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DETROIT, MICH., DECEMBER 17 AND 18, 1891.
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Published by Order of the Convention.
LAKE TRANSPORTATIOS
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
Deep Waterways Convention
HELD AT
DETROIT, MICH., DECEMBER 17 AED 18,1891.
PuMished iy Order of the Contention.
Detroit Frrb Press Printino Co.
1893.
»
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
Deep Waterways Convention
HELD AT
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, DEGEJIRER 17-18, 1891.
The convention met at tlie Armory Hall of the Detroit
Light Infantry, on Thursday, December 17, 1891, and was
called to order by Hon. William C. Maybury, of Detroit, who
.said :
Hon. W. C. Maybuey's Address.
I am requested by the local Executive Committee to call this
convention to order. It may not be inappropriate for me in a
word or two to state the steps that led up to this assemblage.
If there is anything in the history of our country, and es¬
pecially of this great Northwest, that is marked and signifi¬
cant, it is the jealous regard and care with which all peoples
and generations dominating these inland waters, have provided
for the free floating of our commerce upon their bosom.
Whether the domination were English, French or American,
whether the provisions were of treaty or statute, that same
jealous care has been extended throughout the history of the
use of these waters.
The question of a deep waterway might be said to have
been the dream of twenty-five years ago and the progressive
hope of the years intervening, until to-day it is the absolute
necessity of the hour. (Applause.)
It seems that the great expense to be incurred in providing
4
proceedings of the
an uniformly deep channel, was so great that even a people as
rich as those of this land, and a government as generous,
might well hesitate before entering upon the accomplishment
of so great an undertaking; but in the last year a citizen, dis¬
tinguished alike for his achievements in war and in peace, has
developed the fact that the expense of an uniform deep water¬
way for our harbors and our channels is but a bagatelle com¬
pared to the great results to be accomplished thereby. (Ap¬
plause).
Encouraged by this information from so trustworthy a
source, this convention is called to assemble, and by united ef¬
fort to urge upon the Congress of the United States the appro¬
priation of the required amount of money, so that the work
may be begun, not to-morrow or next year, but begun now
and completed at the earliest possible moment. (Applause).
I will now ask for the reading of the letter of Congressman
Chipman, which was the first step in these proceedings, and
afterward the reading of the call for the convention, by the
Secretary, Mr. George M. Lane.
The letter was then read as follows :
Hon. J. Logan Chipman's Letter.
Detroit, Mich., July 14, 1891.
To the Detroit Board of Trade.
Gentlemen:—I beg leave to call your attention to the
necessities of Northwestern Lake Commerce, which seem to
me to be urgent. These consist of—
First. A channel twenty-one feet in depth consecutively
from one end of the lakes to the other.
Second. Harbor improvements where they will do the
most good to the general business of lake transportation—
this, of course, would include facilities for handling ships, and
access to important products.
Third. Light-houses, fog signals, buoys, ranges, and other
aids to navigation.
deep waterways convention.
5
Fourth. A sufficient and reliable communication by water
between lake ports and foreign countries.
These are matters of vital importance to the entire produc¬
ing region of the Northwest, and especially to the nine states
which debouch on the Great Lakes, for the question of transpor¬
tation is to us, the most important question for consideration.
The improvements I have suggested demand the expenditure of
large sums of money, running into the hundreds of millions of
dollars—sums so large that we are admonished that they
should only be expended under plans carefully prepared, and
for well ascertained necessities. The real necessities of the
situation are so great and so imminent, that it is our duty to
interfere to prevent appropriations by Congress for works
which are not needed now, or which will not be needed in a
probable future. In a word, we have in this lake country so
many meritorious objects for appropriation of national money,
that we should only advocate those which are broadest in their
scope and most pressing as a present need.
I do not think it necessary to enter into a discussion of the im¬
portance of direct communication by water between lake ports
and foreign countries. The project is a vast one, but entirely
within the legal power and financial ability of the national gov¬
ernment. The Great Cakes and their tributary country must
have access to the sea in their own ships. This should be taught
to every child of this section as the creed of his civil faith. The
yearly cost of handling the exports and imports of this vast
region would soon pay for the construction of canals of capac¬
ity to float the deepest ship which could use a twenty-one
feet depth of water in the lakes. The attainment of that depth
for the lake marine would be "a lame and impotent conclusion,"
if it is not supplemented by ocean navigation. Our lumber,
iron, cotton, wheat, pork, beef, and the products of our factories,
are too vast to be forever tributary to the middlemen of the
seaboard. Our producers are entitled to make as nearly all that
can be made out of their products, by dealing close to first
hands. Beyond this there is no reason why the lake country
should not be a second Clyde and construct ships for the
6
peooeedings of the
world. Every lake city should be a seaport, and all charges
for handling our products between shipment here and the en¬
trance on the ocean should be saved.
I think the time has come to enter into this matter in
earnest.
I have ventured to address this communication to you be¬
cause I am certain there should be concert of action among
the people of this western country and of the Northwest, in all
matters relating to transportation. I would thus avoid waste
of appropriations for works not greatly needed, and would
give authoritative utterance to what is greatly needed.
Bodies like yours could easily bring about this concerted ac¬
tion. My own view is that a convention, held at some lake city
during the coming fall, would deal not only intelligently, but
influentially, with the matters I have suggested. The twenty-
one feet channel, what harbors ought to be improved, what
light houses, etc., ought to be constructed, what methods adopt¬
ed to secure direct trade with foreign countries, would consti¬
tute the field of such a convention.
Next summer the country will be in the throes of a presidential
election, and it will he difficult, if not impossible, to secure at¬
tention to these subjects. Hoping that you will approve of my
suggestions, and act as a body in furtherance of them, I am,
with great respect.
Yours truly,
J. LOGAN CHIPMAN.
An Explanatory Statement.
Mr. Maybuey: The Secretary will now read the call for
the convention.
Before reading the call, the following statement was made
by way of explanation;
In response to the suggestions made by Mr. Chipman, a cir¬
cular letter was sent out b)' the three commercial organizations
of Detroit, namely. The Board of Trade, The Merchants and
Manufacturers' Exchange, and The Vessel Owners' Associa-
dkep waterways convention.
7
tion, soliciting expressions of opinion from various commercial
organizations, and from individuals, relative to the practica¬
bility or advisability of holding such a convention. The
replies to that circular were unanimous that such a convention
was wise and should be called. The three organizations,
therefore, united in the issuing of the call, which I will read:
The Call for the Convention.
Detroit, Mich., November 25, 1891.
During the past two months, a Joint Committee, represent¬
ing The Board of Trade, The Merchants and Manufacturers'
Exchange, and The Vessel Owners' Association of the City of
Detroit, has corresponded with representative commercial
associations of cities situated upon our northwestern lakes, or
whose trade was tributary to those waters, and with quite a
number of members of Congress, relative to the desirability of
the holding of a convention in the near future to consider
questions relating to much needed improvements in the chan¬
nels of water communication through our Great Lakes, making
twenty and twenty-one feet the minimum depth throughout
their entire length; the location of light-houses; the deepening
of important harbors, and possibly the most feasible route for
connecting these lakes with tide-water by a deep water chan¬
nel that will float our largest vessels. Answers to such inquir¬
ies have been hearty and practically unanimous favoring such
a movement.
Among the Associations endorsing the proposed convention
are the following:
the chicago board of trade,
the minneapolis chasiber of commerce.
the milwaukee chamber of commerce.
the doluth chamber of commerce.
the west superior chamber of commerce.
the millers' national association.
the bay city business men's association.
the toledo produce exchange.
the cleveland board of trade.
the buffalo merchants' exchange.
the detroit board of trade.
the detroit merchants and manufacturers'
exchange.
the detroit vessel owners' association.
Besides these, many letters from representative individuals
have been received, all substantially of like import.
In view, therefore, of such an expression of opinion. The
Chicago Board of Trade, The Detroit Board of Trade, The
8
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Merchants and Manufacturers' Exchange, and The Vessel
Owners' Association, also of Detroit, have authorized the
undersigned to call such a convention.
In fulfillment of such duty we hereby call a convention to
be held in the City of Detroit, upon Thursday, December 17,
1891, to consider the interests, and those only, connected with
deep water navigation of the northwestern lakes and connect¬
ing channels; it being understood that only those interests of
commanding importance to the trade of the whole lake region,
or large sections thereof, shall receive the attention of the
convention.
All commercial associations or organizations of cities or
States situated upon or adjacent and tributary to these lakes,
and incorporated cities similarly located having no commercial
organization to be represented, are invited to send each five
delegates as members of this convention.
The Committee will also, by special communication, invite
the Governor of each State bordering our lakes, to attend the
convention, and will also request that he appoint five citizens
of his State to act with him as members.
Commercial associations or delegates desiring to submit to
the convention for its consideration opinions relative to the
interests named, are invited to come prepared with such mat¬
ter as they may wi.-<h to offer.
The undersigned do not think it necessary at this time to
speak farther of the importance of the questions that should
be considered by such a convention, and to urge that as a
reason for a large attendance. We only add that it is the
general wish that this should be the largest and most influen¬
tial gathering ever assembled to consider these matters, and
that it may result in securing needed legislation by Congress
at its present session.
J. G. STEEVER, Acting President,
GEO. P. STORE, Secretary.
Board of Trade, City of Chicago, Illinois.
executive committee:
W. 0. MAYBURY,
"WM. LIVINGSTONE, Jr.,
GEO. M. LANE,
Board of Trade.
WM. S. CRANE,
JOHN B. HOWARTH,
JOHN N. BAGLEY,
Merchants and Manufanturm' Exchange.
EBER WARD,
JAMES W. MILLEN,
E. M. PECK,
Vessel fhrners' Association.
deep wateewäts convention.
9
Address of Welcome et Matoe Pingeee.
Mr. Maybuey then introduced Hon. Hazbn S. Pingeee,
mayor of Detroit, who delivered the following address:
Gentlemen op the Convention:—It has been my pleasure,
as it has been my duty, to welcome to the best we had in De¬
troit, national conventions of various kinds. But I do not
know of any whose objects and purposes were more directly
connected with the well being and the prosperity of the whole
country, than the one which I greet to-day, and to which I
cheerfully and cordially extend the hospitalities of our city.
You who have gathered here to-day to deliberate on a prob¬
lem of paramount importance, represent many interests. I see
before me men from far-off Dakota, and men from the Empire
State of the Union; men from that New York of the west, that
phenomenal city of America—Duluth. I see men from that
wonder of modern times—that Colossus in growth and enter¬
prise—Chicago; men from those conservative but prosperous
cities of Cleveland and Buffalo; men from those marvelous twin
cities at the head of the Father of Waters, which make bread
for the world—Minneapolis and St. Paul. And I see before me
delegates from the beautiful City of the Straits, backed up
and encouraged, as they should be, by men representing the
business interests of the entire Peninsular State—a State upon
which we, perhaps with pardonable pride, look with feelings
of awe and reverence, as one having been endowed by the
bountiful Creator with so many natural advantages, far in ex¬
cess of those of her sister States.
Why are so many interests represented ? Why do so
many men from such extremes of territory come together in a
common cause ? It can be for no other reason than that all
parts of this great country have a common interest. What
is that interest ? The common welfare. What is the common
welfare ? That which will do some good to everybody.
But can that be done ? I believe, by the means which you
propose, that it can. I believe that if your plans, are carried
10
peoceedings of the
out by the goveniraent, it will enable the farmer in Nebraska
and Dakota to get more money for his wheat; and the laborer
in the streets of New York and Boston to pay less money for
the bread with which he feeds his family.
If this can be done legitimately, it cannot help but be a boon
to all concerned. To accomplish these things, among others, I
understand, is your mission here. And I desire to say now,
that in my humble way, whether as a citizen or as an official, I
shall always be proud to lend you my most hearty co-opera¬
tion.
But how can these eminently desirable economic ends be
brought about? Through the improvement of the water¬
ways by the United States Government. That seems a very
simple proposition to some of you before me who have made a
life-long study of the matter. But as you are asking an ap¬
propriation from the Government to accomplish this purpose,
you must convince the people of this whole country of two
things:
First. That the improvement of the waterways will bring
about the good things which it is claimed it will; and
Second. That it is incumbent upon the United States gov¬
ernment to make, at the general charge, the expenditure
asked.
The entries and clearances in New York in 1889 represented
11,051,236 tons; and the entries and clearances in all the sea¬
ports in the United States represented 26,983,315 tons. The
entries and clearances from London and Liverpool during
that year were 33,430,6 U tons. The entries and clearances
on the Great Lakes in the same year, were, according to the
United States census, 27,700,000 tons; but as the census
was low on everything, conservative estimators give the
figures as probably 30,000,000 of tons. In that period, not
less than 24,000,000 of tons of freight passed through Detroit
River, an amount 13,000,000 in excess of all the tonnage en¬
tering and leaving the port of New York; only 3,000,000 less
than the entries and clearances in all the seaport towns of the
whole United States; and only 9,000,000 less than the com-
DEEP -WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
11
bined foreign and coastwise shipments of those great shipping
ports of the world,—London and Liverpool.
In 1890, by actual figures there were transported on the
Great Lakes, 9,000,000 tons of iron ore; 5,000,000 tons of grain
and flour; 8,000,000 tons of lumber and forest products; 7,000,-
000 tons of coal; and 4,500,000 tons of miscellaneous freight;
making a total of 33,500,000 net tons of freight.
It is 1,000 miles from Duluth to Buffalo; and it is simply as¬
tounding to think that the average rate during the past sum¬
mer for carrying a ton of coal from Buffalo to Duluth was 30
cents; and that during a portion of that time it was transported
that distance for the almost incredible rate of 10 cents a ton
—less than a citizen of Detroit willingly pays to have the
same amount ôf coal shoveled from the curbstone in front
of his house, into his backyard or cellar. This is at the
rate of one-tenth of a mill per ton per mile, or about one-
hundredth of the ordinary rate of transportation by rail.
If you buy a barrel of flour down town, it costs you or the
person from whom you buy it, twenty-five cents to deliver it
at your house. The current rate during the past season for
carrying a barrel of flour from Duluth, (which is the outlet of
those great flour centers, Minneapolis and St. Paul,) to Buffalo,
was twelve and one half cents. A bushel of wheat has been
carried from Chicago to Buffalo, by boat, for one cent.
More than one half of all the iron ore used in the United States
is mined in and shipped from the Lake Superior region and the
Northern Peninsula of Michigan. Of this vast amount, less
than flve per cent is shipped by rail, almost the entire portion
finding its way to the smelting works over the waterways, the
improvement of which you are here to advocate. The prices
for carrying iron ore have been extremely low, and at the
same time have given a living profit to the interests engaged
in carrying it.
But if by any untoward circumstances, the facilities which
the Great Lakes give for the transportation of this product
should be cut off, it is certain that at least one half of the
smelting furnaces in Pennsylvania would be compelled to shut
12
peoceedings of the
down. The inevitable result would be an increase in the price
of all kinds of manufactured iron tbrougbout the entire coun¬
try, from Augusta to Galveston, and from Jacksonville to
Taco m a.
The benefits, therefore, of the cheap transportation afforded
by the waterways of the Great Lakes, may be summarized as.
First. An increase in the price of the products of the soil
to the farmers of the great Northwest; and through them an
increased prosperity to everybody in that great section of the
country.
Second. A decrease in the price of breadstuffs, and there¬
fore in the means of living, to the people in the dfensely
populated manufacturing districts of the East; and thereby a
surplus of earnings left in their hands for savings or invest¬
ment.
Thied. Living wages to the miners of Lake Superior, and
a reduced cost in everything in the shape of manufactured
iron, from a steel rail to a pound of nails.
Fourth. The development of a business, the decline of
which upon the high seas since the War of the Rebellion, has
been a stigma and a reproach upon the name of American
enterprise. It is our pride to-day that the commerce of the
inland seas is conducted in American bottoms—in vessels (the
superiors of which, for their special business, do not exist)—
designed by American architects, built by American capital
and American workmen, manned by American sailors, owned
and operated by Americans, and carrying the products of
American soil and industry.
Fifth. The fostering of the great industry of ship-building
in the cities bordering on the Great Lakes, which industry has
developed to a most remarkable extent during the past ten
years, meeting the necessities of the rapidly increasing com¬
merce of the lakes, and changing in that time, as if by magic,
the modest fleet of small, wooden schooners to the magnificent
squadron of steel steamships, fit to circumnavigate the globe.
And I cannot refrain here from referring to a recent decision
of a department of the United States Government, by which
deep waterways convention.
13
our lake ship-builders were debarred from bidding for the
construction of the war ships and cruisers of our modern navy
(of which we are all so proud), because of a technical construc¬
tion of a long forgotten treaty, which prohibited either Canada
or this country from keeping more than one man-of-war on the
Great Lakes. When our lake shipyards, with their extensive
plants for building steel steamships, can come into successful
competition with those of the Atlantic seaboard in the con¬
struction of steel steam merchantmen, (as they have done in
Cleveland, Bay City and West Superioi', and as they are fully
equipped todo in our own city,) it seems utterly unjust that they
should be debarred from legitimate competition for millions of
dollars of work, on a technicality, not raised or claimed by a
foreign power, but by our own government, which should treat
all sections of the country alike. I recommend to the dele¬
gates from cities and States bordering on the Great Lakes,
that they ask their senators and representatives to secure a
reconsideration of this unjust decision.
Sixth. The development of a race of sailors, which has be¬
come nearly extinct with the decadence of American shipping
on the high seas; and which will be, in time of war, of great
value to the government in manning its ships.
Now, as to whether it is incumbent upon the United States
government to make, at the general charge, the expenditures
necessary to improve these waterways. "As free as water,"
is a comparison of daily use. The waterways of which I have
spoken are absolutely free. They are the highways of the
Nation. No one can be debarred from their use. They are
as free to the owner of the sand-scow as they are to the
corporation operating the palatial steamer "City of Detroit;"
and it is because of this absolute freedom, and because of
the entire prohibition of any proprietary interest whatsoever,
that the general government has assumed, and has for
many years exercised, the control and supervision of the
waterways. For these reasons it has established rules for
their navigation. It has assumed and exercised the authority
of passing upon the competency of masters, mates, pilots and
14
proceedings of the
engineers. For the same reasons, it has marked dangerous
places with buoys, beacons and light-houses; and, for the same
reasons, it has built canals, blasted and dredged channels. The
officers entrusted by the government with the duty of extend¬
ing these aids to navigation, have recommended to the heads
of the departments to which they are responsible, that means
be taken at an early date to secure an uninterrupted and unob¬
structed channel of twenty feet in depth from Chicago and
from Duluth to Buffalo; and it is your province, and one of
the things for which you are assembled in convention to-day,
to see that the intelligent and scientific recommendations of
these government engineers are given effect through necessary
legislation of Congress. And, in deliherating upon the pro¬
posed expenditures, it seems to me that you can fairly consider
the admitted fact that this is the most lightly-taxed Nation of
any in the whole world; and that any money thus invested
will bring back ten for one in the actual financial benefit which
will accrue to hundreds of thousands of our citizens.
I trust that your deliberations, and the recommendations
resulting therefrom, will meet with the success which they so
justly merit; and I desire now to reiterate my cordial welcome
to this city, and my offer of assistance to the objects of this
convention, whenever and wherever possible. [Applause.]
