state Convention—Currency, taxation , Etc. 197 
began to heat in elevators, as was the case with corn in Chicago 
elevators two years ago. 
In such cases, long voyages by water would be ruinous to the 
cargo. Therefore it is best not to be dependent upon one route 
or means of transportation. The Erie canal has been one of the 
chief routes from the lakes to tide-water for carrying grain, but 
within a few years the railroads have shot far ahead of it in car¬ 
rying freights. Since 1861 the average yearly business on the 
Erie canal has only been 19 percent, greater than for that year, 
whereas the business of the railroads in that state has been 89 per 
cent, greater. New York, and especially the Erie canal, is losing 
its former proportion of the commerce of the west. The average 
amount of grain carried by all the canals in New York, for the 
last five years, was 48,000,000 bushels. This amount, as large as 
it seems, could easily be carried from Chicago to New York by a 
double track freight railroad in 100 days, running forty-five trains 
a day, thirty cars to each train, ten tons to each car. If all the 
freight passed through the canals in the state of New York, was 
wheat, it could be carried as above stated. But in the year 1872 
the amount of wheat carried by canal was less than 11,000,000 
bushels, the balance was corn, oats and barley, so that forty trains 
a day would be nearer the number required to move it. 
For the last six years the rates of freight on wheat from Chica¬ 
go to New York by lake and canal has averaged $7.23 per ton 
and on corn $6.92f. Mr. Yanderbilt has said that he can 
carry grain at a profit on an all freight railroad, at the same rates 
that the Erie canal has charged. I want to show that wheat can 
be carried from Chicago to New York for less than the above 
charges, and in one fifth of the time by railroad, and avoid the 
risks and insurance of lake navigation. Josiah Quincy who has 
had 25 years experience in railroading, says that a freight train of 
20 cars, 10 tons to the car, can be run 1000 miles for between six 
and seven hundred dollars. The above rates of lake and canal 
charges would amount to $72.35 per car of 10 tons, or $1,447 per 
train of 20 cars. As the distance from Chicago to New York is 
about 900 miles, it will be seen that the lake and canal freights 
are more than double what Mr. Quincy says it can be carried for. 
