86 
STATE AGKIOULTURAL SOCIETY. 
navigable by steamboats, from St. Louis, north to the falls of 
St. Anthony, and thence on the Dacotah, is about 1,300 miles, 
and south from St. Louis to New Orleans, 1,200 miles. 
Steamers go loaded with freight to be delivered at the heads 
of navigation upon the rivers which run through Illinois, 
Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Ala-- 
bama; and to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Steamers of a large 
class go from St. Louis to Fi. Benton, a distance of 3,100 miles. 
THE SAVING TO BE MADE. 
Considering the question of savings more narrowly and defi¬ 
nitely, the following facts and figures are presented in the 
memorial: 
“ The improvement will save by reducing the freight charges 
upon every ton of coarse freight moved from the Mississippi 
eastward or from lake Michigan westward by water or rail. 
“It is ascertained from reports and tables carefully pre¬ 
pared, by comparing the receipts and the cost of transporta¬ 
tion of a large number of railroads for a pbriod of eight years, 
that the average cost by rail is eighteen (17.90) mills per ton per 
mile, and the average receipts thirty (29.80) mills per ton per 
mile, making the cost over sixty per centum of the receipts. 
“ It is also ascertained by comparing the receipts and the 
cost of transportion of fourteen different canals, that the aver¬ 
age cost of transportation is from 4 to 6 mills per ton per 
mile, and the average receipts 11 1-2 mills per ton per mile, 
making the cost about thirty-four per centum of the receipts ; 
it is ordinarily stated at thirty per centum. Upon the Erie 
canal, the average up to 1866, inclusive, was 21 2-3 per cent. 
“ The following table shows the comparative cost and re¬ 
ceipts upon railroads, canals, rivers, bays and seaboard: 
Classification. Per ton per mile., Per ton per mile., 
cost., mills. Q eceipts., mills. 
Transportation by railroads. 17.90 29.80 
..do..by canals, including deduction,lockage, &c. 6.40. 11.40 
. do..by Erie canal..do.do. 4.05. 
..do..by rivers, steam towage. 2.26. 2.90 
..do..by bays. 2.27 .•. 3.73 
..do..by ocean. 1.26 2.50 
