The Columbus journal., 1909-06-30
DEVELOPING OUR NATURAL
RESOURCES.

DEVELOPING OUR NATURAL
RESOURCES.
In 1850 farmers living within $50
miles of Chicago hauled wheat to that
city and sold it for IS cents . bushel.
The transportation question at that
time was one of the reasons assigned
for the low price of wheat. The great
lakes was the main commercial road to
the east, and traffic through the
Strait of Mackana was in its infancy.
The population of the United States
was about $1,000, 900, but increasing
at . rapid rate. In 1850 the trans
portation facilities in the west were
confined to the navigable rivers, and
it was not until 1857, when the Han.
nibsl & St. Joe railway extended its
line west that the rumble of . locomo-
tive was heard in the valley Of the
Missouri. With the building Of rail-
ways came the development Of the
West and an increase in the price of
farm products.
While the great mass Of the people
did not appear to realize the part the
West and Northwest Was destined to
play in the development Of the country,
yet there were far-seeing men who
seemed to have q prophetic vision of
the future.
Senator Norvile Of Michigan, was
one of the pioneers who As early rs
1S43 appeared to realize the advan-
tages Of cheap transportation for the
products of the western farmer, and
introduced a bill in the United States
senate providing for q grant of
land for the building of the Sault Ste
Marie canal. Henry Clay said that
"the money might as we'll be wasted
for a project in the moon." But the
canal was built, Notwithstanding the
protest of the Kentucky statesman,
and opened for business in 1855. The
first year 14,5OO tons of freight passed
through the canal, and it was not until
1876 that the million ton mark was
reached. In 1890 the tonnage had
reached 100000, exceeding the ton.
age of the Suez canal nearly 1000, 600.
In 1896, 1OO,OOO,OOO tons of freight
passed through the canal. A writer
in the New York Tribune asks "what
does 100000, ,OOOtons Of freight mean?"
and then proceeds to answer the ques.
tion: ITO handle it required for eight
months the services of 1900 lake cap
tains, 5000 mates, .15, 900 sailors and
100000 landsmen. 1t is nine times as
great as the tonnage that passed
through the Suez canal; twice the
combined annual tonnage of London
and Liverpool, two Of the worlds
greatest seaports. and more than So.
OOO, 900 tons in excess of that which
entered and left New York.
IF the total amount Of grain which
was carried in 1906 were made into
-four, and to it were added the -four
tonnage, the aggregate would make
1896, ,6S3 barrels. From q barrel of
-four 25O one pound loaves Of bread
can be made. Estimating that every
person eats an average Of one-hslf
pound of bread daily, this tremendous
supply of bread would feed 21, ,468.
34l 800 people for one day"
Since 1896 the tonnage passing
through the canal has reached figures
SO colossal rs to be almost beyond com
prehension, and the predictions made
by Senator Norveil have been more
than fulfilled. Within the past three
years scores of vessels from 5000 to
5000 tons carrying capacity have
been added to the lake traffic. Eight
Of these new vessels have an aggregate
Of 5000 tnns Of freight an amount
equal to 1000 ordinary cars or more |
than fifty trains.
There is now an effort being made to |
revive interest in water transportation
to take advantage Of the streams
nature has blessed the country with. |
The natural water powers of the New
England states have made it possible
for that part Of the country to manu-.
facture and put upon the market
goods cheaper than country without
natural water pswer or q coal supply
AN compete with. In developing
water facilities by building the Sault
Ste Marie canal cheaper transporta-
ion for Uoods cominv and s,nino v,oro