The Ely miner., 1910-09-02
Where Economy comestin.


In 1908 the average cost ofcarrying
wheat from Chicago to Buffalo by lake
was one cent . bushel. while the cost
by rail to New York was 11.7 cents
almost twelve times as much, although
the distance is the same. But grain
which is to 60 all the way by water
must be transferred to canal boats at
Buffalo. Little canal boats. drawn by
mules cannot carry stu6 as cheaply
as big ships driven by steam, SO the
through rate by water was six cents
bushel, little over half as much
as by rail. For the twenty years end
ing with 1908 the water rate, on the
average, was lower than the rail rate
by 6.2 cents q busheL On the ship
ments from Lake Superior the differ
ence was greater still. sine Duluth is
less than 100 miles farther from New
York than Chicago is bv water and
nearly 500 miles farther BY rail, but
no comparative rates are published.
The beneficial effects Of the water
way, through lowered cost of transpor-
tation, are not confined 10 the grain
shipped from cities on tho lakes, but
extend to practically all tho grain
produced. The total production Of
the five principal cereals-wheat.
corn. oats. barley and rye-dnring the
past 40 years. was OVER 12o. .0oo, ,ooo, 900
bushels. II the average addition to
the va1ue"of this vast volume Of grain
was five cents q balshel. and that
seems a moderate iagure In view OF
the facts stated above, the total is
more than $4,000 900 N0o-nearb all OF
which has. gone-into. 'the.pockets of the
farmers.
But while the'beneGcial effectAof,the
waterways extends to q surprising dis
tance, waterway CLOSE by exerts .
very much more object and powerful
influence than one a. long way on. II
the Great Lakes and the Erie canal
have Increased tho value OF grain all
over the west, what do you suppose
would happen II the Mississippi, Mis-
souri,, Arkansas and Red rivtrs were
80 improved that boats could run ev-
cry day In the year unless htndered
by ice?
Money Needed for Work.
The National Rivers and H hrbors
congress is working for the i'm prove
ment Of the rivers, harbors and water.
ways in all parts of the United states.
Chairman Alexander Of the rive, NJ and
harbors committee, says that $33 9.o0o,-
600 viii complete every project which
has been begun or has been r ecom-
mended by the army engineers. Five
hundred million dollars would prob
ably finish up all of these and a 1 the
new projects which win be sury eyed
and adopted within the next few y ears.
The average annual production OF
the five principal cereals. which dur.
Ing the last ten years has been 4, 451,r
100000 bushels. has been steadil,r In.
creastng and Will probably cont lnue
to increase for some time to come.
The complete Improvement of all
bur waterways would increase the
value Of every bushel Of grain pro-
iuced by at least five cents-my own
opinion Is that At would be more than
hat.
But Let US be~oR the safe. side. Sup.
pose we spend bf1lion dollars on
instead Of a half-billion;
suppose that the production OF grain
'emains as It L. instead Of Increasing;
md suppose that the price Of grain Is
Increased only 2h cents . bushel in.
Itead Of I'VE.
Even 80, with production stationary, \
he expense doubled and the benefit
'ut in halt. the whole $1,000, ,0oo, 600
Fould be returned In less than ten
ears stus the Increased. price Of grain.
Ilaue.