Ex-Senator Palmer Called to Preside.
Mr Maybury; I am instructed by the Executive Committee
to call to preside over your deliberations during your tem¬
porary organization, one who unites in himself all the charac¬
teristics of a statesman, a navigator, a manufacturer and a
farmer, and who is a grand success in them all. [Applause.]
He is a citizen of the State of Michigan, but more than this,
a citizen of the United States, and still more, a citizen of the
world, Hon. Thomas W. Palmer. [Applause.] I see, as
usual, he has taken the last seat in the convention. His mod¬
esty bespeaks his merit, and it is for that reason that he is
always called to come up higher. [Applause.]
deep waterways convention.
1.5
liEMAEKS of HoN. ThoMAS W. PalMEE.
Me. Ciiaikman and Gentlemen of the Convention:
After a series of races between here and New York, New
York and Washington, Washington and Chicago, and Chicago
and Detroit, I find myself on the last quarter, a little dilapid¬
ated; but, in prize-fighter's parlance, if you will permit me,
I will say that I am still in the ring, although a little groggy
on the pins. [Laughter.]
I have a sentimental interest in this convention more than
a selfish one. I think, as far as we are concerned, we will
make just as much money with ordinary waterways as we will
with deep waterways. But it is a question of very vast im¬
portance to the people of the United States that they have
deep waterways. My connection with the lakes extends clear
back into the '30s, when, as a boy I used to borrow the yawl-
boat of the old Hiram Pierson, which some of you may
remember, or the Ramsey Crook, or the old Constellation, and
go out upon the river to scull, and make every effort I could
to be drowned. I still survive, however. I pulled the stroke
oar of a boat in 184V from Sault St. Marie to the head of Lake
Superior and back again. I doubt whether there is another
man in the congregation who can say as much.
In looking over the representative character of this conven¬
tion, I was impressed with the thought of the great difference
between our country and other lands. In other countries
legislation of this kind would commence with the head of a
bureau. Some great mogul would consult with some of the
navigators of the country and he would make the proposition;
but in such gatherings as these is the fountain head of the
legislation for our country.
I congratulate you that you have come here to-day. I have
no doubt that you will meet in Congress with a response to
your request, not to say your demands; for in the interests of
the whole people of the United States, I think you have a
right to demand it. These Great Lakes are God's highways.
They were put here for a purpose. Around them are dis-
16
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
tributed the most enterprising men of the United States,
made enterprising hy their very contiguity. The lakes and
the waterways are the great competitors with man and
man's avarice. The railroads could demand and sustain
far greater charges if it were not for the competing lines
of these highways of the Great Lakes. I had the honor
in the Senate of the United Stâtes, when making a pre¬
sentation of the case, of showing the comparative saving hy
reason of the improvements of the Great Lakes between ISS?
and 1887. In 1886, I think, twenty-two millions of tons
passed over the Lime Kiln Crossing. That, resolved into
bushels of wheat, and the difference being taken between 1857
and 1886 or 1887, amounted to $49,000,000 in one year. That
$49,000,000 was the saving upon the freight that passed hy
the lakes. The effect that it had also upon the railroad trans¬
portation of the country must have been nearly if not quite as
great. The five great trunk lines must have had their rates
reduced to as great a degree. That, added to the $49,000,000,
would amount to $98,000,000 as the saving to the people of
these United States in a single year. Now, while primarily
we are working for the interest in which we are directly
conceimed, yet, as the Mayor has said, there is not a single
individual in the United States who is not benefited by this
cheap transportation. It means cheap food, cheap iron, cheap
goods of every kind, to every man, woman and child in the
United States. There is not a colored man sitting under a
banyan tree down at Key West, where grows the only banyan
tree I know of in the United States, or a lumberman in Maine;
there is not a miner in California, there is not a ranchero in
Texas, but what is affected by the low freights upon the lakes
and their effect upon railroads. [Applause.] And I think
that while you gentlemen here may think you are working for
your own selfish interests, you are carrying out in an en¬
lightened way and promoting the interests of the people of the
United States. I do not think Congress can, after receiving
the presentation of the case as you will make it, decline to
comply, in so far as the government can, with your requests.
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
17
I had the honor of being at the Sault convention in 1886,1
think it was. We then asked for the large lock at Sault Ste.
Marie and the improvement of the Hay Lake channel. The
next Congress granted three million dollars, I think, and
although the work should have been pushed forward more
rapidly than it has been, still great good has already been
accomplished; and if we can promote and facilitate the com¬
pletion of that lock—and I think that should be one of the
objects of this meeting—we shall have accomplished a great
good for all the people in the United States.
There is one thing that I would like to say to the conven¬
tion. There is a great deal of loose knowledge about the
statistics of the commerce of the lakes. I think it is very
essential that that should be exact, so that it cannot be gain-
sayed on the floors of Congress; so that when you ask for
your appropriation and your improvements, your figures can¬
not be assailed. I am told that only thirty millions of dollars
have ever been expended upon the improvements upon the
lakes, and that thirty millions of dollars is only one-third of
the saving for a single year. That saving continues year after
year. To whom does it go? Certainly not to the vessel men,
but to the people of the United States. It means cheaper
comforts of life to every one.
There is another thing, and that has its sentimental side;
but all sentimental things after all come down to the practical.
I refer to the improvement of our harbors of refuge and the
establishment of others. The condition of affairs in this
respect is not as bad as it was several years ago, because we
have steam vessels that make it safer for the mariner; but how
many lives were lost every fall upon these great lakes by the
want of harbors of refuge?
Now in the deliberations of the convention, if you will
permit me the suggestion, I would make one central point the
point of attack, and let all other minor considerations come in
collaterally. I would concentrate my force upon the matter
of deep-waterways first. [Applause.] I believe in the im¬
provement of the different harbors, of the little streams that
18
PKOCEEniNGS OK THE
men say cannot float a sand barge; because I know whereof I
speak when I say that they have been of vast benefit to every
portion of the territory contiguous to the Great Lakes. There
was a little stream out on the west side of Michigan that we
got $5,000 appropriated for. It was shown that the commerce
of that river did not amount to $5,000 in one year. But what
was the effect of that improvement? It brought down rail¬
road rates one-half to the people. The railroads knew that
something could be done, now that the facilities had been
extended, that would check them if they advanced their rates;
and when we see people throughout the United States sneering
at the improvement of an insignificant stream, I should like to
have that very instance brought up before them, to show the
effect to be guaranteed by that character of legislation.
In your deliberations to-day, I have no doubt that after you
have organized you will put in shape such recommendations to
Congress as will have vast influence. I wish to say to you that
with all these States represented, there is no member of Con¬
gress, either in the Senate or in the House of Representatives,
who is going to give you a cold hearing. You are going to
get what you ask for if the government has got the money,
and I think that under the circumstances the government
could afford to borrow the money for the improvement of these
great waterways. [Applause.]
The great question of the future is the question of trans¬
portation. If agriculture is the framework of the body politic
and manufactures are the tissues, then commerce constitutes
the veins, carrying strength to every extremity and keeping
the whole organization vital and forceful. It is one of the
great interests of this country that under our constitution can
be promoted by appropriations by Congress; and in this very
line men who do not live upon the waterways, who know
nothing about the effect of cheap transportation on waterways,
will finally be committed to it; for I believe the time will
come when the government will not only take care of trans¬
portation upon the water but of transportation upon the land.
I believe the time will come when trunk lines will be con-
deep
wäteewats convention.
19
structed from Duluth and Chicago to the Pacific, upon which
locomotives will be furnished to haul cars or tonnage for so
much per mile, and when every man can have his car, or rival
companies can compete for the transportation of the people.
The chair now awaits the action of the convention.
A Committee on Ckedentials Appointed.
Mr. William Livingstone, Ji-., of Detroit, moved the appoint¬
ment of a committee on credentials, to consist of six members
to he appointed by the chair.
The motion was adopted and the chair appointed William
Livingstone, Jr., of Detroit, H. H. Holt, of Muskegon, David
Vance, of Milwaukee, C. H. Keep, of Buffalo, J. S. Dunham,
of Chicago, and A. B. Wolvin, of Duluth.
Mr. Livingstone then offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Credentials is hereby
authorized and directed to report to this convention as accred¬
ited delegates, all persons holding credentials from, or repre¬
senting commercial organizations, in person or by proxy;
also special representatives of cities not represented by com¬
mercial organizations, and appointees by the Governors of
States, such persons to be entitled to a seat and a vote ; and
that said committee further report to this convention as mem¬
bers thereof, with the right to a seat and to participate in
debate, but not to vote, all persons specially invited to attend
the convention as honorary members.
The resolution was adopted.
A Committee on Permanent Organization.
Mr. William C. Maybury moved the appointment of a com¬
mittee of seven on permanent organization.
The motion was carried and the chair appointed William C.
Maybury, of Detroit, T. J. Nicol, of Duluth, D. W. Irwin, of
Oswego, George H. Ely, of Cleveland, John B. Merrill, of
Milwaukee, C. T. Judkins, of Houghton, and D. E. Roberts,
of West Superior.
Mr. Harvey J. Hui'd, of Buffalo, wished that city to have a
20
proceedings of the
representation upon the committee, and moved that it be
increased to nine. This was done and M. M. Drake, of Buf¬
falo, and W. H. Herbert, of Sandusky, were added .to the
committee.
Committee Appointments Deferred.
Mr. George C. Beis, of Sandusky, moved the appointment
of a committee of nine to memorialize Congress.
Mr. Hurd made the point of order that that committee
could not be made up intelligently until the Committee on Cre¬
dentials had reported, so that all localities and interests might
be properly represented. He moved as an amendment that
the appointment of this committee be deferred until after the
roll of delegates was made up.
The motion as amended was adopted.
Mr. Livingstone moved the appointment of a committee on
resolutions, to consist of one member from each of the organi¬
zations represented. Mr. Livingstone first attempted to name
each of the places entitled to representation, but several dele¬
gates suggested the names of places which had been omitted,
and finally, on motion of Mr. Thompson, of Duluth, the
appointment of the committee was deferred until the roll
should be made up.
Miscellaneous Business.
Mr. Livingstone also suggested the appointment of a vice-
president from each organization.
The Committee on Permanent Organization was requested
also to report an order of business.
The convention then took a recess until 2 P. M.
deep waterways convention.
21
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The convention was called to order by its temporary chair¬
man, Hon. Thomas W. Palmer, who stated that the first busi¬
ness in order was the report of the Committee on Credentials.
The List of Delegates.
Mr. William Livingsto ne, Jr., reported the following list of
delegates entitled to seats in the convention :
Active List.
michigan.
Delegates at Large—Gov. E. B. Winans, Hon. Thomas W.
Palmer, Hon. Perry Hannah, Hon. Peter White, Hon. C. K.
Eddy and Hon. F. W. Wheeler.
Detroit Board of Trade—Hon. William C. Mayhury, Wil¬
liam Livingstone, Jr., D. Carter, William Lichtenberg, George
M. Lane.
Detroit Merchants and Manufacturers^ Exchange—Hon. H.
S. Pingree, F. E. Kirby, E. L. Thompson, J. V. Moran, Theo.
D. Buhl.
Detroit Vessel Owners' Association—J. W. Millen, D. C.
Whitney, John I. Adams, S. C. Waldo, Eber Ward.
Bay City Bicsiness Men's Association.—John C. Weadock,
B. Boutell, H. M. Gillett, Newell A. Eddy, Thomas Cranage.
Saginaw Board of Trade—Arthur Hill, J. A. Whittier, J.
S. Estabrook, Ezra Rust.
Grand Rapids Board of Trade—Charles R. Sligh, Hon.
T. D. Gilbert, I. M. Weston, L. C. Stow.
Muskegon Board of Trade—H. H. Holt, N. McGraft,
George F. Outhwaite, L. N. Keating.
Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce — Hon. H. W.
Seymour, Benjamin Moore, Hon. Otto Fowle, Judge Joseph
H. Steere, C. S. Osborn.
Houghton County — Hon. J. A. Hubbell, B. T. Judkins,
Edward Ryan, James R. Cooper, Jacob Houghton.
Teuton Harbor—J. P. Thresher, W. L. George.
Ishpeming—C. H. Hall, W. F. Swift, George W. Hayden,
George A. Newett, T. F. Donahoe, F. Braasted.
Port Huron—Henry Howard, William Jenkinson.
22
PEOC EE DINGS OF THE
Marquette—Peter White, H. H. Burt, George A. Roys,
Horatio Seymour, Jr., George Wagner.
MINNESOTA.
Delegates at Large—John Gordon (proxy for Hon. J. J.
Hill), Hon. F. B. Daugherty, Gen. S. P. Jennison.
Duluth Jobbers' Union—J. J. Costello.
Duluth Doard of Trade—C. H. Graves, J. S. Rose, A. B.
Wolvin, T. J. Nicol.
Duluth Chamber of Commerce—J. W. Miller, F. B. Daugh¬
erty, S. A. Thompson.
WISCONSIN.
Superior Chamber of Commerce—Martin Pattison, Denis
Dean, D. E. Roberts, James Bardon.
West Superior Chamber of Commerce—T. B. Mills, Edgar
Weeks, James H. Agen, F. E. C. Bryant.
Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce—John V. Merrill, David
Vance, F. H. Magdeburg.
Green Day Dusiness Men's Association—James H. Elmore,
M. J. McCormick, S. J. Murphy, John Stevenson (proxy for
Mitchell Joannes), William Craig (proxy for Fred Hurlbut).
Washburn Dusiness Merits Association — A. C. Probert,
John A. Jacobs.
Dayfield—-W. F. Dalrymple, P. L. Chase.
ILLINOIS.
Delegates at Large—Hon. Ralph Plumb, Hon. Homer J.
Carr, Capt. J. S. Dunham, Hon. L. E. Cooley, Hon. D. S.
Berry, Capt. A. W. Allyn.
Chicago Doard of Trade—J. S. Hanna, Hugh MacMillan,
C. E. Kremer, T. T. Morford, Capt. J. S. Dunham.
Ulinois Grain Shippers' Association—S. J. Marston.
OHIO.
Delegates at Large—John Craig, C. C. Waite, John P.
Manning, Walter P. Rice, Geo. C. Beis.
Cleveland Vessel Owners' Association—George P. McKay,
James Stone, William S. Mack, B. L. Pennington, M. A.
Bradley.
Cleveland Doard of Trade—George H. Ely, George W.
Gardner, Thomas Wilson, W. M. Day, Martin Dodge.
Sandusky—W. H. Herbert, R. E. Schuck, George C. Beis,
T. F. Mack, James Flynn.
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
23
Ashtabula—F. C. Moore.
Toledo Produce Exchange—John F. Zahm, D. B. Smith,
AVm. M. Belman.
NEW YORK.
Buffalo Merchants' Exchange—L. V. R. Parsons, M. M.
Drake.
Buffalo Bake Carriers' Association—C. H. Keep, John
Gordon.
Buffalo Lumber Exchange—Harvey J. Hard, John T.
Stewart.
Albany Chamber of Commerce—F. Wheeler.
New York Canal Union—O. B. Potter, George Clinton.
Oswego Yessel Owners' Association—M. J. Cummings,
Geo. N. Burt, H. D. McCafEry, F. O. Clarke, Robert Downey.
Oswego Board of Trade—D. M. Irwin, Hon. D. C. Little-
john. Max B. Richardson, Charles H. Bond, Wm. P. Judson.
Oswego Alerchants and Manufacturers' Association—T. P.
Kingsford, F. E. Hamilton, John A. Barry, M. E. Graves.
All active members to be entitled to take part in the debates
and to vote.
Honorary Alembers.
New York—Hon. S. K Payne, M. C., Frank Owen, J. J. H.
Brown.
Ohio—Jno. M. Mulroony, John Mitchell, M. A. Bradley,
Irving B. Smith.
Pennsylvania—Thos. P. Roberts, Eben Brewer.
Illinois—C. A. McDonald, C. W. Elphicke.
Minnesota—B. B. Inman, S. A. March.
Wisconsin—I. M. Benjamin.
Michigan—Ex-Go v. H. P. Baldwin, Gen. O. M. Poe, IT. S.
Engineers; Col. Wm. Ludlow, U. S. A.; Lieut. Chas. S. Riche,
U. S. Engineers; Geo. W. Bissel), Geo. H. Russell, W. S. Pope,
Hugh McMillan, H. C. Hodges, Jesse H. Farwell, A. A. Parker,
E. L. Thompson, Hon. Geo. L. Maitz, A. A. Boutell, Hon. S.
M. Cutcheon, J. W. Wescott, Thos. K. Christie, Geo. H. Bar¬
bour, James H. Donovan, Harry S. Hodge, Wm. A. Living¬
stone, Geo. H. Hopkins, H. Kaulman, Wm. E. Quinby, J. T.
Whiting.
Honorary members to be entitled to t.ake part in the debates
but not to vote.
The report was adopted.
24
pkoceedings of the
Letters of Regret.
Letters expressing regrets on account of inability to be
present, and in most instances conveying assurances of hearty
sympathy with the purposes of the convention, were received
from the following individuals:
Gov. W. R. Merriam, of Minnesota.
Gov. G. W. Peck, of Wisconsin.
Gov. Jas E. Campbell, of Ohio.
Hon. L. P. Casey, U. S. S.
Hon. P. Sawyer, U. S. S.
Hon. Clinton Babbitt, M. C.
Hon. J. C. Burrows, M. C.
Hon. J. N. Castle, M C.
Hon. J. L. Chipman, M. C.
Hon. Jlortimer Griswold, M. C.
Hon. R. Halvorsen, M. C.
Hon. W. H. Harris, M. C.
Hon. M. R. Johnson, M. C.
Hon. H. H. Wheeler. M. C.
E. H. Towar, Marquette, Mich.
W. C. McMillan, Detroit, Mich.
J. M. Jenks. Port Huron, 3iich.
Chas A. Eddy. Bay City. Mich.
W. D Rees, Cleveland, Ohio.
F. J Parkhurst, t leveland, Ohio.
S D. Caldwell Buffalo, N. Y.
E. T. Evans, Buffalo, N. Y.
E. A. Beach, Chicago, Bl.
M. W. Egan, Chicago, 111.
E. S Worthington, Chicago, 111.
R. G. Chandler, Chicago, 111.
Wm. H. Bartlett, Chicago, 111.
T. M. Jenkinson, Pittsburgh, Pa.
James Rees, Pittsburgh, Pa.
S. S. Brown, Pittsburgh, Pa.
A. D. Thompson, Dulutli, Minn.
E. D. Childs, Carmen, Minn.
W. H. Wolf, Milwaukee, Wis.
J. C. Ricketsou, Miiwaukee, Wis.
Gov. J. W. Fifer, of Illinois.
Gov. R. E. Patterson, of Pennsyl'a..
Hon. C. K. Davis, U. S. 8.
Hon. Jas. McMillan. U. 8. 8.
Hon. F. B. Sti>ckbridge, IJ. 8. 8.
Hon. L E. McGann, M. C.
Hon. Jas. O'Donnell, M. C.
Hon. C H. Brichner, M. C.
Hon. B. G. Stout, M, C.
Hon. 8. M. Stephenson, M. C.
Hon. J. R. Whiting, M. C.
Hon. Abner Taylor, M. C.
Hon H. M. Youmans, M. C.
