USA > Pennsylvania > The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 34
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By an examination made in Philadelphia in 1827, the coasting trade between that city and the following ports amounted to -.
Hartford,
$600,000
Nantucket,
384,000
New Bedford,
256,000
Providence,
1,480,000
Boston,
3,762,000
Portsmouth,
260,000
Portland,
135,000
Salem,
182,000
Newburyport,
259,200
Hingham,
259,200
Stonington,
135,000
$7,712,400*
And the amount paid for insurance on these ship- ments was three-fourths per cent., or $55,000 exclusive of freight.
Now it is a principal indisputable, that trade will al- ways seek the cheapest, safest, and most expeditious route-and the whole of this trade, if the Delaware and Karitan Canal was opened, would have the benefit of a navigation essentially inland. Some of it, it is true, comes from beyond Providence, but the risk it would be subject to, would be so trifling as, either to do away the necessity ef insurance entirely, or reduce the insurance to at least one quarter per cent. : being one third of the present rate, inasmuch as the danger would be reduced nine-tenths, at the most moderate estimate. And allow- ing the freight to be the same inland as coastwise, though in consequence of the great diminution of distance, and superior certainty and rapidity of transit, it would be far less, still the remaining half per cent. saved in the insu- rance, would be more than sufficient to pay the tolls on the Canal.
As the above estimate, however, only embraces the merchandize which was transported between those ports in regular lines, and did not include a large amount sent by transient vessels, the committee consider the ap- propriation of that amount of trade from this source, at one half per cent. on the above ascertained amount, to the credit of the probable revenue of the Canal, as a ve- ry moderate estimate-one half per cent. on $7,712,000 is $38,562.
This is between the ports above mentioned and Phil- adelphia.
But an extensive trade is carried on between the
*Sce a general table of the coasting trade of Philadel- phia, in Register, vol. 1, page 72.
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ports and places within the range of the East river nav- igation, and the ports and places south of the Delaware. That a large amount of this trade would pass through the Delaware and Raritan Canal, is manifest from the considerations before mentioned; the Delaware and Chesapeake, and Dismal Swamp. Canals, &c. comple- ting the chain of inland navigation into the heart of the southern country-and presenting the inducements of safety, certainty, and speed, and an exemption from in- surance equal at least to the tolls which would be de- manded, in the trade in question to seek a passage through the Canal to its eastern destination.
Of the total of this trade the committee are unable to make any definite estimate. Providence alone, so long ago as 1821, employed from 5 to 6,000 tons of shipping in it constantly-or about 50,000 tons per year. And as her trade to Philadelphia amounts to less than one-fifth of that between Philadelphia and the whole eastern coast, it is probable her trade with the south is about in the same proportion. This would swell the amount of this trade to 250,000 tons. And allowing that one-third only of this would pass through the Canal, paying 40 cents per ton, only, or 1 cent per mile, it would furnish us with an additional item of revenue amounting to $33,- 333.
2. The trade of the New York Canals, and of the cen- tral Pennsylvania Canals .- These may be reduced to a single head. New-York is the grand emporium of the one, and Philadelphia of the other, and although no ad- equate estimate can be formed of the amount of this trade, because a great portion of it is yet to be brought into existence by the completion of the Canal systems of the two states, yet enough may be ascertained to af- ford some faint idea of its immense extent and impor- tance.
The New York and Philadelphia trade, &c.
The revenue of the Canal from this source may be considered by reference, 1. To the number of travel- lers between these two points. 2. To the amount of merchandze that now passes over land from one to the other. 3. To the present ascertained coasting trade. And 4. To the probable increase of trade consequent upon a cheap, safe, and expeditious inland communica- tion. Of these in their order-
1. Travelling between New York and Philadelphia.
The committee have ascertained that during the sea- son when the navigations of the Delaware and Raritan are open and unobstructed-say from 9 to 10 months in the year, there are on an average 2,000 passengers at the very lowest estimate, between the two cities per week. That is 86,000 per travelling season. In the summer months, the average being much greater, and in the spring and fall sometimes a little less. These are carried at an expense of from 2 to 6 dollars-the mini- mum price being much lower than can be afforded in the present mode of conveyance, by land, from the Del- aware to the Raritan, and the medium price 4 dollars, be- ing probably about the fair one. But by superseding the necessity of land carriage altogether, and opening a water navigation, the price would be established at a lower rate than it can now be by land, and allow a toll of half a cent per mile from cach passenger. This con- sideration would draw to the Canal those whose business d'd 'not require great despatch-which would be the case with at least one-half the number, or 43,000, and produce to the Canal from this source a revenue of 8,- 600 dollars, without adding any thing for the probable increase of travelling consequent upon a cheap and safe conveyance.
