ANNUAL EEPORT—COMMERCE. 
81 
amount to $10,650,000—a sum more than twice the estimated 
cost of the proposed work, to be saved upon the movement 
eastward of a single grain crop. 
“ It may be said that this great product would not go all by 
water—be that as it may—whether moved by rail or water, it 
must go at approximate water rates. The saving to the pub¬ 
lic is equally certain, whether effected by light tolls or light 
rail rates. 
“ It is, however, by no means certain that water routes can 
not successfully compete with railways. It appears, (table 
No, 3,) that from the ports of lake Michigan, the shipments 
were nearly all to the east, and were made by water, except¬ 
ing that in 1864 eight per cent, and in 1864 eleven per cent, 
and in 1866 eighteen and a half per cent, were made by rail. 
The following statement is designed to show what proportion 
of the shipments by rail to the east were carried in the five 
winter months: 
Table No. 4. 
STATEMENT designed to shoio the proportion of shipments east by rail in the 
winter months. 
(Compiled from tlie board of trade reports of Chicago, for the years 1865,1866 and 1867. 
Shipments by railroad from Milwaukee not given, because included in the Chicago 
shipments). 
RAILROADS AND YEARS. 
Shipments of wheat, flour, 
(reduced to bushels) corn 
and oats, in the 7 months 
of Apr., May, June, July, 
Aug,, Sept, and Oct. 
BUSHELS. 
Shipments of wheat, flour, 
(reduced to bushels) corn 
and oats in the 5 months 
of Nov., Dec., Jan., Feb. 
and March. 
y 
BUSHELS. 
O 
1864. 
1865. 
M864-’5. 
.o 
m 
a . rt .2 2 ® 
1866. 
1864- ’5-’6 
12,002,949 
3,534,170 
5,537,110 
9,591,082 
15,128,192 
2,830,040 
3,303,020 
6,133.060 
5,314,498 
11,447,658 
58V2 
52/2 
43 
“ From this it appears that of the shipments east by rail 
there were carried, in the five winter months of the year 1864, 
fifby.-eight and a half per centum, of the years 1864 and 1865^ 
fifty-two and a half per centum, and of the years 1864, 1865, 
and 1866, forty-three per centum. Deducting from the ship- 
Ag. Tr.—6 . 