F. H. Van Cleve, Escanaba, Mich.
J. M. Longyear, Marquette, Mich.
A. McYittie, Detroit, Mich.
Jas. E. Scripps, Detroit. Mich.
J. M. Craig, Toledo, Ohio.
Geo. P. McKay, Cleveland, Ohio.
H. M. Hanna, Cleveland, Ohio.
D. McLeod, Buffalo, N. Y.
Geo. F. Stone. Chicago. 111.
A. M. Goodrich, Chicago, 111.
H. F. Dousman, Chicago, 111.
C. B. Vankirk, Chicago, 111.
C. B Congdon, Chicago, 111.
H. H. Aldrich, Chicago, 111.
J. A. Henderson, Pittsburgh, Pa.
C. L. Batchelder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
W. H. Longley, South Bend, Ind.
Alex. McDougal, Duluth, Minn.
C. A Chapman, Mankato, Minn.
Francis Boyd, Milwaukee, Wis.
Alex. Berger, Milwaukee, Wis.
Permanent Officers of the Convention.
The Chairman: The next business in order is the report
of the Committee on Permanent Organization,
The report was presented by Hon, William C. Maybury, of
Detroit, as follows:
Your Committee on Permanent Organization respectfully
report the name of Hon. Thomas W. Palmer, of Michigan,
dkep waterways convention.
25
as President of this convention. The Vice-Presidents thereof
heing already designated by prior order of this convention,
we recommend that, on the call of the roll, the Vice-Presidents
selected from each organization be designated. Your Com¬
mittee recommend for Secretaries of this convention, C. H.
Graves, of Duluth, Minn., C. A. Keep, of Buffalo, K. Y.,
Robert Downey, of Oswego, N. Y., B. L. Pennington, of
Cleveland, O., J. S. Dunham, of Chicago, 111., and George M.
Lane, of Detroit.
An Oedek of Business.
By direction of the convention, your Committee recommend
for adoption the following Order of Business for the guidance
of this convention and future conventions of this body:
' 1. Calling of the Roll.
2. Election of Officers.
3. Appointment of permanent committees, as follows; (1)
On Finance, to consist of five members, and to be appointed
by the President of the convention. (2) On Legislation, to
be appointed by the convention, and to consist of at least one
representative from each organized association represented in
the convention. (3) Resolutions, to be appointed in like
manner as the Committee on Legislation. (4) Arrangements,
to consist of five members, appointed by the President.
4. Reading of letters and other communications.
5. Formal papers and addresses by persons invited by
the convention.
6. Motions, resolutions and memorials.
7. Reports of committees.
8. Miscellaneous business pertinent to the objects of the
convention.
9. Adjournment.
A Committee on Legislation.
Your Committee recommend that the Committee on Reso¬
lutions and Memorials, already provided for by action of this
26
pkockedings of the
oonvention, shall, with the permanent officers of this conven¬
tion, constitute also a Committee on Legislation, to whom
shall be referi-ed by this convention every matter and thing
affecting legislation, or tending to further the purposes of this
convention.
The reassembling of this convention at any future time
shall be upon the call of the President in the exercise of his
discretion, or upon a written request of a majority of the
Committee on Legislation.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
The Report Adopted.
The question on the adoption of so much of the report as
related to the naming of Hon. Thomas W. Palmer as perman¬
ent President of the convention, was put by Hon. Willianl
C. Maybury, and unanimously carried.
President Palmer Returns His Thanks.
President Palmer: Gentlemen, for this accumulation of
honors I am deeply thankful. I shall not waste your time by
attempting to express my thanks, which I most assuredly feel.
We are all business men, and we are here for business. The
best way that I can show, my appreciation of the honor you
have conferred upon me is by pushing business, and I assure
you that if you gentlemen will let me have a chance, I
will push it. The first thing in order is the adoption of the
remainder of the report.
The report as a whole was then adopted.
The Vice-Presidents Chosen.
Gen. S. P. Jennison, of Minnesota; I move that we pro¬
ceed to complete our organization by the selection at the same
time of a Vice-President and member of the Committee on
Resolutions from each delegation.
The motion was carried, and the following Vice-Presidents
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
27
and members of the Committee on Resolutions were reported
from the various delegations as they were called;
Detroit Board of Trade—James H. Donovan.
Detroit Merchants and Manufacturer^ Exchange—A. A.
Boutell.
Detroit Vessel Ovinerd Association—Eber Ward.
Bay City Business Men's Association—Thomas Cranage.
Saginaw Board of Trade—Joseph A. Whittier.
Grand B,apids Board of Trade—T. D. Gilbert.
Muskegon Board of Trade—L. N. Keating.
Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce—H. W. Seymour.
Houghton County—J. A. Hubbell.
Ishpeming—C. H. Hall.
Port Huron—William Jenkinson.
Marquette—Peter White.
Superior Chamber of Commerce—Martin M. Fattison.
West Superior Chamber of Commerce—James H. Agen.
Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce—F. H. Magdeburg.
Green Bay Business lien's Association—M. J. McCormick.
Washburn Business Men's Association—John A. Jacobs.
Bayfield—H. L. Chase.
Duluth Jobbers' Union—J. J. Costello.
Duluth Board of Trade—A. B. Wolvin.
Duluth Chamber of Commerce—J. W. Miller.
Buffalo Merchants' Exchange—M. M. Drake.
Buffalo Lake Carriers' Association—-William Livingstone.
Jr.
Buffalo Lumber Exchange—Harvey J. Hurd.
Albany Chamber of Commerce—Fred. F. Wheeler.
Oswego Vessel Owners' Exchange—M. J. Cummings. .
Oswego Merchants and Manufacturer^ Association—A. I'.
Kingsford.
Oswego Board of Trade—Charles H. Bond.
Toledo Produce Exchange—John F. Zahm.
Cleveland Vessel Owners' Association—M. A. Bradley.
Cleveland Board of Trade—George W. Gardner.
Sandusky—R. F. Schuck.
Ashtabula—F. C. Moore.
Chicago Board of Trade—T. T. Morford.
Illinois—A. W. Allyn.
Minnesota—S. P. Jennison.
Ohio—John P. Manning.
Neio York Canal Union—O. B. Potter.
Illinois Grain Shippers' Association—S. H. Marston.
28
proceedings of the
CoMMriTEE ON E.ESOLDTIONS.
Detroit Board of Trade—William C. Maybury.
Detroit Merchants and Manufacturers' Exchange—E. L.
Thompson.
Detroit Vessel Owners' Association—James Millen.
Bay City Business Menus Association—H. M. Gillett.
Saginaw Board of Trade—John S. Estabrook.
Grand Rapids Board of Trade—I. M. Weston.
Muskegon Board of Trade—Newton McGraft.
Sault Ste. Alarie Chamber of Commerce—H. W. Seymour.
Houghton County—Jacob Houghton.
Ishpeming—George A. Newett.
Port Huron—Henry Howard.
Marquette—Hiram A. Burt.
Superior Chamber of Commerce—James Bardon.
West Superior Chamber of Commerce—T. B. Mills.
Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce—John B. Merrill.
Green Bay Business Men's Association—S. J. Murphy, Jr.
Washburn Business Men's Association—A. C. Probert.
Bayfield—F. W. Dalrymple.
Duluth Jobbers' Union—J. J. Costello.
Diduth Board of Trade—^T. M. Nicol.
Duluth Chamber of Commerce—S. A. Thompson.
Buffalo Merchants' Exchange—S. V. Parsons.
Buffalo Lake Carriers' Association—Charles H. Keep.
Buffalo Lumber Exchange—John Stewart.
Albany Chamber of Commerce—Fred F. Wheeler.
Oswego Vessel Oioners' Association—F. O. Clarke.
Osioego Merchants and ALanufacturers' Association—F. E.
Hamilton.
Oswego Board of Trade—D. C. Littlejohn.
Cleveland Vessel Owners' Association—B. L. Pennington.
Cleveland Board of Trade—George H. Ely.
Toledo Produce Exchange—D. B. Smith.
Sandusky—George C. Beis.
Ashtabula—F. C. Moore.
Chicago Board of Trade—Hugh MacMillan.
State of Lllinois—PI. J. Carr.
Minnesota—F. B. Daugherty.
Ohio—C. C. Waite.
New York Canal Union—Harvey J. Hurd.
Gov. WiNANS Invited to the Rostküm.
'J''he President: Gentlemen of the convention, the chair
recognizes the Governor of Michigan on the floor, and unless
deep waterways convention.
29
forbidden he will take the liberty of asking Gov. Winans to
a seat on the rostrum. [Applause.] Gov. Winans is a rara
avis in Michigan, the first democratic governor, pure and sim¬
ple, that Michigan has had in thirty-eight years. [Laughter
and applause.]
Gov. Winans came forward and addressed the convention as
follows:
Gentlemen—I am very glad to make the acquaintance of
this body, although it be for only a short time. I have come
here for information. Of course, in common with every other
intelligent man, I recognize the importance of the interests
and the questions that you are here to consider. As I am
largely ignorant of the details of these matters, I am here to
get specific knowledge. Like your worthy President, the best
way for me is to keep still and listen to what may be said.
[Applause.]
The President: I think the Governor's apology ought to
be accepted. [Laughter.]
A Committee on Legislation.
The President suggested that under the order of business
adopted, a Committee on Legislation should be appointed, but
Mr. Maybury stated that the report of the committee provided
that the vice-presidents, the Committee on Kesolutions, and the
officers of the convention were to constitute that committee.
Gen. Poe and Col. Ludlow Complimented.
Capt. J. S. Dunham, of Chicago: Mr. Chairman, Gen. O.
M. Poe, who has had charge of the works between Lakes
Superior and Huron and Lakes Huron and Erie, and Col. Lud¬
low, who has charge of the principal harbor improvements,
are present in the convention. I move that they be added to
the Committee on Resolutions.
Gen. Poe: I rise to oppose that motion. I think it would
be very injudicious to add either one of us, either Col. Ludlow
30
proceedings of the
or myself, to the Committee on Resolutions, and, speaking for
myself, I must decline to serve on the committee.
The President: The chair ■would think that Gen. Poe is
right in declining to serve, for the reason that in a measure he
occupies a judicial position, and he can do us much more good
in that position than he can on any committee. He should be
held entirely distinct from any office conferred by this con¬
vention.
Gen. Pok: I wish to be understood, however, as sincerely
thanking the gentleman for his motion, which I treat as a
compliment.
Capt. Dunham: My object in offering that resolution was
that I did not suppose the committee were well posted upon
their duties. I supposed that with the assistance of these
gentlemen the committee could accomplish much more good
than it could without them; but as Gen. Poe suggests that he
will not serve, I withdraw the motion.
The President: I would suggest that the object sought
for can be accomplished by authorizing the committee not to
invite but to command, as far as it can, Col. Ludlow and Gen.
Poe to appear before the committee at any time and place that
may be convenient for all parties.
Gen. Poe: I will add, speaking for myself—and doubtless
Col. Ludlow is of the same mind—that we are entirely at the
service of this convention, to give any information in our
power.
The President: The chair -was aware of that, and the
remark just made was of a jocose character.
Letter of Hon. J. Logan Chipman.
Secretary Lane then read the following letter of Hon. J.
Logan Chipman, dated December 12, 1891.
deep wate:kways convention.
31
House of Representatives U. S.,
Washington, D. C., Dec. 12, 1891.
(Dictated.)
Hon. Wm. C. ÍMaybury, Detroit, llich. :
Dear Sir:—Your letter of December 1st, conveying, as
chairman, the invitation of the Executive Committee of the
Detroit Deep Water Convention, was duly received. I regret
that I cannot be present at the session of the convention; nor
do I deem it important that I should be, because the high
character of the men who will represent the great commercial
bodies on the occasion would make them the teacher and I a
mere scholar.
When last spring I suggested to the Detroit Board of Trade
the propriety of holding the convention, I submitted to them
my views on the entire subject, and my letter expressing them
is doubtless in the hands of the delegates. The need of the
convention is imperative, because through its decision Con¬
gress will learn authoritatively the real requirements of the
lake commerce. It will be composed of men of full knowl¬
edge of the subjects discussed, whose opinion will have weight
throughout the country. There are three pre-eminent demands
made by the interest of the people between the Alleghanies
and the Rockies, viz.: deep water on the Texan coast, a full
improvement of the Mississippi, and deep water in the Great
Lakes. A glance at the map will demonstrate how important
each of these is to the transportation facilities of the country,
and that no one improvement of these facilities will be suffi¬
cient which does not embrace all of them. What I look for
at the hands of the Deep Water Convention is an expression
of the urgent needs of the business of the entire North for
river and harbor improvements, for harbors of refuge and for
light-houses. I am anxious in this regard, because there are
so many imminent needs in all these particulars that we must
be certain that they shall not be displaced by less urgent ones.
The interests of lake commerce should be considered as a
whole, because every port which sends forth shipping will be
32
PROCKEDINGS OF THK
benefited by the improvement of every other port which buys
or sells the products of the country. It is in this broad spirit
that I hope the deliberations of the convention will be con¬
ducted.
As to deep water and free water throughout the lakes, it is
no longer under discussion. The entire northern border and
the northwest have decided the need of these, and all that
remains is to urge their attainment.
The greatest subject which will come before the convention,
and the greatest commercially of the age, is a connection
between the lakes and the ocean, enabling the products of the
northwest—agricultural, mineral and manufacturing—to be
carried by water to their market at home or abroad, thus
giving them the complete advantages of competition between
rail and vessels. This competition is, as the members of the
convention know, of the utmost importance to producers
and ought to extend over every inch of the journey to and
from the ultimate place of buying and selling. The present
expense of changing bulk from land to water and from water
to land is a grievous, and in view of our undoubted capacity
to throw it off, an unnecessary, burden on the entire country
tributary to the lakes. There can be no doubt of the advan¬
tage of direct trade between the lakes and the gulf and
Atlantic cities, as well as with the ports of the entire world.
I have no doubt that this connection will ultimately be attained
and its construction will place the generation who accomplish
it as the creators of one of the wonders of all time.
I trust the convention will emphasize their opinion that this
is not the time for parsimony in dealing with the great sub¬
jects they have in charge. Economy is desirable in public
administration, but great business interests must be treated
with liberality.
Yours truly,
J. LOGAN CHIPMAN.
dekp watekway8 convention.
33
Othek Lettbes to be Pkinted.
The President: A large number of other letters have
been received, and unless there is objection the secretaries will
be requested to select such of them as will promote your views
and have them printed in the recoi'd.
A Ship Canal Around Niagara Falls.
Hon. D. C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, offered the following res¬
olution:
Resolved, That this convention recognizes the great import¬
ance to the agricultural, commercial and other interests of the
whole country tributary to the Great Lakes, of increased facili¬
ties for transportation to and from the eastern market and the
Atlantic Ocean, and the necessity for a greatly enlarged water¬
way around the Falls of Niagara, on United States territory,
as a necessary link in the chain of communication.
Referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
Papers and Addresses.
Secretary Lane stated that three or four gentlemen,
among them Mr. S. A. Thompson, of Duluth, had been re¬
quested by the Executive Committee to present addresses and
papers to the convention and that they were ready to do so at
any time.
Thanks to Gen. Poe and Col. Ludlow.
Mr. C. H. Graves, of Uuluth, offered the following:
Resolved, That, appreciating the long continued and faithful
services rendered to the people of the United States by his
intelligent and conscientious work in the improvement of our
waterways, this convention hereby tenders its hearty thanks
to Gen. Orlando M. Poe, of the United States Engineers.
The resolution was received with applause and after an
amendment including Col. William Ludlow in the thanks
34
proceedings of the
of the convention bad been oifered by Mr. George F. Outh-
waite, of Muskegon, it was unanimously adopted.
A Twenty-One Feet Waterway.
Mr. M. M. Drake, of Buffalo, offered the following:
lîesolved, That the Committee on Legislation memorialize
Congress, asking an appropriation sufficient to provide a depth
of water of at least 21 feet in the chain of lakes westward
from Buffalo.
Referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
Deepening the Hudson River.
Mr. F. F. Wheeler, of Albany, offered the following:
Resolved, That this convention is in favor of the effort now
being made to deepen the Hudson River to a depth of 20 feet
from Coxsackie to Troy, a distance of 30 miles.
Referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
The Unit Rule Discussed and Decided.
Mr. G. H. Ely, of Cleveland, suggested that the Committee
on Resolutions should be given time to prepare their report.
After some discussion as to whether the convention should
endeavor to finish its business in one day or two, the Committee
on Resolutions were given permission to retire to begin work
on their report.
Mr. John Gordon, of Buffalo: Before the Committee on
Resolutions retire, I would like to ask whether the unit rule is
to prevail. There seems to be quite a difference in the num¬
ber here from different localities.
The President: That is the province of the convention to
decide.
Mr. Gordon: I move that the unit rule prevail.
Mr. S. A. Thompson, of Duluth: Mr. President, I hope the
unit rule will not prevail. It seems to me like a device where¬
by the cities or the organizations that have not the enterprise
ueel' watekwavs convention.
35
to send many delegates here are to have as much of a voice as
those who have had the enterprise to send full delegations
here. Further than that I do not want my delegation, or any
other delegation, to say how I shall vote in this matter. I
sincerely hope we shall vote individually.
The motion to adopt the unit rule was lost, ayes, 43, noes, ÎO.
Mr. Gordon demanded a call of the roll.
The President asked how many should he necessary to order
a roll call, and it was agreed that 20 should be the requisite
number. Only 12 delegates rose on the demand for the roll
call, and so it was refused.
Mr. H. J. Hurd, of Buffalo, said he did not think the con¬
vention understood the motion which it had voted down. Ho
wished each organization to have one vote. He thought many
of the delegates understood that each locality was only to
have one vote. He moved to reconsider the vote just taken.
Mr. D. C. Littlejohn, of Oswego, said he misunderstood the
question as stated by the President. It seemed to him proper
that each organization should have one vote.
The PRESIDENT ; The question as put by the Chair was
that every organization should have one vote.
Mr. Gordon moved that every organized delegation to
the convention be entitled to one vote in the convention.
The President: Whether there be ten delegates or one
delegate from any single locality.
Mr. Gordon: Yes, sir.
Mr. Littlejohn: If there be ten organizations from Buf¬
falo, she is entitled to ten votes, regardless of the number of
individual delegates.
Mr. Gordon: And I make the further motion that the con¬
vention so instruct the Committee on Resolutions.
The President: That is an entirely different matter, and
the Chair will rule that out of order.
Mr. D. E. Roberts, of Superior: I move that every mem¬
ber of the Committee on Resolutions be entitled to one vote in
the committee. I move further that every delegate on this
floor be entitled to one vote in the convention.
36
proceedings of the
Gen. S. P. Jennison, of Minnesota: I make the point of
order that this convention has appointed a committee, and it is
for the committee to determine how they shall act. The mem¬
bers of the committee are equal in authority and power.
The President: We are getting entirely away from the
subject.
Mr. Ralph Plumb, of Illinois: The State of Illinois has
sent a delegation, appointed by the governor. In view of the
resolution offered by Mr. Gordon, giving each organized dele¬
gation a vote, I want to know if these State delegations have
any organization ?
The President: The Chair would state that he would
rule, in the absence of anything to the contrary, that State
delegations, so appointed, would be treated just the same as
any delegations from any associations.
Mr. Plumb: It is not quite clear whether delegates appointed
in that way are organizations.