2. Merchandise now transported over land.
This is a trade which will at once flow through the Canal, as soon as completed-to prove which requires neither estimates nor a process of reasoning. The com- mittee have taken pains to obtain as accurate an esti- mate of this trade as possible from the persons engaged in it; and find it amounts to about 8,000 tons per an- num, paying for transportation between the Delaware
and the Raritan, and freight on the adjacent tide-waters, an average of 60 cts. per hundred, er 12,00 dollars per ton. This trade could of course be passed through the Canal from city to city at the same rate as is estimated for other trade, viz. 1 cent per ton per mile, or at one- eighteenth of the actual expense to which it is at pre- sent subjected. Though, in consequence of its frequent- ly consisting of the most valuable articles, the heavy rate of insurance on which, compels it to seek inland, instead of coastwise, transportation, it would doubtless yield a much higher toll-a remark which applies in- deed, with greater or less force, to all the variety of merchandise included in the estimates the committee have made, or shall yet make. From this trade there- fore, the Canal will derive another item of revenue, which if we estimate the toll at only two and a half cents per ton, per mile, would amount to the sum of 8,000.
3. The present ascertained coasting trade.
The investigations -which have been made in New- York and Philadelphia, by the agent employed by his excellency the Governor, under the resolution of the last sitting, presents, upon the face of it, but a partial statement of the coasting trade between the two cities, and exhibits the minimum amount only. From these statements it appears that the coasting trade between Philadelphia and New-York, amounted to 56,000 tons the past year-and from investigations made by the same gentleman in Philadelphia, it further appears that the Schuylkill coal trade to New-York and the eastern ports is increasing to a great extent, and fully warrants the addition of 40,000 tons as the basis of future calcu- lations. This trade pays a freight of about $1 44 to $1 60 per ton, between Philadelphia and New-York, in ad- dition to the insurance, which averages a half per cent. on the value of the articles shipped. Estimating the rate of tolls which would be charged on these articles at 40 cents, or I cent per mile through the main Canal, and the freight from city to city at 21 cents per ton, an al- lowance of freight amply sufficient, inasmuch as the boats which would navigate a Canal of the dimensions proposed, would carry 150 tons, the freight on which, at 21 cents, would be $21 50 each way, or 43 dollars for each voyage out and back, full cargo; it would amount to but 61 cents per ton for freight and toll by the Ca- nal, being 83 to 99 cents per ton cheaper than the pre- sent freightage, besides saving the whole insurance. This would draw to the Canal the whole of this trade, beyond the possibility of a doubt. There is no room for specu- lation on this subject. It is impossible to be deceived. It is as certain as that the minds of men are governed by considerations of interest; as certain as that these con- siderations govern the trading community: that this trade will flow into the safest, most direct, and most sure channel, when through that channel it can be conveyed at one third, or less than a third of the expense that would attend its passage through any other. This 96,000 tons, would, therefore, pass through the Canal, yielding a revenue of 38,400 dollars per annum.
4. Probable increase of trade.
The distance from New-York to Philadelphia, coast- wise, is three times as great as that by the route of the proposed Delaware and Raritan Canal; and is attended with the disadvantages of a dangerous coast, a hea- vy expense for insurance, and great uncertainty as to the time within which the voyage can be made. These are difficulties more sensibly felt, and operating more extensively on the trading interests than can be readily conceived. A few facts will serve to illustrate them.
1. The ordinary rate of insurance between the two cities, in the best vessels, is one half per cent.
But let us see how this operates. Take the lowest priced articles; for example, common crockery: this costs about 173 dollars per ton, and the insurance is 86 cents. Sheet Iron, cost about 170 dollars per ton: the insurance on which is 85 cents. This the merchant has to pay be- sides the expense of freight.
These articles, passing through the Canal, would pay
1829]
DELAWARE AND RARITAN CANAL.
119
a toll of 40 cents a ton (or one cent per mile) and the freight from city to city would not exceed 21 cents, which would pay, as was before observed, to a boat of 150 tons, $21 50 each way; and this toll and freight would amount to but 61 cents, being 24 to 25 cents per ton less for the whole expense for transportation by the Canal, than is now paid for the insurance merely of the very lowest priced articles ..
On higher priced articles the insurance is proportion- ably greater. On merchandise worth 1000 dollars per ton, for example, the insurance is 5 dollars; while the price of transportation by the Canal, is the same, or but a trifle more than on that of a lower price.
The price of freight between the two cities varies from $1 44 to 1 60 per ton; the average rate is probably $1 50; and this whole amount, and more, would be sa- ved entirely by the Canal. .
The effect of this would be to put in motion every ar- ticle, in either city, which would bring one per cent. more in the other; the cost of transportation through the Canal, being but little more than one half per cent; while now no article will bear transshipment which does not bring 2 to 3, 5 and even 10 per cent. more in one city than in the other. And a single glance at these two great marts of trade will, the committee believe, satisfy every one that upon these principles, the equaliza- tion of the markets would double the trade between them.
2. But without depending upon this state of facts a- lone, the committee believe there is another and very important reason upon which to found the estimate of a large increase of trade between New-York and Philadel- phia, in the event of this Canal's being completed. The internal navigation system of Pennsylvania has as yet scarcely operated upon the trade of her great capital. Her canals are yet to be completed; her rich inland trade has yet to find its way to Philadelphia, whence it will seek the most advantageous market -- and if your committee should be in error in supposing that the con- siderations adduced under the first head would double the trade heretofore estimated, they believe this addi- tional consideration fully to warrant the opinion that the trade between these two cities would speedily be dou- ble the amount which has been estimated.
