The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-07
M. r.. sULZER IN TOWN.
He Talks of Politics and Business
Conditions.

Marcus r. Sulzer. of Madison, Repub-
ican candidate for representative from
JEFFERSON county, was in town yesterday.
In addition to talking a little politics he
had something to say about commercial
and industrial conditions in southern In
diana, which district. he said, is now en-
joying an era Of prosperity n good times.
The crops, which last year on account of
the drought were a failure, are very large
this season and are bringing good prices.
After the discovery Of gas In central
and northern Indiana" said Mr.. Sulzer.
and until recently. there was quite an
exodus Of our people to the gas belt and a
consequent decrease in population But
in the last year new factories have been
located in our midst and our population is
on the increase. There are very few empty
houses In our city. With the failure of
natural gas the river towns will be on
more Of an equality with other parts Of
the State. because every ton of water will
sustain a ton Of m and the river
affords a cheap mode of transportation.
One of the detriments to river navigation
In the past has been low water, but the
government has begun building what is
same as they nave on the Chanoine river in
france. They are built like large iron
DOORS. and, unlike the old stone dam, when
the river rises they are not needed, in
twenty-four hours they can be lowered TO
the bed OF the river and not be a menace
10 navigation. A number ave been con-
structed on the upper Ohio, and In time
they Will be finished to Cairo. When this
Is done there will be navigation the year
round on the Ohio river. and watering.
as IT does, seven Of the greatest States OF
the Union, the traflc will become immense,
as with a steady stage of water freight
can De carried for almost nothing by river.
Inc general supposition is that Ohio river
traffic has been greatly reduced. Ii is true
tnat IL has been reduced by the railroads.
yet In some respects IL is greater than
there might have been a dozen steamboats,
a week carrying about 500 tons each leav-
Ing Pittsburg. Now. with every big Use
OF the river out of that port from to- to
HIteen million bushels of coal are started
Tor the south and one towboat will haul
from twenty-five to thirty barges, contain
ing upwards of 10000 bushels of coal, and
with each tow for the south will be four
or nve model barges with about 1.5o0 tons
each OF steei, iron and merchandise. Since
ABOUT twenty of these boats are sent down
the river each time there is high water IL
viii be seen that the aggregate is over
iV'vO TONS OF merchandise, enough TO have
loaded one hundred Of the old-time steam
boats. Thus IL will be seen that the COM
merce or the river is now greater than il
ever was before. TIL government has also
Improved the kanawha river TO a point
above Charleston. w. Va, and immense
lows now come down hat stream. In adj
dltion the Kentucky river improvements
are peing hurried along, and when they are
nhisheu an immense coal territory. as yet
unueveloped, will be opened and the prod
uct shipped down that stream, which will
90 away with the fear Of a coal famine In
the OHIO valley. AS Madison is only twelve
mles from the mouth of the Kentucky
river. we feel a fine future opening out
Tor our town"