The President: I think the point is well taken. Will Mr.
Gordon permit the motion to be amended so as to apply to
delegations sent by state or city authorities?
Mr. G. C. Beis, of Ohio: It strikes me that an amendment
of that kind is not necessary. The governors of the various
States interested have appointed delegations to represent those
States, and those delegations are organized. The delegation
from Ohio is organized. It seems to me the language of the
motion already covers that. I move the previous question.
Mr. F. E. C. Bryant, of West Superior: I move as an amend¬
ment to Mr. Gordon's motion that every delegate to this
convention have the right to vote. The reason I make that
amendment is because all these men who have come here, some
of them nine hundred miles and some of them less, are intelli¬
gent men and have the right to express their own opinions by
their own vote. If there is to be but one vote for a delegation,
and there are five men in the delegation, who is to say how
that delegation shall vote ?
The amendment, giving each delegate the right to vote, was
carried; ayes, 61, noes, 39.
deep wateewats convention.
37
The Pacific Railway Loans.
Mr. D. B. Smith, of Toledo, offered the following:
Resolved, That this convention heartily approves the action
of our government in aiding by loans of its credit to the Pacific
railways, at the period of the commencement of that work;
that there was an apparent great necessity for that aid at that
date. And be it further
Resolved, That the time has now arrived when the sums of
money so loaned, and interest, amounting to $112,000,000,
should be collected as soon as possible and devoted by the
government to the improvement of the great waterways of the
country.
Referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
A Deep Waterway from the Lakes to the Seaboard.
Mr. S. A. Thompson, of Duluth, offered the following:
Whereas, Every consideration of prosperity in time of peace
and protection in time of war, demands that the construction
of a waterway of sufficient capacity to allow the free passage
of vessels drawing twenty feet of water, through our own ter¬
ritory, from the Great Lakes to the sea, shall be at once
begun; therefore.
Resolved, That Congress is hereby earnestly requested to
appropriate the sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as is
necessary, to provide for a complete survey and examination
by the engineer corps of the United States army, with a view
to determine the most feasible route.
Referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
The Speedy Completion of Work on the Sadlt Canal.
Secretary George M. Lane read the following, which were
referred to the Committee on Resolutions:
Preamble and Resolution adopted by the Saidt Ste. Marie
Ii Chamber of Commerce, December H, 1891.
Whereas, A system of cheap transportation is a fundamental
and necessary principle for the development and building up
38:
PKOCEEDINGS. OF THE
of a country, and the promotion of public and individual pros¬
perity;
And Whereas, It is an undisputed fact that transportation
by water is cheaper than by any other known method, where
the conditions are such that large cargoes of freight can be
carried without being subject to delay and loss from acci¬
dents on account of shallow water or tortuous channels;
And Whereas, The great inland lakes constitute the grandest
and best system of water highways on the continent, the use of
which has been the chief factor in the development of the
country from Buffalo to the Rocky Mountains;
And Whereas, There is still a vast territory in the great
West and Northwest which is only begun to he developed, but
which is growing so rapidly that that portion of the products
from the forests, the mines, and the soil that is shipped out
through the United States Ship Canal and Lock at Sault Ste.
Marie alone has increased from a total of 106,296 tons in 1855,
the first season it was open for business, to the grand total of
9,041,213 tons in 1890;
And Whereas, There is no better illustration of the growth
and prosperity of the entire country than is shown by the
increase of lake traffic during the past twenty-five years;
And Whereas, The benefits of transportation on the Great
Lakes are not confined to any one section of the country, but
are felt by every State in the Union, so that all are equally
interested in the improvement of the waterways, to the end
that freight rates may be reduced and kept down to the mini¬
mum; now therefore be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of this Chamber that the
interests of the entire country demand the speedy completion of
the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal and Lock of Sault Ste. Marie,
which stands first in traffic and importance among the artificial
waterways of the world, and that all channels be so improved
that boats drawing twenty feet of water can run without
obstruction or danger from Buffalo to Chicago and Duluth.
.JAMES A. COLWELL.
JNO, G. STRUDLEY.
51. J. 3IAGEE,
(JommiUec..
Adjourhmemi-.
The Convention then adjourned to meet Friday morning, at
ten o'clock.
dkím- waterways convention.
8Í»
SECOND DAY'S SESSION.
Friday, December 18, 1891.
The convention was called to order by the President, Hon.
Thomas W. Palmer, at 10 o'clock A. M.
On motion of Mr. G. C. Beis, of Sandusky, the reading of
the minutes of yesterday's proceedings was dispensed with.
The Pbesibknt: The next business in order is the report
of the Committee on Resolutions.
Report of the Committee on Resolutions.
Hon. William C. Maybury: Mr. Chairman and Gentle¬
men of the Convention, the Committee on Resolutions met last
evening and listened to a very interesting and exhaustive
paper, written by Mr. George H. Ely, of Cleveland, and after
some discussion the committee adopted this memorial as a
preamble to the resolutions subsequently adopted. I will call
upon Mr. Ely to present the report.
Mr. Ely': Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention,
the document which I hold in my hand is a memorial, to
which, after a consideration occupying a couple of hours last
night, the sub-committee added certain resolutions which have
been unanimously adopted, together with the memorial, as the
report of the full Committee on Resolutions. The report is as
follows:
To the Honorable Senate and Home of Representatives of the
United States :
The representatives of the Deep Waterways Convention,
held at Detroit, Michigan, December 17 and 18, 1891, com¬
posed of delegates appointed by the Governors of several
States, and by a large number of commercial organizations
40
PROCEEDINGS OP THE
interested in the commerce of the Great Lakes, beg leave,
respectfully to present the following facts and considerations!
The Great Lakes contain more than one-half the area of the
fresh water on the globe.
They make up the largest system of deep water inland navi¬
gation on the globe.
The topographical relations also of these connected waters
—Superior, Michigan, liuron, St. Clair, Erie and Ontario—
95,460 square miles, are very remarkable.
Lying in general direction east and west, between the 41st
and 47th parallels, they penetrate from tide-water on the St.
Lawrence and (including the Erie Canal) from tide-water at
New York, 1,400 miles into the heart of the continent. The
head of Lake Superior and the St. Lawrence tide-water are on
the northernmost parallel, Chicago and New York on the
southern. The western extremity of the system is 1,700 miles
only from the waters of the Pacific. The range of this water
system, it will be observed, is entirely within the limits of the
North Temperate zone, on the line on which population most
freely moves westward, and where final settlement is most
compact, and where the climatic conditions insure the largest
returns to capital and labor. For one-half the distance
between the two oceans these waters divide the Dominion
from the Great Republic.
One hundred and fifty miles northwest of Duluth and
Superior are the fountains of three of the great drainage sys¬
tems of the continent. There were born the mighty influences
proceeding from the physical conditions which send flowing
waters northward to the ocean through Hudson's Bay; south¬
ward to the ocean through the Mississippi valley and the Gulf,
and eastward through the lakes and the St. Lawrence.
For commercial purposes the northern drainage system is
impracticable and useless; but flowing water is now and for¬
ever will be the potent instrument of commerce southward
and eastward, between the interior and the Atlantic coast.
Such are the peculiar and the favoring physical conditions un¬
der which those two great peoples of the English tongue occupy
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
41
side by side the North American continent from ocean to
ocean. They are nearly equal in territorial area. But while
the outlet of these waters flowing eastward is within Dominion
territory, in climate, proportion of arable land and in popula¬
tion, the advantage is heavily on the side of the Republic.
The Dominion, however, has been far-sighted and vigorous in
the policy of utilizing natural conditions and overcoming lim¬
itations in national development. She values her great inheri¬
tance in this lake system and has, with vastly inferior
resources, far surpassed us in expenditure for its improvement.
On the other hand, how slowly have we come up to the
comprehension of the real mission of these waters in the devel¬
opment of our material resources. The whole world knows
that the great primary products, whose bulk and weight are
large in comparison with value, must reach markets over long
distances, if they move at all, by water. That tonnage must
go by deep water and not on wheels, that is the meaning of the
ship canal, at a cost of thirty millions, between Liverpool and
Manchester.
More than one hundred millions in value of products were
moved through the St. Mary's River, an average distance of
about eight hundred miles, during the season of 1890, at a cost
of one mill and three-tenths per ton per mile, less than one-
fifth the cost of moving it on wheels, if, indeed, as to a con¬
siderable portion of this tonnage, the lowest possible cost on
wheels would have permitted it to move at all, and in that
event its production at the point of origin would have been
impossible.
Apply this enormous saving to the movement of products in
domestic and foreign exchanges, where deep water is available
and how incalculable the gain in national wealth.
What an enormous creation of secondary values! Six hun¬
dred thousand square miles of American soil beyond the head
of Lake Superior and (by railroad construction now completed
and in progress, tributary to it,) another like empire, fair, but
untouched, on the north, awaits the quickening influence of
deeper water throughout these lakes.
42
PKOCEEDINGS OF THE
Were that here now, wide, deep channels, insuring safety
and freedom of movement for our magnificent ships, broader
and deeper would have been the flow of cereals during the last
few weeks from the northern plains to the starving millions of
Europe. Inevitably and forever will the vast continental
plains and the mountain regions of the Northwest send their
products to the head of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan for
the remainder of their transit to the Eastern States and to
Europe, while from Chicago and the head of Lake Superior
will be distributed coal and other heavy products from the
east.
The territory tributary to these waters includes portions of
Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin, and the
whole of Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, and
the northwest Canadian provinces. Two thousand six hundred
and two tons of wool and four hundred and sixty tons of hides
were sent here the past season from Montana.
Lake Superior was unknown, unexplored, long after popula¬
tion had moved into the territories bordering upon the other
lakes of the system. For two centuries this grandest of all
inland seas lay in distant isolation, enfolded by a wilder¬
ness, the coming civilization heralded only by the missionary
and the fur trader, coasting along its silent shores. The
mineral treasures, in its bordering wilderness, first drew the
explorer up the St. Mary's River. How faint then the con¬
ception of the commerce destined to pass through that channel.
Lake Superior was opened by the completion of the canal and
first lock in 1855, at Sault Ste. Marie.
The increase of business soon demonstrated the necessity of
another and larger one. This was completed in September, 1881,
five hundred and fifteen feet long, eighty feet wide, and with
seventeen feet of water on the miter-sill. From that date
to this, with wonderful efficiency, this lock has met the de¬
mands of a rapidly increasing tonnage. It passed in 1882,
2,029,000 tons; in 1883, 2,207,000; in 1884, 2,874,000; in 1885,
3,250,000; in 1886, 4,527,000; in 1887, 5,494,000; in 1888,
6,932,000; in 1889, 7,516,000; in 1890, 9,041,213; in 1891,
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
43
8,888,759. The freight tonnage was 152,454 tons less this
year than in 1890. This is due to obstruction in the channel
on the St. Mary's river, caused by collisions and sinking of
vessels.
Gen. Poe states, in regard to this:
"But for the delay due to the sinking of the Susan E. Peck
we would have e.vceeded the traffic of 1890, notwithstanding
the extraordinarily low stage of water and the delay in put¬
ting vessels in commission in the spring."
" The increase in valuation (of products) for the season of
1891 over 1890 is nearly 126,000,000. The value of the car¬
goes passing the lock this year was 1128,178,208.51. The
most notable points in this season's business are the decrease
in iron ore and the large increase in wheat products."
Gen. Poe also states that the number of vessels delayed by
the sinking of the Susan E. Peck in the channel was 275;
their registered tonnage 285,810; the value of the vessels
delayed, $23,294,000; and the time of the delay 827 days, 5
hours, 12 minutes.
The estimated loss caused by this single accident is $146,236.
By the time the lock now in use was completed, in 1881, it
became apparent that its capacity would soon be reached.
That time has already come, and though Gen. Weitzel, then in
charge, in January, 1882, recommended the immediate con¬
struction of another lock, through no fault of the engineers in
charge, it is still four years away from its completion.
The plans adopted under the recommendation of Gen. Poe
for the works now in progress, contemplate the grandest
hydraulic structure and equipment in the world. This lock is
to be eight hundred feet long, one hundred feet wide, and
with twenty-one feet of water on the miter-sill. The esti¬
mates of cost were $4,988,865, and for the Hay Lake Channel,
$2,659,115. Previous to the passage of the last River and Har¬
bor Bill, September 19, 1890, two years of precious time were
lost, from inadequate appropriations. But by that bill, the
engineer in charge was authorized to make contracts for the
entire works. Under this policy these works are now nearly all
under contract, and we hope will be in use in the early part of
44
PBOCEEDINGB OF THE
the season of 1896. Meantime our producing and navigation
interests will have to carry the risks of dependence on a single
lock. Fortunate is it, however, that the old way of making
important improvements, so wasteful of time and money, has
at last been abandoned.
Twenty feet of water, however, between Lakes Superior
and Huron, means, and was always intended to mean, twenty
feet through every other channel on the Lakes. In pursuance
of this comprehensive plan. Congress, in the River and Harbor
Act of September, 1890, called upon the War Department for
information as to localities requiring improvement and esti¬
mates of cost. Gen. Poe reported on the subject January 14,
1891. The principal object of this convention is the consid¬
eration of this great subject, and to urge upon Congress the
necessity of immediate and comprehensive action. We respect¬
fully but most earnestly appeal to Congress for such legislation
as will provide for the immediate beginning of work at each
required locality, and as will insure completion along the
whole line by the time the works now in progress on the St.
Mary's River are completed.
Gen. Foe reported serious obstructions at six different local¬
ities. The order in which the improvement should be under¬
taken, with estimates of cost, are given as follows:
Removing obstructions at Sailors' Encampment $556,333 00
Dredging at St. Clair Plats 313,559 40
Dredging at Grosse Pointe Flats 956,835 76
Dredging at mouth of Detroit River 977,850 00
Removing obstructions at foot of Lake Huron 449,512 80
Removing two shoals near Round Island 140,755 00
$3,394,835 96
The closing statements of Gen. Foe's report respecting
these obstructions and their relations to the entire tonnage
movement on the lakes are so impressive that we quote them
entire in this connection:
"Although the sum of $3,394,836 is a large one, yet the end
to be gained by its expenditure is so important and so pressing
UEKP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
45
as to fully justify its appropriation, even in one Act. During
the season of 1800 over 9,000,000 tons of freight passed
through St. Mary's River, and more than 22,000,000 tons
through the waterway between Lakes Huron and Erie. The
increase in the available depth of channels on the lakes from
nine and one half feet in 1852 to sixteen feet in 1882 developed
this commerce, and it is only reasonable to expect that a
further increase of four feet will be followed by corresponding
increase in the shipping. The results are most notable perhaps
in the character of the vessels employed in the carrying trade.
" These have increased in size and seaworthiness until they
form a fleet which has not its equal upon any inland waters on
the face of the globe.
" Of large capacity and great power, regardless of wind or
weather, the steamers of the prevailing type bear their cargoes
to and from ports a thousand miles apart with the precision of
railroad trains, each of them transporting at once more than
ten ordinary freight trains. Surely such a commerce deserves
every aid and encouragement that can be extended to it.
Give it channels practically navigable upon a draught of
twenty feet, and it needs no prophet to predict a wonderful
growth, but only a prophet could foretell its degree. For
nearly thirty-five years I have watched its increase, but neither
I, nor anyone else within my knowledge has been able to
expand at the same rate. The wildest expectations of one year
seem absurdly tame the next.
" For all the lakes and their communicating straits above
Ontario, channels of the character described can be secured at
a cost which seems trivial in comparison with the end to be
gained."
The ton-mileage of these lakes last year was equal to twenty-
five per cent, of the total ton-mileage of all the railways in the
United States. The work was done by 2,075 vessels, represent¬
ing a floating capital of $63,000,000. Five articles, wheat,
corn, coal, iron ore and lumber made up ninety per cent, of the
total tonnage movement.
Of our 63,000,000 population, 26,000,000 live in the eight
states that border on these lakes, and 6,000,000 more in the
West and Northwest largely depend upon them.
It would seem as if this waterway had vindicated its own
cause by the demonstration of facts. It has already, in the
reduced cost of transportation to producer and consumer,
returned twenty-fold all the money expended upon it.
It asks now for the grand consummation predicted, sought
46
PKOCEEDINGS OF THE
and labored for during the last fifteen years — deep water
navigation, as set forth by Gen. Poe's report, throughout this
waterway.
The expenditure will be over a period of at least four years,
but S3,339.000 is a trivial sum in view of results.
Our government expenditure for internal improvements
through most of the century behind us, has been slow, hesitat¬
ing, inadequate. Canada has pursued a broader policy. With
less than one-twelfth of our population, a less favorable cli¬
mate, and with natural I'esources far inferior to ours, she has
fearlessly grasped her great and difficult transportation prob¬
lem. On her waterways she has expended, largely on this
lake system and the St. Lawrence, $54,596,180. She is now
constructing a lock and canal at the Sault and is deepening all
her St. Lawrence channels, to match the Welland draught.
She has built and equipped 1,217 miles of railway at a cost
of $54,557,579.
With 12,628 miles of railway in operation, the government
has given to railways in
Bonuses $135,894,304
Loans 21,201,314
Provincial government 24,036,307
Municipalities 13,461,224
$194,593,149
In all for railways $246,150,728
In all, railways and canals 300,746,917
In addition to these expenditures, Canada has made grants
of land to corporations which have operated, as with us, in
returns of equal value to the government.
The United States government has issued bonds in
aid of the Pacific Railroads $64,623,512
Has paid interest thereon 86,363,968
$150,987,480
These roads have paid to the government in trans¬
portation and in cash 38,943,584
Balance of indebtedness $112,043,896
DEEl' WATERWAYS CONVENTION. 47
This expenditure by the government in aid of the Pacific
Railroads was a wise and a necessary one. The amount will be
returned.
The total appropriations of the United States government
for rivers and harbors have been $204,137,649. They began
in Jefferson's administration, 1800, with $25,000 in the State
of Louisiana. The sum of $14,699,745 was expended previous
to 1860. Between 1860 and 1870 the amount was $12,789,182.
Between 1870 and 1880, $68,035,656. Between 1880 and 1890,
inclusive, $108,613,066, or only $204,000,000 in a century, for
great objects of national development.
Of this total amount $28,417,182 only have been expended
within the great States bordering on this lake system, and for
its improvement.
In relation to this portion at least of the total appropriations
for rivers and harbors since our national life began, it may
safely be asserted that the expenditure for public purposes of
no equivalent sum, elsewhere on American soil, has ever
resulted in so large and so equitably distributed advantages to
the American people.
The inference is unavoidable, that these great works should
be hastened to completion by every resource within the con¬
trol of the government.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, be it
Resolved, That this convention does hereby respectfully and
earnestly request and urge Congress to authorize the imme¬
diate commencement and speedy completion of an unobstructed
channel not less than twenty feet in depth, and of sufficient
width, to the lakes and their connecting waters, between
Chicago, Duluth, Superior and Buffalo; and that the Secretary
of War be authorized to make contracts for the entire work,
and a sufficient sum of money be appropriated therefor.
Whereas, Every consideration of prosperity in time of peace
and protection in time of war demands the construction of a
waterway of sufficient capacity to allow the free passage of
vessels drawing twenty feet of water through our own terri¬
tory, from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean; therefore.
