
not perceptibly affected by slight diff
erence in freight. The farming dis
tricts of the west sre vitality affecte,
when all profit in their crops is eater
up by the carrying charges. AS ma
tional question 1t should be borne ii
mind that the manufacturing east re
ceives her raw products largely iron
the west; also her cheap food supplies
In turn she finds her best market in tn
farming states of the west. 1t shoult
also be remembered that the enormou
cash balance annually required abroa'
to settle the foreign exchange must b
provided in the main by the wester1
and southwestern farms or by gold
The pressure is urgent. The naviga
ton cannot be provided soon enoug
If commenced now. The convention a
Cleveland will be marked by the pres
ence of many specialists with special
prepared papers covering wide rang
of public matters. AS chairman of tn
executive committee, ! respectfully re
quest correspondence with commercia
bodies, publ, officials and the papers
If in any way it may lead to fuller ir
formation and q Ackened interest. l
particular, desire assurances Of SUI
port which can be shown at the prope
, time rs evidence of popular sentiment
; Address, A. L. CROKER,