Resolved, That we further request Congress to authorize the
Secretary of War to cause to be made surveys, examinations
and estimates of cost of the various practicable routes for such
48
pk0ceeding8 of the
waterway, with a view to determining the one which is most
advaniageous, and that a sufficient sum be appropriated to
defray tlie expenses of such surveys and examinations.
Resolved, That this convention strongly favors the improve¬
ment of the Hudson river to a navigable depth of twenty feet,
from Coxsackie to Troy.
Resolved, That we respectfully urge upon Congress the
necessity for the most liberal appropriations for the establish¬
ment and maintenance of all needed light-houses, fog signals,
buoys and beacons throughout the entire chain of lakes, to the
end that added security may be given to life and property.
Mr. Ely: That, Mr. President and gentlemen of the Con¬
vention, comprises the propositions which this Committee on
Resolutions submit, to be made to Congress on this general
subject.
The Memoeial and Resolutions Adopted.
Mr. Maybuet: I would state, Mr. President, that these
resolutions are intended to be substitutes for all pending
resolutions referred to the committee.
Mr. Geo. W. Hayden, of Ishpeming, moved the adoption of
the resolutions and memorial.
Mr. Maybury seconded the motion, and the memorial and
resolutions were unanimously adopted.
Mr. G. C. Beis, of Sandusky: I move that this convention
tender to the Executive Committee having in charge the
arrangements for this convention, its thanks; and also to the
various bodies represented on the committee, as well as to the
citizens of Detroit, for their hospitality.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Obsteucting Chicago Rivee.
Mr. Homee J. Caee, of Chicago: I offer the following:
Resolved, That this convention calls upon the Attorney-
General of the United States to use all diligence in prosecut¬
ing the case in the United States District Court against the
city of Chicago, for tlie removal of the Canal Street Bridge
across the Chicago River. Further, this convention protests
strenuously against any attempt to repeal or make less strin-
deep watbbways convention. 49
gent that part of the River and Harbor Act of September,
1890, providing for the removal of unreasonable obstructions
to navigation.
Mr. Smith, of Toledo: Mr. Chairman, do we sufficiently
understand the merits of this controversy ? It may be con¬
sidered by many as a local question.
Mr. Caeb: Mr. President, while this question may be con¬
sidered in part a local one, yet it is of very general import¬
ance, from the fact that this act of 1890, providing for the
removal of unreasonable obstructions to navigation, applies to
every river in the United States. The fight is being waged in
Chicago, and upon its decision there rests the action of the
courts throughout the country. I will give a brief history of
the Canal Street Bridge. To speak plainly, for political
reasons the city of Chicago placed a bridge across the Chicago
River, in which bridge hut one draw was navigable. The
other draw of the bridge, in the bend of the river, was occu¬
pied by docks. The result was that when any boat lay at one
of these docks the navigation of the river was blocked. The
marine interests took the question to the United States En¬
gineers and from them it went to the Secretary of War, who
ordered an investigation. The Board of Engineers, consisting
of Col. Ludlow, Capt. Marshall and Major Davis, decided that
the bridge was an unreasonable obstruction, and that under
the river and harbor act of 1890 the city of Chicago should be
compelled to move the bridge. The Secretary of War sus¬
tained this decision. The Commissioner of Public Works of
Chicago, and the' Corporation Counsel, admitted before the
Board of Engineers that the bridge was an outrage, and that it
ought never to have been put there. Every paper in Chicago
stated the same thing, and yet when the matter went before
the city council it resulted in nothing, and the bridge is still
there. Then the question went to Washington again. The
city of Chicago was ordered to remove the bridge within
thirty days. At the end of that time a fine of five thousand
dollars a month commenced to run against the city. The time
expired six or eight weeks ago, and yet not a move has been
50
proceedings of the
made by the Attorney General of the United States, or the
Department of Justice, to bring any action against the city of
Chicago. As I have said, while this question is local, yet it
concerns Buffalo and Cleveland and every port upon our lakes
Avhere bridges are constructed across navigable waters. In re¬
gard to the law itself, if desired by the convention, I can ex¬
plain it briefly.
The President: If the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Carr)
will permit, the Chair will ask if it is the pleasure of the con¬
vention to consider the matter at the present time. It is a
little foreign to the call and the Chair would like to he in-
.structed.
Mr. Beis: I move that this matter be referred to the Com¬
mittee on Resolutions.
Mr. Hugh MacMillan, of Chicago: Mr. President, it is
quite possible that the members of this convention are not
familiar with the trouble and difficulty we have had in Chicago
with reference to the Canal Street Bridge. There is not a
vessel owner in this convention, or anywhere on the lakes, who
has any business in Chicago who has not been put to great
trouble and expense because of that bridge. It is a question
in which we are all interested.
Mr. Hatden: This matter has been referred to the law de¬
partment of the Government, and the passage of such a reso¬
lution by this convention might seem to he a reflection upon
that department. In a case of this importance it is probable
the department will act.
The motion to refer the resolution to the Committee on
Resolutions was agreed to.
Presenting the Convention's Action to Congress.
Mr, Maybury: It seems to me the most important matter
now to engage the attention of the convention is the manner
,of presenting the resolutions adopted by this convention to the
Congress of the United States. We have a Committee on
Legislation, which, under the report adopted, consists of the
deep waterways convention.
51
Vice-Presidents and the members of the Committee on Resolu¬
tions. These two committees take in all the organized bodies
represented at this convention. The object of that composi¬
tion of the committee was to provide a strong representation
to go forward with the resolutions of this convention, and pre¬
sent them to the Congress of the United States. Now I move,
for the sake of bringing the matter up for discussion, that the
Committee on Legislation be instructed by this convention to
take the necessary steps to present the preamble and resolu¬
tions here adopted, to the Congress of the United States, at
the earliest possible date; and to that end, that the President
of this conven tion he requested to arrange with the Com¬
mittees of Congress for a day of hearing, to be announced by
him when fixed. Ordinarily, I would say that the appointment
of so large a committee to carry out a general scheme of this
kind was a mistake; hut in this particular case I am led to be¬
lieve that this course would be best. Judging by the quick
responses made by the various organizations represented here,
I believe they will act with equal promptness in sending dele¬
gates to give effect to the action of this convention. I believe
that when a day is set for a hearing in Washington, and the
President of this convention announces the fact to the various
organizations represented, those associations will see to it that
their representatives on this Legislative Committee, or substi¬
tutes for them, are sent to Washington, and I believe there
should he a large delegation. Therefore I move that the Com¬
mittee on Legislation take charge of this matter under the
direction of the President of this convention.
The President: Is that the whole of your resolution, that
the Committee on Legislation take charge of this matter under
the direction of the Chair ?
Mr. Maybury: Yes, sir.
The President: But you would like to have your ideas
acted upon by the President and the Committee on Legisla¬
tion, as far as arranging the meeting with the Committee on
Rivers and Harbors?
Mr. Maybury: My motion includes that, that the Presi-
52
pkoceedings of the
dent of this convention be requested to make the arrangement
for a hearing at Washington.
Mr. Maybury's motion was adopted.
A Ship Canal from Lake Erie to the Upper Ohio
Kiver.
Mr. T. p. Roberts, of Pittsburgh: Mr. President and gen¬
tlemen: Pennsylvania, as you all know, is the only State in
the Union that extends to the seaboard and to the Great Lakes,
as well as to the Ohio River. Western Pennsylvania, particu¬
larly, is largely interested in lake navigation. I think from
what I know of our Representatives and Senators from Penn¬
sylvania that they will heartily support the action of this con¬
vention. I appear at this convention somewhat in an official
capacity as a commissioner of Pennsylvania in regard to a pro¬
jected ship canal from Lake Erie to the Upper Ohio River.
The sum of $10,000 has been expended in an examination of
the project, and the engineers have pronounced it feasible. A
bill has now been introduced in the Senate of the United
States asking for a small sum to be expended by the United
States Engineers in the further examination of the project. I
would like very much to have the endorsement of this con¬
vention upon that request. I therefore offer the following
resolution:
Resolved, That the bill recently introduced in the United
States Senate, providing for the appropriation of $10,000, to be
expended by the United States Engineers in a determination of
the feasibility of making a ship canal connection between the
waters of Lake Erie and the Upper Ohio River, meets the ap¬
proval of this convention.
Mr. H. J. Hurd, of Buffalo: Mr. President: It seems to
me this resolution has already been covered by the resolution
adopted asking the appropriation of a sufficient sum to make
surveys and estimates of the most feasible route to the sea¬
board.
Mr. D. E. Roberts, of Superior: I move that the resolu¬
tion be referred to the Committee on Legislation.
deep wateewats convention.
53
Mr. Roberts, of Pittsburgh: There is no feasible route for
a canal to the seaboard across the State of Pennsylvania be¬
cause mountains intervene between Pittsburgh and tidewater;
but we think we can vastly improve our situation which is in
some respects like that of Manchester in England, and at the
same time benefit the consumers of our products, bj' the con¬
struction of such a canal.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on Resolu¬
tions.
The Utilization of Convict Labor for Work on a
Ship Canal.
Mr. Jesse H. Far well, of Detroit: Mr. President: I rise
to make a few remarks upon what may be thought by many of
those present to be a remarkable proposition. When a school¬
boy I used to read some of the speeches of Daniel Webster,
and among them was one speaking of the possibilities and the
dangers of the Republic. In that speech he used language
like this; "Though disastrous war may sweep your commerce
from the ocean, another generation will renew it, and although
it may desolate and lay waste your fields, they will grow green
again, and ripen to a future harvest." Many of those whom I
see before me have seen our commerce swept from the ocean,
and almost a full generation has passed since that time, and
but precious little has been done toward restoring it. Upon
our Great Lakes we have a fleet engaged in a mighty commerce
which is every year growing larger. Could we but have un¬
interrupted communication by deep water with the ocean, the
growth of the merchant marine of this country would be still
greater. We should go forward with the great work in the
Sault River, and at all the other points where the channels
need deepening; but we should also pay more attention to the
opening of a channel to the seaboard. ' To expedite that, and
to enable us to go to Congress with more confidence, I suggest
that, in addition to the resolutions offered, we ask them to
formulate at once a definite plan whereby the criminal classes
54
proceedings of the
of the United States can be centralized and utilized in the con¬
struction of that great work. It would, in the first place, go a
long way towards neutralizing a sickly sentimentalism which
has grown up in the United States in the last twenty-five
years in reference to the treatment of our criminal classes. We
have the authority of a distinguished governor of one of the
penal colonies of England that prison walls are no place in
which to reform men, but that they should work in the open
air. With this brief explanation of my views, I offer the fol¬
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That Congress be requested to formulate a
definite plan whereby the convict labor of the several States
may be concentrated and utilized in the construction of a ship
canal from some point on the Eastern shores of Lake Erie or
Lake Ontario, to the seaboard, as soon as the most available
route can be determined upon by the engineer corps of the
army.
On motion of Mr. Beis, the resolution was referred to tho
Committee on Resolutions.
Printing the Proceedings in Pamphlet Form.
Mr. Beis: I move that the proceedings of this convention
be printed in pamphlet form, under the direction of tho
Finance Committee.
The motion was adopted.
Resolutions of Thanks.
Mr. Mills, of Superior: I move that the thanks of this con¬
vention be tendered to Hon. Thomas W. Palmer for the able,
courteous, and expeditious manner in which he has presided
over the deliberations of the convention.
The motion was unanimously carried.
Mr. Beis: I do not think we ought to overlook the press,,
and therefore I move that the thanks of the convention be
tendered to the representatives of the press for the efficient and
able manner in which they have recorded our proceedings.
The motion was unanimously carried.
deep avateewats convention.
55
Hon. S. M. Stephenson's Services on the River and
Harbor Committee.
Mr. Ely, of Cleveland: I want to offer a resolution respect¬
ing the services that have been rendered to the cause of deep
waterways by Mr. Stephenson, of Michigan, the well known
Congressman from the Upper Peninsula. He has been active
in season and out of season in this great work. For two
sessions he has been on the River and Harbor Committee of
the House of Representatives, and the interests that we are here
to subserve really require the efficient and intelligent assistance
of such a man. I offer the following resolution:
Resolved, That this convention cordially recognizes the great
value of the past services of Congressman Stephenson, of
Michigan, on the River and Harbor Committee, and expresses
the hope that he may be retained upon that Committee during
the present Congress. ■
The resolution was adopted.
Hon. S. E. Payne, of Hew York, Complimented.
Mr. F. E. Hamilton, of Oswego: I wish to offer a similar
resolution regarding the eminent services of Hon. S. E. Payne,
a member of Congress from New York. I offer the following:
o o
Resolved, That this convention, appreciating the merit and
ability displayed in past years by Hon. S. E. Payne, of Neiv
York, in the assistance given to the great interest of improved
waterways throughout the Northwestern lakes, hereby ex¬
presses its recognition of the eminent service by him per¬
formed, and we present to him the thanks of this convention
therefor.
Mr. Payne: Mr. President, I hope the gentleman will
withdraw that resolution. I do not want any thanks for the
performance of a public duty. I believe every man in a pub¬
lic place is in honor bound to do his duty to his constituents,
and that he is not deserving of any thanks for simply doing
the best he can in that direction.
The President: That is all very well, but appreciation is
very sweet to a man of sentiment like Mr. Payne.
56
proceedings of the
Hon. J. Logan Chipman, of Michigan, also Complimented.
Mr. Thomas Cranage, of Bay City: I move to amend the
resolution offered by the gentleman from Oswego by inserting
first the name of the Hon. John Logan Chipman, member of
Congress from the first district of Michigan, for his distin¬
guished services in behalf of improved waterways, and particu¬
larly for his efforts in connection with this convention.
Mr. Hamilton: I accept the amendment. He represents
this city of Detroit, and he has done so much toward bringing
about this convention that we all ought to recognize him.
The President: The amendment is that the name of Hon
J. Logan Chipman be inserted first, out of compliment to him,
in recognition of his services, and for the reason, I sujipose,
that we can make him work harder in the future.
The amendment being accepted, the resolution as amended
was adopted.
A Pamphlet Commended.
Mr. Dunham, of Chicago, offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That this convention desires to express its appre¬
ciation of the statistical and other information that has been
compiled and embodied by W. A. Livingstone in his pamphlet,
entitled " The Twenty-Foot Channel," and heartily commend it
to the interested public as worthy of their consideration.
Mr. Bryant, of West Superior, criticised the pamphlet on
the ground that its figures -were unjust to Superior, and gave
undue prominence to Duluth.
Mr. Thompson, of Duluth: Mr. President: As a student
of transportation statistics for a number of years, I wish to ex¬
press my appreciation of the exceedingly able and valuable
pamphlet which Mr. Livingstone has prepared. It seems to me
that just such statistics, showing the enormous importance of
these waterways, ought to go to every voter in the country.
The resolution was adopted.
deep avateeways convention.
57
Concluding Peoceedings.
Hon. F. B. Daugheety, of Minnesota: I move that the
thanks of this convention be tendered to Gen. Foe and Col.
Ludlow for the work they have done.
The Peesident: That has already been done.
The Peesident: The Chair requests the Committee on
Legislation to meet in the parlors below immediately after ad¬
journment to formulate arrangements for carrying into effect
the expressions of this convention. The Chair would also re¬
quest the different delegations to hand in the names of the
several membei's of the Committee on Finance, which com¬
mittee was authorized by the action of the convention yester¬
day.
Mr. William Livingstone, Je., of Detroit: I move that each
delegation select one member as a member of the Committee on
Finance, to be reported to the Secretary.
The motion was carried.
The convention then adjourned sine die.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
AT THE
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION, HELD AT DETROIT,
MICHIGAN, DECEMBER 18, 1891.
The Committee was called to order by Mr. Wm. Living¬
stone, Jr.
Upon motion, Hon. T. W. Palmer was elected Chairman of
the Committee, Mr. William Livingstone, Jr., was elected
Treasurer, and Mr. C. H. Keep, Secretary.
Upon motion, the following resolution was unanimously
adopted:
Resolved, That the Treasurer is hereby directed to ascertain
the total expense of holding the convention, including the
publication of its proceedings, and to apportion such expense
among the different organizations represented in the conven¬
tion, and the Secretary is directed to notify each member of
the Finance Committee of the amount of money required
from his locality.
The Committee then adjourned.
1
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION
AT THE
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION, HELD AT DETROIT,
MICHIGAN, DECEMBER 18, 1891.
The Committee was called to order by Hon. T. W. Palmer.
On motion, Hon. T. W. Palmer was chosen Chairman of the
Committee, Hon. George H. Ely was chosen as Vice-Chairman,
Hon. W. C. Maybury second Vice-Chairman, and C. H. Keep,
Secretary.
Upon motion," each locality represented in the convention
nominated one delegate to act upon the Committee on Finance.
The following were the delegates so nominated to act on such
Committee:
Oswego, Robert Downey.
Düluth, T. J. Nicol.
Superior, James Barden.
West Superior, T. B. Mills.
Buffalo, C. H. Keep.
Sandusky, G. C. Beis.
Chicago, J. S. Dunham.
Cleveland, George P. McKay.
Bay City, Newell A. Eddy.
Muskegon, G. F. Outhwaite.
IsiiPBMiNG, T. J. Donohue.
Saginaw, Arthur Hill.
Washburn, A. C. Probert.
Detroit, Wm. Livingstone, Jr.
Sault Ste. Marie, Otto Eowle.
Marquette, Peter White.
Albany, V. H. Youngman.
Milwaukee, J. B. Merrill.
Grand Rapids, Chas. R. Sligh.
Upon motion of Mr. Pennington, the Secretary was directed
to correspond with all delegations for whose localities no
nomination on the Finance Committee has been made, and to
procure the nomination of a member of the Finance Commit¬
tee for each locality.
Upon motion of Mr..Maybury, the following resolution was
unanimously adopted:
60
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
That it is the sense of this Committee on Legislation that
each organization represented in this convention should be
represented in the City of Washington on the day when the
resolutions of this convention are presented to Congress, by at
least one delegate.
Mr. Livingstone offered the following resolution, and moved
its adoption:
That General Orlando M. Poe and Mr. S. A. Thompson be
requested to furnish the Secretaries of the convention with
copies of the papers which they prepared to be laid before the
convention, and that said papers be printed as part of the
regular proceedings of the convention.
Upon motion, the question upon the'adoption of this resolu¬
tion was divided.
The question was then put upon that part of the resolution
relating to the paper of Gen. O. M. Poe, and that portion of
the resolution was unanimously adopted.
The question was then put upon that part of the resolution
relating to the paper of Mr. S. A. Thompson, .and the portion
relating to such paper was adopted.
Upon motion, the Secretaries of the convention were author¬
ized to proceed with the publication of its proceedings in
pamphlet form,'such publication to include the papers of Gen.
O. M. Poe and Mr. S. A. Thompson, and such other papers
presented to the convention as the secretaries shall select for
publication.
The Committee then adjourned sine die.
PAPERS PRESENTED.
THE PAPERS FOLLOWING WERE PREPARED TO BE READ
BEFORE THE CONVENTION, BUT FOR LACK OP TIME
AVERE SIMPLY RECEIVED AND ORDERED
PRINTED WITH THE PROCEEDINGS.
DEEP WATER NAVIGATION THROUGH THE
LAKES AND TO THE SEA.
By Hon. WM. W. BATES,
Commissioner of the Bureau of Navigation, Treasury Department,
Washington.
It is now forty-six years since I first saw the City of Detroit,
and first took pai't in building vessels for the navigation of the
lakes. At that time 8,000 bushels of wheat was the standard
bulk of cargo, and three cents a bushel the minimum rate of
freight from Toledo to Buffalo. In the winter of 1846 the
first three-mast schooner to carry 12,000 bushels was built at
Black River, Ohio. Her size was the talk of the marines. In
that day 8 feet of channel or harbor depth was deep water.
Thirty-eight years ago I built a barkantine for the Chicago
and Buffalo grain trade to carry 13,000 bushels on a draught
of 9 feet, that being the depth over the St. Clair Flats. Freights
were then too low for profit at less than 10 cents a bushel,
simply because vessels were obliged to be built so small.
For more than 40 years it has been the experience of Lake
navigation that many of the natural channels, and all the ar¬
tificial, have been too shallow for the size of craft required for
economical transportation. It has cost the country something
to improve our Lake navigation, and to obtain the depth of 14
to 16 feet now in use, but it has cost the farmers of the great
Northwest an hundred-fold in the lower prices for their pro¬
ducts, because Lake vessels could not be built large enough to
do their work economically. And in behalf of my brother ship¬
builders, I will make this assertion : There is nowhere in the
world a higher skill or better judgment in proportioning and
modeling vessels to carry great loads on light draught of
water, than on these Lakes ; and this has been the case for
forty years past. It is not their fault in the least degree that
Lake transportation cost too much for so many years. It is
the fault alone of a mistaken idea of the expenditure of public
money.
DEEP WATEKWAY8 CONVENTION.
That a true national economy points to the improvement,
and especially the deepening and widening, of all inter-state
and international waterways needs no argument to commercial
men; but, unfortunately, the general public of this vast coun¬
try of ours is hard to reach, and to convince of the necessity
for appropriations, sometimes, even for the most pressing pur¬
poses. Public meetings and conventions can alone move the
country for vast improvements like these of enlarged water¬
ways, or ship canals. Twenty-eight years ago a "National
Ship Canal Convention" was held at Chicago, the special object
being to advocate the enlargement of the channels then exist¬
ing between the Lakes and the Atlantic by the way of the Mis¬
sissippi. From that time down to the present, much has been
said and done towards this project. Our ablest engineers have
discussed it thoroughly. Some of them have advised an east¬
ern exit to the sea, by the way of the St. Lawrence. In the trans¬
actions of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers a most able
and exhaustive paper will be found by Mr. E. L. Corthell, of
Chicago, advocating this route. Other Engineers have pro¬
posed the enlargement of the Erie to a ship canal, but I will
not discuss the question of route, preferring to leave that to
the engineers, with a single condition which is, that it be lo¬
cated in and through our own territory, to be used by Ameri¬
can vessels only.
Deep water navigation through the Lakes and to the sea is
an improvement of national importance and utility. As such
it deserves popular consideration. The fact that the ship¬
building resources at the command of the Government in
making preparation for war, or in the time of hostilities with
a foreign nation, would be greatly increased bj' a Lake and
Ocean Canal is sufficient of itself to warrant its building.
While our successful defence might not depend upon it, great
.sacrifices of time and money, and of precious life, might be saved
by employing all our yards and shops. On these Lakes there
are full as many first-class establishments for building and re¬
pairing iron and steel vessels as on the seaboard of the Atlan¬
tic Coast.
Then, there is the further fact that the building and repairing
of naval vessels, whether fighting or transport, would be much
cheaper done at all times; first, by reason of the added com-
u
PKOCEKDIMGS OF THE
petition; and second, by and through the difference in the cost
of materials and labor. The fact that Lake shipbuilders can
out-bid the coast, was practically shown the past year in the
various biddings for Government work, of whicb there was con¬
siderable for the Light-house Board; and in the case of a vessel
to be built for the N"avy, a Lake firm put in the lowest bid.
These facts signify much. They show that the time has come
when the Government itself is interested pecuniarily in making
the great improvements which we advocate.
There is yet another reason why the Government is interest¬
ed in a ship canal and deep water Lake navigation. These
improvements, the canal being through our own territory,
would put the United States, as a naval power on the Lakes,
on equal footing with Great Britain, whose armed vessels can
be sent bere in any number up the St. Lawrence and through
the Welland Canal, to destroy our valuable shipping and put
our Lake ports under war contributions. If our Government
had'a navy to spare for the defence of our Lake interests we
could then get it from salt to fresh water, perhaps in time and
with sufficient force to repeat Perry's victory. It could scarce¬
ly have been the logical result of that fight, that our Govern¬
ment, in 181V, proposed to the British Ministry the unfortified
and defenceless condition, in which we now find ourselves, with¬
out a naval force on these Lakes to protect our marine, and
bound by treaty not to build nor arm here the vessels neces¬
sary to oppose the fleets that may be sent freely by Great
Britain. Viewed in this light, a ship canal means Lake de¬
fence.
But there is another view in which the national interest ap¬
pears. A deep waterway through and from the Lakes to the Sea
wouldUemove an obstruction now preventing tbe enterprising
and energetic people of this region from the application of
their resources in building and running vessels in the foreign
trade. The shipbuilding and freight-carrying business of
these Lakes, if not already, soon will be, overdone, and the
whole country would be benefited if this pent up power could
find a new field for life and activity. New blood in the ocean
transportation business is badly needed. I know of no place
whence it could be obtained so well as from these Lakes.
Here we have the courage, the skill and the energy that have
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
65
made the West the foremost business section of the United
States. Here is where the young men of the nation have had
a chance, and have shown to the world what that means in a
free Republic. Here is the place to build ships for a foreign
trade, to own them and to run them from our elevators and our
warehouse docks to and from all parts of the world. Deep
water navigation between the sea and these Lakes, through
our own territory, confined to our own flag as it should be>
would go far towards the solution of the shipping problem.
It would immensely increase our naval power, and raise our
national rank. It would vastly enlarge and fortify our com¬
mercial credit. It would assure always a favorable balance
of foreign trade. It would give the young men of our coun¬
try another chance. They would go forth to the sea, and
devise new methods of doing the business of the world. Their
enterprises and successes would be cheap to our nation at the
cost of the impi'ovements necessary to be made.
These thoughts are not merely speculative. While the Far-
quhar Tonnage Bill had a prospect of passage, last winter, there
were several parties from the Lakes on business excursions
through our Southern Atlantic and Gulf cities, looking up
points and places for operations and adventures in the ocean
trade and transportation. Although they, and perhaps all of
us, were disappointed in the action of Congress, their interest
in the opportunity pending proved that the Lake people will
respond promptly to the call of their country, if protection
shall again be extended to our marine in foreign trade, or if a
National ship canal shall be joined with deep water Lake navi¬
gation, as we hope one day it will be.
I would like to add one more word in explanation of the ad¬
vantage of locating a ship canal in our own territory, and confin¬
ing transportation through it to our own vessels. The object is
to do more work upon, and receive more money for, our products
sold abroad. A dollar earned by transportation is just as good
as one received for growing grain. By sending our exports to
market in our own ships, we would receive for the service the ten,
fifteen, or twenty per cent, of their value now added for freight,
but which is now earned and received by foreign shipping.
The work of the foreign ships brings us into debt abroad,
whereas the work of our own marine would keep us out of
66
PEOOEEDINGS OF THE
debt, and keep our gold at home. Here is a simple problem
that will illustrate the functions of a ship employed in foreign
traffic:
There is a cargo in New York and another in Liverpool, each
valued at $100,000. Freight is the same both ways. An
American steamer takes our cargo to Liverpool, and a British
ship brings the British cargo to New York. We build, equip,
man, provision, insure and run our own vessel, and the British
do the like by theirs. We do the banking, commission and
insurance on our own cargo, and the British do the same for
theirs. There is a fair exchange of goods and of services, and
the balance of trade is even between the two countries.
Now suppose that a British steamer carries both cargoes.
The freight is equivalent to 20 per cent, of value in each case.
The banking, insurance and other expenses are five per cent.
Then the British account will stand:
One cargo, $100,000
Freight on two cargoes 40,000
Insurance, &c., two cargoes 10,000
Total British credit $150,000
The American account will stand :
One cargo $100,000
Adverse balance of trade, 50,000
Amount of credit and debt, $150,000
From these transactions it is easily seen that an adverse bal¬
ance of foreign trade may be due, and in our case is really
due, whenever it occurs, not to a lack of exports made abroad,
but to a want of shipping of our own to carry what we send.
We are actually paying to foreign shipping every year a sum
as large as that collected at the custom houses. The only fear
of our own commercial men is the export of gold to balance
our foreign trade. If we had transportation in proportion to
exportation, the work of our marine would keep our gold at
home. We would not need to fear a silver currency then.
We would then have safety in our own foreign trade; and
foreign trade enough to satisfy us all.
DEEP WATEKWATS CONVENTION.
67
DEEPER CHANNELS IN THE LAKES AND AN
OUTLET TO TIDE WATER.
Portion op a Paper Prepared by
DENISON B. SMITH,
Secretary Toledo Produce Exchange.
Whose prophetic vision can accurately forecast the future?
Some writers are predicting that we have reached the maximum
of our agricultural production. It is an easy task to exhibit
the absurdity of such a proposition. Whenever necessity ex¬
ists for renewed effort, by better farming and by better fertil¬
ization, there is not a state in the west that can not double her
production. Either necessity or the inducement of value of the
crop, can be depended on to produce these results. With the
growing intelligence of the western farmer under the influence
of the diffusion of agricultural knowledge, what is to hinder
an average wheat production of thirty bushels to the acre, cor¬
responding to that of Great Britain and France, and other
cereals in proportion. We have six million acres of public
lands, two-thirds or more of which can be made as fertile and
useful as any we possess, by the process of irrigation." Large
vessels—Whalebacks perhaps—deepened connections between
the lakes, improved and deepened harbors, a ship canal from
Lake Erie to Ontario, or one from Buffalo to the seaboard—
these are the elements needed to protect and increase the in¬
ternal commerce of these United States.
Let us not be lulled into a condition of security and indiffer¬
ence to the future because the old world has been unfortunate
this year in diminished products of her fields, while we have
been fortunate. Taking one year with another, we are engaged
in a sharp contest with the producing states of the old world
for supremacy in supplying the importing countries with bread
68
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
and meat. The cost to the old world consumer is the key to
the victory. We can not expect present values on a fair crop
around the world. As an example, twenty-five per cent addi¬
tional value to wheat this year has largely increased the export
of India. Her greatest previous exportation in a year was
forty-one million of bushels, with later yearly averages at
lower prices, of about twenty-six millions. This year to date,
her exportation is forty-five million bushels, with. three and
one-half months remaining of her crop year, as against twenty
million bushels in the same period in 1890. In ordinary years
Russia is capable of exporting one hundred million bushels of
wheat, besides rye, oats and barley. South America and Aus¬
tralia are increasing in population, and must increase their
exportation.
While our Pacific ports are under the same flag as those of
the Atlantic, it is commercial wisdom to equalize the facilities
for reaching foreign markets from both shores. The Nicaragua
Canal, it has been stated, will reduce the distance from the
Pacific ports and Australia to Liverpool moi'e than ten thousand
miles, and of course reduce the freight charge one-third or
more. The average rate of freight from San Francisco to
Liverpool is 30 cents per bushel, and 35 cents from Australia.
Upon the completion of the Isthmus Canal these rates ai'e
likely to be reduced to 20 and 25 cents per bushel or less.
Now look at our side. During the past autumn the ocean
freight from New York was as high as 13 cents per bushel,
with a water freight thence of 7 to 8 cents. Now, the rail and
ocean freight from Chicago equals 25 cents per bushel, and
from Toledo and Detroit 22 cents, and with a very encouraging
outlook for an increase in the rail portion of the freight. I am
not here to array the water against the rail, and it is a narrow
commercial policy that inaugurates such a contest. The two
instrumentalities are alike interested in promoting and strength¬
ening such facilities as will give the lowest remunerating rate
of transportation to that vast country west, southwest and
northwest of the Great Lakes. In this contest with foreign ex¬
porting states, I maintain that it is for the interest of the rail
DEKP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
69
lines to aid the water routes by the very lowest remunerating
rates from all interior points up to the lake ports, for the rea¬
son, that all rail rates to the seaboard can not successfully
meet the competition, and that the great share of our surplus
must reach the importing markets by cheap water transit.
That is the salient fact that underlies the whole question, and
the primary object and the one of immediate concern is, how
to facilitate and cheapen transportation along these waterways.
We may not require twenty feet of depth in the immediate
future, but nothing is more clear to me than that at least
twenty feet of water should be provided for in the lake con¬
nections and harbors, on the basis of the present lake levels.
It adds nothing but the cost of loading and unloading and a
little more coal at two dollars per ton, whether a ship carries
two or three thousand tons, but the point of gain is empha¬
sized, in the cheapened freight. The outlet to the nations of
the old and new world will come in its appointed time, but our
efforts and influence are challenged to-day to improve and
strengthen and build up the commercial trafflc between our
ports. For a government to appropriate money for such an end
and purpose, is one of the highest uses of its functions. It is
the most direct and salutary method of increasing inter trade
and commerce and closer relations with its people. It is quite
common to sneer at river and harbor bills as a public steal.
There may be yearly appropriations for unimportant objects,
but it is like everything else in this world, the tares must grow
with the wheat, and no amount of declamation of this sort
must divert our attention and our efforts from the great first
objects of this convention, namely; to so greatly improve the
waterways of this country that the effects may be felt by all
its people in cheapened means of intercourse with each other.
Our immense expansion in agriculture, while it has cheapened
our own products, has reduced also the cost of food for the poor
of the nations. It has reduced the value of the large land estates
and preserves of the old world, and lessened the burdens of the
renters and toilers thereon. It is one of the great equalizers of
the age. Some of those old governments have resorted to ex-
70
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
traordinary devices to exclude us, but tbe voice of the great
mass of the people, everywhere, will at last prevail, and bread
and meat will be bought where it can be most cheaply pro¬
cured. The Great Lakes of the west and a direct export of our
products will unlock all these devices. This inland commerce
of ours is the grandest of the world. Some of us will live to
shorten that sentence by leaving out the word " inland," for I
maintain, that nowhere on earth can be found combined so
immense and varied a group of the elements of a great com¬
merce as that which is embraced by these United States of
ours, and no section of our country has greater claims upon the
government for its protection.
All these lake connections and important harbors are united
by the strong bond of mutual interest. It is of course profit¬
less to load a vessel to eighteen or twenty feet draft, to trade
to a port without corresponding depth of water. Not only
profitless, but involving large loss in lighterage and detention.
We must provide for a margin of depth not only to meet the
changes produced by the prevailing winds, but for the more
important and lasting contingency, the decline in lake levels
produced by a deficiency in rain falls over a term of years. An
observation of fifty-five years justifies me in the conclusion
that deficiency in precipitation, rain and snow, is the true cause
of the decrease in the lake levels. It is by no means a unique
feature. It has occurred before, and will occur again, and our
commerce must not be crippled and rendered unprofitable by
imposing upon our large vessels the expense, not only to the
vessel but to the cargo, of the necessity of an inadequate cargo.
In every important harbor, and along all our lake connections,
there must be a margin of depth to meet the contingencies of
wind and drouth.
The newspapers of the day have discussed the scheme of
decreasing the escape of water at the Falls of Niagara. A
friend of mine, an engineer, says he entirely accepts the state¬
ment made a few years ago by an eminent civil engineer, who
had carefully gauged the water discharge of the Niagara River,
above the Falls, and at the same time had gauged the water at
DEEP WATEKWAYS CONVENTION. 71
Lewiston as it passed into Lake Ontario, and found, as the
result of those measurements, a greater quantity of water passing
out of the Niagara River at Lewiston than he found passing
over the Falls. His theory, as expressed, was, that a subter¬
ranean passage connected Lake Erie with the whirlpool below
the Falls, and as a result produced the rotary motion, as seen
at the whirlpool.
If that statement be true, it is an added uncertainty to a
project of very doubtful utility.
Ultimately the ports of the lakes must supply the markets
of the old world by direct exportations. That will be the final
solution of the problem. How shall we accomplish it ? The
transfer of the Erie Canal to the U. S. Government, and its en¬
largement to the required dimensions and depth, is one of the
projects with which the public mind is familiar. But I do
not believe the entire route of the Erie Canal combines all the
elements necessary to be considered in the construction of such
a work. I am heartily in favor of a route, which I believe can
be constructed at far less aggregate cost, and which will give,
between Lake Erie and a connection with the Erie Canal at
Rome, N. Y. 128 miles from Troy, a natural lake navigation of
170 miles, less the length of the canal at the Falls of Niagara,
and which latter can be constructed on a shorter distance than
the Weiland Canal. While I am in favor of requesting the
Government to make full surveys and measurements, cost of
construction and relative advantages of the two routes, it is
quite obvious, that the route I hereinafter describe will be
found by far the most expeditious and economical and the Gov¬
ernment must be called upon to construct it, or some other
connection, so that the ships of the lakes can reach the oceans
of the world by a great free American route of commercial
transit.
Along the route commended to my judgment, is first a
ship canal from Lake Erie to Ontario. The Welland Canal is
27 miles in length. The distance from the Lake Ontario out¬
let of that canal to Oswego is 143 miles of lake navigation.
From Oswego to the intersection of the Oneida River with
72
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
Oswego River and the Oneida Lake, it is" 34 miles. The
length of the Oneida Lake is 26 miles of Lake navigation, and
from its eastern end to a connection with the Erie Canal at
about Rome it is six miles. From Rome to Troy it is 128
miles. These distances aggregate 364 miles from Lake Erie,
but I suppose may fairly be counted 360 miles by a shortened
canal from Erie to Ontario as compared with the Weiland. The
distance from Buffalo to Troy is 345 miles, but by the former
route there is a net saving of canal enlargement of 142 miles.
An additional consideration in favor of the cost of construct¬
ing this route is, that some of the distances I have named are
in rivers which can be more cheaply improved than canals.
Such a survey as I have suggested would determine the com¬
parative cost, usefulness and advantages of the two routes.
The growing commerce of the lakes must demand an outlet,
and thus approach more neaidy the doors of our great custom¬
ers. The matchless enterprise of western men who have in¬
vested nearly 120,000,000 in the lake marine, in three years,
while shipbuilding on the seaboard has been congested, claims
the right to float these ships on the high seas to trade with the
nations, and they must have it.
One thought more and I will conclude. Heretofore it has
been impossible to frame a River and Harbor appropriation
bill that could be passed by the House, without conceding to
the different sections, sums for improvement of unimportant
works. This Congress may prove to be an economical one,
and may limit the aggregate appropriations for Rivers and
Harbors to a smaller sum than usual. Under these conditions,
it will be apparent that strong influences must be brought to
bear on Congress, not to over-look the sections of our country
where the commerce is most in need of their protection, and
especially the works that are already commenced and where
great losses would occur by postponement of the work.
deep waterways convention.
73
THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE RAILWAY
AND THE WATERWAY.
BY S. A. THOMPSON,
Secretary of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention :—
" The chief element in the prosperity of every State and na¬
tion is the economy of transportation of persons and property.
It is the marked factor in the difference between civilization
and barbarism." Thus spake Ex-Governor Seymour, of New
York, and truer words were never uttered. I know of nothing
more interesting than to trace the development of transporta¬
tion methods from the brawny savage bending under his load,
borne through the wilderness with slow and painful toil, up to
the fast freight, the vestibule limited, the unequaled fleet of
freighters that ply the waters of our inland seas, or the float¬
ing palaces which compose the tri-daily ferry line across the
broad Atlantic.
The history of the development of transportation methods
and of the evolution of our civilization are so inseparably con¬
nected and so inextricably intermingled that I am at a loss to
decide whether improved facilities for transportation have
produced our modern civilization, or our present facilities for
the economical and rapid transportation of persons and prop¬
erty are the outgrowth of that civilization.
Agencies of Transportation.
The wagon-way, the railway and the waterway constitute
the trinity of transportation agencies by which the commerce
of the civilized world is carried on. There seems to be a very
general misapprehension as to the relations existing between
the three. In reality, each of the three is an integral and in¬
dispensable portion of a threefold transportation system, which
would be incomplete if any of the three were lacking, and
7^4: peoceedings of the
which can never reach the greatest efficiency of which it is
capable, unless there is a symmetrical development of all the
parts.
The wagon road is commonly considered to be subsidiary to
the other two, and so it is in ásense, just as a foundation is
subsidiary to the superstructure. And the railway and the
waterway are generally considered to be antagonistic, and so
they are in a sense and to a certain degree. For the three
parts are not separated one from the other, and hemmed in like
lakes by rocky shores. Their fields of action overlap and their
elasticity is so great that they can readily conform to all the
ever changing conditions and necessities of that complex thing
called commerce. The wagon-way, however, is essentially
local, the railway continental, and the waterway world-wide
in its sphere of action. The distinguishing characteristic of
the wagon-way may be called availability, as speed is undoubt¬
edly the distinguishing characteristic of the railway and
economy of the waterway. And in the last analysis these
three will be found to be not competitors but complements,
not antagonists but auxiliaries.
But because the sphere of action of the wagon-way is local
rather than general, and not because it is regarded as of less
importance, it will necessarily be dropped from further con¬
sideration at this time, and I shall address myself to a brief
discussion of the relations existing between the railway and
the waterway.
Reduction of Railway Rates.
As was stated at the outset, there seems to be a wide spread
misapprehension in regard to these relations—a misapprehen¬
sion which probably exists in a more acute form in the minds
of railway men than in the estimation of the general public.
Some ten or twelve years ago two gentlemen, both of them
railway presidents, one of an eastern, the other of a western
road, sat talking together, and the conversation turned upon
the continually increasing efficiency and decreasing cost of
railway transportation owing to the reduction of grades, the less-
deep WATERWArS convention.
75
ening of curves, and the building of more powerful engines and
of cars which carried a much greater amount of paying freight
in proportion to dead weight than formerly. The eastern man
stated that canal boats were played out, and that river steam¬
ers were about ready to follow the ' canal boats into permanent
retirement, and expressed the opinion that it was only a ques¬
tion of time when the steamships would also be driven from
the Great Lakes, leaving to the railways an undisputed monop¬
oly of the carrying trade of the continent.
Great changes have certainly taken place in the matter of
railroad transportation. It is but a few years since 20,000
pounds was the maximum weight carried by a freight car. Now
we have cars which will carry 60,000 pounds. Locomotives are
much more powerful also, and immense sums have been ex¬
pended in reducing grades and curvatures, so that, owing to
improvements of various kinds, the average train load is two
or three times as great now as it was a short time ago. It is
exceedingly interesting to note the successive reductions which
have been made in the railway freight rates coincident with
these improvements in methods. For, according to Poor's
Manual, the average rate per ton per mile received by all the
railways in the United States, which in 1882 was 1.236 cents,
had fallen in 1890 to .941 cent, a reduction of nearly 24 per
cent, in nine years. Standing alone these figures would seem
to justify the prediction of the railway president, but he for¬
got that it is possible to increase the efficiency of the steam¬
ship as well as of the railway.
Comparative Reduction of Rates.
I have here a table compiled from the reports of the Chicago
Board of Trade, showing the average charges for carrying a
bushel of wheat from Chicago to New York for each year
from 1868 to 1885, and by each of the three possible methods,
viz.; all rail, lake and rail, and lake, canal and Hudson river.
The table has not been extended beyond 1885, because there
has been no material change since that time.
76
proceedings of the
Calendar Years.
Lake and | ' Lake and
Canal. * Rail.
All Rail.
1868
25.8 29.0
42.6
18(i9
24.1 25.0
83.1
1870
17.3 33.0
33.3
1871
31.6 35.0
31.0
1S72
36.6 28.0
33.5
1873
19 3 26.9
33.2
1874
14.3 16.9
38.7
1873
11.4 14.6
34 1
1876
9.7 11.8
16.5
1877
7.5 15.8
30.3
1878
10.1 11.4
17.7
1879
13.0 13.3
17.3
1880
18.2 13.7
19.7
1881
8.6 10.4
14.4
1883
8.7 10.9
14.6
1883
8.40 11.5
16.5
1884
6.59 9.9
13.3
1883
4.35 ' 9.06
14.0
Including Buffalo charges and tolls.
Comparative Cost op Transportation.
From the official report of the business of the St. Mary's
Falls Canal, prepared under the direction of Gen. O. M. Poe,
it appears that the total amount of freight passing through
that canal in 1890 was 9,014,213 tons. This was carried an
average distance of 797.2 miles at an average price per ton
per mile of only 1.3 mills, which is less than one-seventh of
the average price received per ton per mile by the railways of
the United States for the same year. Wheat has been carried
from Chicago to Buffalo at one cent a bushel, equal to.04 cent
per ton per mile; and thousands of tons of coal have been laid
down in Duluth from Buffalo, during the season just closed, at
10 cents per ton, or .01 per ton per mile. It is not fair, of
course, to let the latter figure stand without explaining that
it is below the present cost of carriage, and must be considered
in connection with the high return freight on grain.
So far we have been considering only the rates actually
charged for transportation, and the showing is certainly exceed¬
ingly favorable to the waterway. Let us now turn our atten¬
tion for a few moments to the actual net cost of transportation.
DKEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
77
so far as we can get at it, and see what is the difference between
the net cost of rail and water transportation. Careful experi¬
ments, conducted for a long period on the Grand Trunk rail¬
way, showed the actual cost of moving freight, exclusive of
fixed charges, to be 0.5 cent per ton per mile. The average cost
on all the roads reporting to the inter-state commerce commission
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, was nearly 20 per cent,
greater, being .593 cent per ton per mile, while the lowest cost
I have been able to find on record is in the case of the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern, which has been able in excep¬
tionally favorable years to report a cost as low as .4 cent per
ton per mile. On the Erie Canal the cost is only half as much
as the least cost reported for rail transportation, being two
mills per ton per mile. On some of the Belgian canals, where
steam towage is used, the cost has been reduced to one and a
half mills, while on the Aire and Calder Canal in England,
General Manager Bartholomew, who seems to be the greatest
genius in canal management which the world has yet produced,
reports that he has been able to reduce the cost of transporting
minerals to .024 cent per ton per mile, and for general mer¬
chandise to .068 cent, the average being .046, and the cost of
returning the empties being included in each case. The figures
grow more and more interesting as we go on, and when we
turn to the Great Lakes, where we have deeper water, we find
results which are almost startling.
The western railway president before mentioned related some
time ago the incident of his conversation with the president of
the eastern railway, and added: "I might have continued to
share his belief in the ultimate triumph of the railway over the
steamship if I had not had occasion to build and operate a line
of steamships myself. These boats carry 2,700 tons of freight
on the present depth of water at the Sault, make the run from
Duluth to Buffalo in three days and a half, and cost an average
of |120 per day." Calling the distance from Duluth to Buffalo
1,000 miles, and we find these figures are equivalent to .015
cent per ton per mile, only ^ the cost on the Lake Shore road.
Or, to express the same fact in terms which will be better
78
peoceedings of the
understood by the ordinary business man, it costs $26 on the
most favorably situated railroad in the United States to do
what is done on the Great Lakes for $1.
What the Future will Being.
And we have by no means reached the end of this matter of
the reduction of rates upon the Great Lakes. The figures I have
given as the net cost of water transportation on the Great Lakes
are the results which have been attained on a draft of fifteen
feet. An appropriation has been made and the work is now in
progress which will give an available depth of twenty feet
through the Sault Canal and Hay Lake Channel, and we are
here to-day to ask Congress for an appropriation which will
give us an equal depth through all the connecting channels of
the lakes between Duluth, Chicago and Buffalo.
Speaking to a convention called in the interest of the water¬
way, Mr. Jas. J. Hill, of the Great Northern Road, the west¬
ern railway president to whom I have before referred, said :
" The Government Engineers propose to give us twenty feet of
water. We shall accept the twenty feet, and use it when we
get it, but I promise you that whenever they will guarantee
me eighteen feet, I will build a line of boats that will carry six
thousand tons, instead of three thousand, which is now the
limit, and cut the present cost of lake transportation square in
two."
If he can build vessels of six thousand tons burthen on
eighteen feet of water, I should suppose that twenty feet would
make possible boats that would carry eight thousand, perhaps
even ten thousand tons by the use of very full lines and twin
screws. But no matter about that. Vessels carrying five
thousand or six thousand tons will do well enough, and judg¬
ing from the figures we have found for vessels carrying two
thousand seven hundred tons, one will need some kind of a
financial microscope in order to be able to see the ton mile rate
for vessels twice the size.
Nor shall we need to depend alone on the increase of depth
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
79
of channel and carrying capacity of vessels for the further re¬
ductions which will be made. In fact by reason of the low
stage of water in the lakes during the past few years the avail¬
able depth has been less during the past season than it was five
years ago In spite of that, freight is carried more cheaply
now than then, because the vessel of to-day has greater effi¬
ciency than the vessel of five years ago. The triple expansion
engine is an everyday affair, and the quadruple expansion en¬
gine probably lies but a very short distance in the future. From
the exceedingly valuable pamphlet entitled " The Twenty-Foot
Channel," prepared by Mr. W. A. Livingstone, of Detroit, I find
that there are vessels whose average earnings for the season of
1890 were only 0.8 mills per ton mile, and the season of 1890
is acknowledged to be one of the most prosperous that the
vessel interests have ever known. I find also that the average
consumption of coal of a number of the typical modern steel
steamers was almost exactly one ounce per ton per mile. I am
aware that there are gentlemen here who are experienced in all
these lines, and that I am treading on dangerous ground in at¬
tempting to handle transportation statistics in their hearing,
but I think the figures used are authentic, and if any gentle¬
man present can give me the statistics of better results than
those I have named I shall be under obligations to bim if he
will do so.
I shall not go further into this discussion of the cheapness
of water transportation, both relative and absolute, and of the
still further reduction of rates which the future will doubtless
bring, because I do not wish to take up too much of your
time, but the figures which I have given and hundreds more
like them which could be given if necessary, prove conclu¬
sively to my mind, first, that it is utterly impossible for the
railway to compete on even terms with the waterway for the
carriage of bulk freights, and, second, that the greater the
depth of the waterway and the greater the carrying capacity of
the canal boat or vessel, the less is the cost of transportation.
If it be true, then, as Governor Seymour said, that the pros¬
perity of any nation depends chiefly upon the economy of
80
proceedings of the
transportation of persons and property, it necessarily follows
from the facts I have jnst stated that the surest way to bring
the greatest prosperity to our country is to develop to their
utmost the waterways of our country.
I wish to add, however, before turning to another branch
of the subject, that the steamships we have on the Great Lakes
maintain a greater average speed per hour than is maintained by
the freight trains of any railroad in this or any other country.
The best modern steamers on the lakes make the run between
Duluth and Chicago or Buffalo at an average speed of 12 to
16 miles per hour. Of course there are freight trains which
make 16 miles per hour while they are running, but when you
come to take in consideration the time consumed in switching
and in side-tracking to get out of the way of passenger trains,
they only get a net rate of speed of between 8 and 9 miles
per hour, so that on the Great Lakes we are not only carrying
freight for of the cost to the railroads, but we are doing it
in faster time than the railroads possibly can.
Effect op Waterways on Railway Rates.
This development of the waterways should be made not only
because the waterway furnishes the cheapest possible form of
transportation, but because it is also the most powerful pos¬
sible regulator of railway rates. On roads subject to water
competition, freight rates invariably go up when navigation
closes in the fall, and go down again when navigation re-opens
in the spring. A study of the statistics in Poor's Manual, or
the report of the interstate commerce commission, shows that
the lowest rates are found on roads most subject to water
competition. Take for instance the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern, with its average rate of .653 cent and the Michigan
Central with .726 cent per ton per mile, and compare these
with the rates on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul and
Chicago and Northwestern roads, which were 1.06 and 1.03
respectively. A multitude of similar facts could be adduced,
but the strongest proof of the supreme control exercised by
deep waterways convention. 81
waterways on railway rates is furnished by the railway men
themselves. In an argument before the committee on com¬
merce of the House of Representatives, made in opposition to
the "Reagan bill," in March 1882, Mr. G. R. Blanchard, the
well known i-ailroad attorney, said : "The rail carrying
charges upon the great eastbound traffic to the seaboard, for
both consumption and export, are, therefore, and must con¬
tinue to be, limited by natural causes, and cannot be beyond
or as much as those which, in their absence, would be deemed
fair and reasonable, and are always below the rates for like
distances, articles and speed by rail anywhere in the world.
So potent are these facts that it is within the power of, and
is often the case that the combination or independent action
of, a few sail vessels at Chicago can, in their seasons of navi¬
gation, procure rates from owners of an equal capacity of Erie
canal boats from Buffalo to New York, which added to their
own rates to Buffalo and transfer charges, will fix, and have
in actual practice fixed and regulated, the entire eastward
through maximum rail freight chai'ges for a time upon all kinds
of grain and many other articles. * * * Can any safer lim¬
itation or check be legislated than the inñexible limitations
nature enforces in its uncontrollable rivalry ? * * * The
application of water results are inexorable in their effects upon
railroad rates within periods ranging from seven to eight
months in each calendar year and usually all the year in
rivalry with western rivers. * * * In view of all these
facts, I now say with Mr. Fink: 'Compared with this power¬
ful regulator of railroad transportation tariffs, the efforts
of state or congressional legislation to prevent extortionate
charges appear to those at all conversant with the subject as
perfectly useless.' " To such a statement from such a source
nothing need be added.
Fab Reaching Influence op Waterways.
It should be noted also that the infiuence of water compe¬
tition is not confined to the roads which run close along the
waterways. The New York Central and Lake Shore and
82
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Michigan Southern roads, considered as one, are paralleled by
a waterway the entire distance from New York to Chicago,
and rates are necessarily made under the influence of that
competition. The Pennsylvania Central, lying perhaps 150
miles further South, can make no higher rates than the New
York Central, otherwise the latter road would get all the
business. On that point we have the testimony of a great
many railroad men.
Mr. Albert Fink, the Railroad Commissioner, used the fol¬
lowing words in 1878, in a letter addressed to Hon. Wm.
Windom, who was at that time Chairman of the Senate Com¬
mittee on transportation routes to the seaboard :
"You are aware that when the rates are reduced between
Chicago and New York on account of the opening of the
canal, this reduction applies not only to Chicago, but to all
interior cities (St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati) to New
York. If that was not the rule, the result would be that the
roads running, say, from St. Louis, Indianapolis and Cincinnati
to Chicago, would carry the freight to Chicago, from which
point low rates would take it to the East, and leave the direct
road from the interior points to the seaboard without business.
Hence, whenever the rates are reduced on account of the open¬
ing of navigation from Chicago and lake ports, the same re¬
duction is made to all interior cities, not only to New York,
where the canal runs, but to Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Although the latter cities have no direct water route commu¬
nication with the West, yet they receive the benefit, as far as
railroad rates are concerned, the same as if a canal were run¬
ning from the lakes direct to these cities, because whenever
rates from Chicago to New York are reduced it is necessary
to reduce the rates from Chicago to Boston, Philadelphia and
Baltimore ; otherwise the business would all go to New York.
The reduction of the rates from Chicago and St. Louis to Bal¬
timore causes a reduction in rates on shipments via Baltimore
to Atlantic ports—Norfolk, Wilmington, Savannah, Brunswick
and Fernandina—and from there into the interior of the gulf
States—Augusta, Atlanta, Macon, Montgomery, Selma, etc.
* * * These roads * * * are obliged to follow the
reductions made via the B.altimore road, and which were prim¬
arily made on account of the existence of the Erie Canal and
the opening of navigation. The same way in regard to the
westbound business, * * * so that it may be said that the
rail rates are kept in check by water transportation."
deep wateewats convention.
83
Nor is water competition confined in its effect entirely to
the season of navigation. The same authority last quoted
testified before the Senate Committee on inter-state commerce
that at least, so far as grain rates are concerned, that inñuence
extends throughout the winter. " For," said he, " if the rail rates
are made too high, the grain is simply stored to await the
drop in rates which is certain to come when navigation is
opened."
Influence on Interior Railways.
It is wonderful to see in how many directions and to what
a distance the influence of the waterway extends. We have
seen that it not only gives the cheapest form of transportation,
but that it exerts a powerful influence on the railways which
parallel the water route, whether close by or hundreds of
miles away, and that this influence is felt even during the
time when the waterway is frozen up. And even this is not
all. The beneficial effect of the waterway extends also to the
interior of the country, which is reached only by railway lines
which terminate upon the waterway and make a through line
for the transportation of freight in connection therewith.
An illustration occurs to me: Rates on coal from the East
are lower to Duluth than they are to Chicago, owing to circum¬
stances into the details of which I do not care now to go, but
because of this fact Duluth dealers have been able to sell coal
as far south as Kansas City and to many other points which
are much nearer to Chicago than they are to Duluth, and the
cost of getting freight from New York to points in Montana",
Kansas, Colorado and the West generally is a great deal less
than it would be if the Great Lakes were not where they are.
As a further illusti-ation of this fact, take the case of Aber¬
deen, Watertown, Huron and other towns in South Dakota,
where on the day they gained railroad connection with Lake
Superior, wheat went up seven cents a bushel and coal came
down two dollars a ton.
84
peoceedings of the
A Benefit to the Railway.
There are some who feel that such an extensive development
of the waterways of the country, as some of us desire to see,
would bankrupt the railways of the country. I do not want to
be understood as being in the slightest degree hostile to the
railways, and I am sure that all the experience of the past
proves that the development of the waterways is not an injury
hut a benefit to the railway business.
The New Fork Central and Lake Shore and Michigan South¬
ern railways, considered as one, lie close alongside a waterway
almost every mile of the distance from New York to Chicago,
and there is no other railway in the United States which has
been compelled to build four tracks to accommodate its busi¬
ness, as the New York Central has, or which pays greater or
more regular dividends. In Germany, the year following the
great improvement in the river Rhine, the traffic of the river
increased 30 per cent., while the traffic of the railway along its
banks increased 60 per cent. As a matter of fact the two sys¬
tems of transportation, rail and water, are not antagonistic,
but complementary, each to the other. When the elevated
railways were seeking a franchise in the streets of New York
City, the surface lines of street cars were bitterly opposed, and
feared that the success of the elevated road would mean dis¬
aster for them, but they have been agreeably surprised to find
that the elevated roads have taken the long distance traffic,
which is the least profitable, leaving for them the exceedingly
profitable short distance traffic, so that the surface roads are
to-day making more money than they were before the elevated
roads were built, while the elevated roads also have proven
enormously profitable by developing a traffic which it would
have been impossible for the surface roads to handle. So the
cheap transportation furnished by a waterway, like the Hudson
and Erie canal for instance, develops great cities and prosper¬
ous manufactures and takes from the railroad the necessity of
carrying bulky raw materials, which have the greatest weight
and the least value, and can therefore afford only low rates of
deep waterways convention. 85
freight, while it leaves for the railroad the passenger traffic,
all that class of goods in which the weight is small in propor¬
tion to value, all perishable and other goods in which speed of
transportation is of prime importance, and all the great increase
in both passenger and freight traffic which the low transporta¬
tion of the waterway has produced, and which it would not
have been possible for the railway alone to produce.
A Tremendous Traefio.
Through the Sault Canal, at the outlet of Lake Superior,
there passed, in 1890, 10,557 vessels, having a net registered
tonnage of 8,454,435 tons. The actual freight tonnage was
8,041,213 tofis, but the registered tonnage is used for the purpose
of comparison. Through the Suez Canal there passed, during
the same year, 3,389 vessels, having a net registered tonnage
of 6,890,014 tons, so that nearly three times as many vessels
and over a million and a half tons more of freight passed
through the Sault Canal, away in the center of the continent,
than passed through the Suez Canal, which is an international
work, and a highway for the commerce of the world. And it
should be remembered, too, that the Sault Canal was open but
228 days for navigation, and the Suez Canal was open, of
course, during the entire year. And this represents the business
of one lake only. In an argument opposing the construction
of a bridge across the river here at Detroit, presented to Con¬
gress by a delegate to this convention, Hon. George H. Ely,
of Cleveland, he estimated that through the Detroit river,
representing the commerce of all the lakes, except Lake On¬
tario, there passed, in 1889, more than 36,000,000 tons of
freight. This is nearly ten million tons more than the com¬
bined entries and clearances of all the seaports of the United
States, Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific, and three million tons
greater than the combined entries and clearances, both coast¬
wise and foreign, of Liverpool and London, the commercial
centers of the world.
86
«
proceedings of the
A Profitable Investment.
In the pamphlet on the "Twenty-Foot Channel," before re¬
ferred to, I find the ton mileage of the Great Lakes, for 1890,
estimated at 18,849,681,384 ton miles. As the average rate
on all lake freight was about 1.1 mills per ton mile, and the
average rate on the railroads of the United States was 9.41
mills per ton mile, it follows that it would have cost, in round
numbers, one hundred and fifty million dollars more to have
handled that traffic by rail than it actually did cost to
handle it by water. And as the total cost of all the river and
harbor improvements on the lakes above Niagara Falls has
been less than thirty millions of dollars to date, the saving
on the business of a single year has made a return more
than five-fold greater than the total expenditure for improve¬
ments. In the light of the facts which I have given, I claim
that the commercial interests of the Great Lakes have a
right to speak to Congress and the nation, and when they
speak they are entitled to be heard.
There is, of course, no question that this convention will ask
of Congress the immediate appropriation of the amount neces¬
sary to give an unobstructed waterway twenty or twenty-one
feet deep between Duluth, Chicago and Buffalo, but I wish to
give you some of the reasons why I believe that we should at
this time take up the greater question of constructing a water¬
way through our own territory from the Great Lakes to the
sea, of sufficient capacity to allow the free passage of vessels
drawing twenty feet of water. I believe we have the grandest
country and the best government on earth, hut I also believe
that it is possible for us to learn some things from foreign
countries which would be greatly to our advantage.
Lessons From Foreign Lands.
If France could be made into a circular island and Texas
into a circular sea, there would be a strip of water one hun¬
dred miles wide all around the outside of France, yet little
France has spent upon the improvement of her harbors and
waterways since 1814 more than six hundred and fifty mil-
dekp watkkway8 convention.
87
lions of dollars, in addition to some seven hundred millions out
of the State treasury for railroads, and I do not know how many
hundreds of millions upon wagon roads. France has to-day
the finest system of wagon roads in the world, and an unsur¬
passed railway system, and in addition seven thousand five
hundred miles of canal and river navigation. The wonderful
recuperative power shown by France after the terrible drain
of the war with Germany, and the ease with which the enor¬
mous war indemnity was paid, was always an unsolved mys¬
tery to me until I learned that France has the completest set of
transportation facilities of any nation in the world, and then
the mystery was solved. France commenced building canals a
hundred years before the beginning of the Christian era, and
evidently the people of that country are not ready to admit,
as some railway men in the United States would have us be¬
lieve, that the usefulness of canals has passed away; for re¬
cently, when a plebiscite was taken to ascertain the popular
feeling as to the proposed Paris & Rouen Canal (which is to
have a depth of twenty-one feet, a length of one hundred and
fourteen miles, and is estimated to cost from thirty-six to forty
millions of dollars) out of three hundred and forty-five thou¬
sand votes received, only thirteen were opposed to the project.
In the year 1887 it was announced that the construction of
more than a thousand miles of new canal navigation had been
ordered in Germany, in addition to the one thousand two hun¬
dred and eighty-nine miles then operated and the four thousand
nine hundred and twenty-five miles of navigable rivers also
available. In England sixty million dollars are being ex¬
pended as a private enterprise to connect one city with the sea.
And so throughout all Europe uncounted millions are being ex¬
pended in the further development of a system of inland navi¬
gation which is already immeasurably ahead of anything we
have in the United States.
Ageicultural Depression and The Remedy.
Every one admits that agriculture is the fundamental in¬
dustry. When the farmer is prosperous the whole nation is
88
proceedings of the
prosperous. This year the American farmer rejoices—and the
nation rejoices with him—in the combination of phenomenal
crops and high prices, due to an unusual shortage in the old
world. But during the past few years there has been a cease¬
less outcry regarding agricultural depression. That agricul¬
ture has been depressed every one admits, but there has been
little agreement as to the cause of that depression or the
remedy therefor. Probably many causes have combined to
lower the prices of agricultural products, but to my mind the
chief factor in the cause of this exceedingly undesirable result
has been the opening up of new and shorter lines of transpor¬
tation, whereby new sources of supply have become available,
and other producers have been given an advantage over the
farmers of this country. To my mind it is something more
than a mere coincidence that the downward trend of prices be¬
gan with the opening of the Suez Canal and the entry of In¬
dian labor at V cents per day into the arena of competition.
The average American farmer has not only paid higher wages
to his help, has expended probably a hundred fold more for
the maintenance of himself and family, partly for climatic
reasons and partly because his wants were greater, because his
position in the scale of civilization is higher, but, in addition,
his grain on its way to the markets of the world has had to
bear the high cost of long distances of transportation by rail,
while the wheat of India goes by water almost the entire
distance from the Asiatic farm to the English mill. The fact
that American grain, competing as it does under such une¬
qual conditions, has held its own in the markets of the world
as fully as it has, is of itself one of the highest possible com¬
pliments to the intelligence and inventive genius of the Ameri¬
can people.
Canadian Competition.
But the day is near at hand when American farmers must
meet such competition as they never met before and such as
few of them have ever dreamed of. It is but a few years since
the newspapers of Chicago, Cincinnati, New York and other
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
89
cities characterized the territory now included in Minnesota
and North and South Dakota as a bleak and barren waste, a land
of desolation, with Arctic climate and an unproductive soil,
totally unfit for human habitation. Yet that same territory
produced last year more than one hundred and fifty millions of
bushels of wheat in addition to all other farm products, and
scarcely one-seventh of the arable land is as yet under cultiva¬
tion. The ideas which obtain in the popular mind to-da}"^ re¬
garding the climate and resources of the Canadian Northwest are
as radically different from the facts as were these entertained
a third of a century ago in regard to Minnesota and the Dakotas.
It is a common error to suppose that the climate becomes
more and more inhospitable as higher latitudes are reached,
but latitude is not the only factor in the production of climate.
Altitude, position of mountain ranges, prevailing winds, large
bodies of water and many other causes affect climate as much
as does latitude. James W. Taylor, who through all the changes
of parties and administrations, has for twenty-one years past
been the Consul of the United States at Winnipeg, has made a
special study of the Canadian Northwest, and he declares that
the parallelogram included between longitudes 100 and IVO
west of Greenwich, and latitude 50 degrees to VO degrees is
identical in climate and as rich in resources as an equal area in
Europe included between the same meridians of latitude and
extending 60 degrees east and 10 degrees west of Greenwich.
The European parallelogram includes England, Ireland, Scot¬
land, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland and most
of Germany and Russia in Europe, and is represented by the
cities of London, Liverpool, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburg, Copen¬
hagen, Stockholm, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nijni-nov-
gorod and Archangel. Over all the territory included in the
North American parallelogram, the opening of spring occurs
at the same time almost to a day. It is known by the test of
experiment that wheat can be grown as far north as latitude
69, and by far the finest wheat which I have ever seen came
from Ft. Vermillion on Peace River in latitude 59, longitude
116. Wheat, barley, oats, peas, all the grains and vegetables,
90
proceedings of the
are successfully raised at the Mission stations throughout this
region, and the farmers of Manitoba have had greater average
crops per acre for many years past than the American farmers
in Minnesota and Dakota.
The causes for this remarkable extension northwest of cereal
production are first, the continually decreasing altitude, the
influence of the warm wind of the Pacific blowing through the
low mountain passes of the north, and the fact that the long
summer days of higher latitudes give a vast deal more of sun¬
shine during the growing season than is the case further south,
while the cold winters prevent the development of insect pests
which are so injurious in milder climates. These causes are
certainly suflicient to explain the fact so well demonstrated by
experience, that all grains are produced in the highest quality
and the greatest quantity per acre near the northernmost limit
at which they will grow.
Canadian Waterways.
In proportion to population and resources, the expenditures
of the Dominion of Canada for the development of both land
and water transportation have been enormously greater than
those of the United States. More than sixty millions of
dollars have already been spent on canals by the Dominion
Government. The Welland Canal and a portion of the St.
Lawrence Canals have already been deepened to 14 feet and
work is in progress to bring the remaining canals of the St.
Lawrence system to the same depth. The canal through the
St. Clair Flats and the magnificent locks of the American canal
at the Sault are as free to Canadian vessels as to our own, but
in spite of this fact the Dominion is building a new canal at
the Sault on the Canadian side of the river. Within five
years from the present time at the present rate of progress,
and within three years if the work is hastened a little, there
will be a clear channel for vessels drawing 14 feet of water
through Canadian territory all the way from Lake Superior to
the sea. Six feet of water in the Erie Canal and two transfers
deep waterways oonvíintion.
91
of the freight can no more compete with 14 feet of water
through the Canadian canals and no transfer, than a wheel¬
barrow can compete with an express train. The canal boat
carrying two hundred tons, drawn by mules at the rate of
four miles per hour, can by no possibility compete with
the steamship carrying two thousand tons, propelled by
steam at the rate of fourteen miles per hour. And while
the American farmer, has held his own fairly well against
the semi-civilized wheat growers of India, I do not see how
he can hope to win in competition with men of the same
race, men just as intelligent, with a climate no more rigorous,
with a soil at least as fertile and with transportation facilities
immeasurably superior. The great plains of the Canadian
Northwest are unsettled now, but when once the conditions of
soil and climate which there exist are supplemented by facil¬
ities for transportation not surpassed, if equaled, by those of
any other region, I believe the Canadian Northwest will settle
up with a race of hardy, intelligent and prosperous people and
will become the granary of the world. He who can most
cheaply reach the markets of the world can control .the mar¬
kets of the world. Transportation is more nearly the funda¬
mental factor in national prosperity than it has been generally
understood to be, and in my humble opinion it is not only the
best policy, but one of the highest duties, of the government
to see to it that the people of the United States are given
transportation facilities at least as good as those enjoyed hy
the people of any other nation under the sun.
Who Shall Control the Commbeok?
One other thing. When the Great Lakes have a connection
with the ocean through Canadian soil, the cities on the lakes
will become seaports for Canadian vessels, while American
vessels have no means of reaching them. Canadian vessels
will doubtless be excluded from the coasting trade on the
Great Lakes as they now are from the coasting trade on the
ocean, but I see no reason why the privilege of stopping at
92
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
one American port on each trip" should not be extended to the
Canadian vessel then as it is now. This means that every
bushel of grain and every barrel of pork for export from the
great west, will be taken by Canadian vessels from Chicago,
Milwaukee or Duluth either direct to Liverpool or for trans¬
shipment at Montreal. It would necessarily take this route
because, with a fourteen feet depth of water, freight could be
carried at a profit for less than the cost by way of the Erie
Canal. Breadstuffs and provisions constitute so large a per¬
centage of our entire exports, that the vessels which carry these
articles to Europe are the ones in which our imports must re¬
turn. On the day that it becomes possible to send ships direct
from the Great Lakes to the ocean by way of the St. Lawrence,
while they are unable to go from the Great Lakes to the
ocean by way of the Hudson, the scepter of commercial
supremacy in the western continent will begin to pass from
New York to Montreal, and the merchant marine of the United
States, which has had a new birth on the Great Lakes, will
receive its death blow from Canadian competition. It is not
a question whether the products of the West and Northwest
shall go by way of the Erie Canal or by rail from Buffalo to
New York or not go at all, but whether the transportation of
these products shall be retained on American soil and the
profits of this carrying trade retained by American citizens, or
whether it shall be surrendered to Canada.
The people of the great west are thoroughly loyal to the
government of the United States and the interests of the cities
of the United States. If there were necessity they would give
all their substance, or their lives if need be, to'sustain the
nation in any time of need, but the people of the great west
are not willing to bear for the benefit of a few trunk lines of
railway an additional tax upon their products so great as to
prohibit them from competing in the markets of the world.
After all there is not a great deal of sentiment in trade, and if
it costs twenty cents to carry grain by way of New York when
it can go by way of Montreal for ten, one does not need to be
a prophet to foresee which way the grain will go.
deep waterways convention.
93
The expense of making such a waterway through our own
territory would of course be large, probably not less than one
hundred million dollars but wben the saving on the present
traffic of the lakes for one year, compared to the cost of rail
transportation, amounts to one hundred and fifty million dol¬
lars, it would not take long for the saving to return to the
people of the country far more than the expenditure for this
waterway let the cost be what it will.
I have called your attention to the regulative effect on rail¬
way rates which has been produced by the waterway as it now
is, and I think no argument is needed to convince you that
this regulative effect would be vastly increased if the enlarged
waterway were extended through to tide water. The ability
to take vessels out into the ocean in the fall, thus keeping
them in use the entire year, would be followed by a revival of
ship building which would soon make the Great Lakes surpass
the Clyde, and there are a hundred other advantages which
would necessarily follow which cannot be mentioned for lack
of time.
Another Point of View.
The commercial advantages of the waterway to the sea are
so great, that every interest centering about the lakes should
join in pushing the project to the eai'liest possible completion;
but there is another consideration which lifts the question en¬
tirely above the plane of sectionalism, making it a national
question in the broadest possible sense, and one of the utmost
importance. In the report of the House Military Committee,
published in 1862, I find these words:
"The United States and Great Britain are equally prohibited
by treaty stipulations from building or keeping afloat a fleet of
war vessels upon the lakes. At the same time, on the shores
of these lakes the United States have many wealthy cities and
towns, and upon their waters an immense commerce; these are
unprotected by any defences worthy of special notice, but are
as open to incursion as was Mexico when invaded by Cortez.
A small fleet of light draft, heavilj^-armored gun boats could,
in one month, despite of any opposition that could be made by
94 pk0ceeding8 of the
extemporized batteries, pass up the St. Lawrence and shell
every town and city from Ogdensburg to Chicago. At one
blow it could sweep our commerce from that entire chain of
waters. To be able to strike a blow so effective, Great Britain
constructed a canal around the Falls of Niagara. By this
single stroke the entire chain of lakes was opened to all British
light-draft ocean vessels. Perceiving our ability to erect
works upon the St. Lawrence that might command its chan¬
nel, and thus neutralize all they had done, Great Britain dug
a canal from the foot of Lake Ontario on a line parallel to
the river, but beyond reach of American guns, to a point on
the St. Lawrence below, beyond American jurisdiction, thus
securing a channel to and from the lakes out of our reach.
Occupied by our vast commercial enterprises and by violent
party conflicts, our people failed to notice at the time that the
safety of our entire northern frontier has been destroyed by
the digging of two short canals. Near the head of the St.
Lawrence, the British, to complete their supremacy on the
lakes, have built a large naval depot for the construction and
repair of vessels, and a very strong fort to protect the depot
and the outlets of the lake, a fort which cannot be reduced—it
is supposed by them—except by regular approaches. The
result of all this is that in the absence of ships of war on the
lakes, and of means to convey them there from the ocean, the
United States, upon the breaking out of war, would, without
navy yards and suitable docks, have to commence the building
of a fleet upon Lake Ontario and another upon the Upper
Lakes. At the same time, England, possessing a naval depot
at the entrance to this system of waters, can forestall us in all
our attempts, both offensive and defensive."
The Colossal Prize at Stake.
It is not necessary to call to your attention the enormous in¬
crease in the size and importance of the cities upon the lakes,
and in the extent of the commerce carried upon these waters
since these words were penned nearly thirty years ago. It is a
shame and a disgrace to this great nation that this commerce
and these cities are just as defenseless to-day as they were
then. In the report of the board of fortifications published in
1886, I find a list of one hundred and eleven vessels in the
British navy, drawing twelve feet or less. How many more there
are that draw fourteen feet or less, I do not know. The treaty
at present in force, by which both nations are prohibited from
DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION.
95
building or keeping afloat a fleet of war vessels upon the lakes,
can be abrogated by either nation on six months' notice. And
while I am willing to concede that our forces could take pos¬
session of the Weiland Canal before British men-of-war could
pass through it into the Upper Lakes, after war was declared,
I desire to remind you that the United States has not waited
for war to be declared between this country and Chili, but at
the first intimation of trouble every available cruiser was
ordered to the southward, so that it might be ready for action,
if the need for action came. And so it seems to me, that if
Great Britain should abrogate the treaty she might put into
the lakes as many vessels as she chose, enough to besiege at one
time every city of importance from Oswego and Ogdensburg
to Chicago and Duluth, and have absolutely at her mercy all
the cities on the lakes, and all the commerce of the lakes when¬
ever she chose to declare war, unless this nation is prepared to
take the position, and maintain it, that treaty or no treaty, the
passage of a single British gun-boat through the Welland
Canal is to be considered as an act of war.
A CoNCLUDiNo WORD.
Commercially the waterway from the Great Lakes to the
sea through our own territory would be worth a hundred fold
its cost if that cost were two hundred million dollars. From a
military point of view, if ' the cost should be five hundred
million, I believe that its construction should be begun at once
and that it should be pushed to completion at the earliest possi¬
ble date. In five years at the outside, possibly in three, the
way from the sea to the Great Lakes will be open to the war
vessels of Great Britain. It is hardly within the limits of possi¬
bility that the way for the war vessels of the United States can
be prepared so soon, but the work should not wait another day.
That we have delayed so long is a colossal blunder; to delay
yet longer would be a crime.