But out of abundant caution the committee will esti- mate the increase of trade from all these causes at but 50 per cent., which would add 23,200 dollars to the rev- enue.
3. The next item of revenue is from the Lehigh Ca- nal and upper Delaware trade. This it will be necessa- ry to consider under their several heads: and
1. The Coal trade.
Coal is rapidly becoming the great staple article of fu- el, wherever it can be obtained. And as the quantity at the various mines is wholly inexhaustible; which ever source can furnish the cheapest supply will supersede the others to a great extent in the market, or at least will be able to find a market for all it can produce.
The rate at which it can be supplied depends upon the facilities with which it can be got to market.
The Mauch Chunk coal field at the head of the Le- high Canal, extends from the Lehigh to the head waters of the Swatara, and is inexhaustible. There is another coal field equally large, 10 miles above, and butting on the Leliigh-and the Wyoming coal fields extending from the head waters of the Lackawana to near Ber- wick, may be reached by a canal or rail road a few miles in length from the Lehigh thirty miles above Mauch Chunk.
But the present supply is from Mauch Chunk-and this mine possesses advantages in several material respects over every other in the country. 1. The different veins in- this mine all join, rendering a single shaft sufficient-all the other known, are in separate veins, requiring sepa- rate shafts. 2. There is a natural descent from the mine to the Lehigh, over which a rail road has been made, and on which the coal descends by its own gravi-
tation to the boats-an advantage possessed no where else. 3 .- The Lehigh Canal is owned by the company, and has water enough to fill its locks every three min- utes-and their boats carrying 130 to 150 tons, are man- aged by the same hands as would be required by boats of 25 tons. These are circumstances which enable that company to get their coal afloat as cheap, if not far cheaper, than any other.
The population north and cast of the Raritan which may be reached by, or who reside within a few miles of, water navigation, is about 1,500,000. If coal was to be universally used, the estimate ordinarily made, being three-fourths of a ton to each individual, this population would require a million tons per annum. Philadelphia consumed the last year nearly 100,000 tons, and the de- mand is constantly increasing .* Pittsburg consumes 65 bushels to an individual; and London, with a population of 1,500,000 consumes 1,935,000 tons per year. From these facts we may form an estimate of what would be the demand in New York and the eastern and northern cities.
Here then is an immense coal market. . Would the Lehigh Company supply it, in whole or in part? And would that supply pass through the canal we contemplate? These are questions to which the committee will endea- vour to furnish a satisfactory answer.
It has already appeared that the Lehigh Company can get their Coal afloat cheaper than any other com- pany. The question whether they would supply the New York and eastern market, then, depends upon their relative distance from them. "The only coal mine of the country that could compete with the Lehigh com- pany in the supply of the New York and eastern mar- kets, through a different channel, is that at Carbondale, whence the coal passes through the Delaware and Hud- son Canal to New York. This route is as follows:
Distance by rail road from Carbondale to
the canal 16 miles.
Thence by the canal to Kingston on the
Hudson 106
Lockage 1431 feet, equal to 71
From Kingston to New York 100
Total distance to N. York from Carbondale 293 miles. From Mauch Chunk to New York the distance is as follows:
To the mouth of the Lehigh by the Com- pany's canal 55 miles. Thence by the Delaware and Raritan canal to the Raritan - 90
Lockage of, say equal to 4
Thence to New York 35
Total distance from Mauch Chunk mines )
to New York by the Delaware and $ 184 miles. Raritan Canal,
Making a difference of 109 miles, in favour of the De- laware and Raritan Canal route. Nor could the Morris Canal successfully compete with this route for the supply of coal.
The distance from Mauch Chunk to the
Passaic by that Canal, is 131 miles.
From the Passaic to New York 27
Lockage 1644 feet (computing 20 feet rise or fall as equal to one mile) would be 82
Total distance by this route 240 miles.
56 miles further than by the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
The other coal mines in Pennsylvania (the Schuyl- kill, &c.) being so situated that their nearest route to the eastern canal, would be also through the contem- plated canal, it is unnecessary to institute any inquiry here respecting them.
* This is erroneous-Sec Register, vol. III. p. 80.
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Having shown then, as the committee believe, conclu- | laware and the Raritan-The Chesapeake and southern trade.
sively, that the New York and eastern markets can be supplied with the article of coal through the medium of the proposed Delaware and Raritan Canal, with more facility than through any other, and having shown too that the eastern market is sufficiently extensive to con- sume any amount the transportation of which could be now readily contemplated, the committee observe, that the Lehigh Company have manifested a willingness to contract for the passage of 100,000 tons through the Canal and feeder, from their mines, alone, per year, from the first year of the completion of the canal-and this with the other considerations to which they have called the attention of the House, induces them to be- lieve they may safely add that amount of trade as de- rivable from that source. This at one cent per ton per mile for 60 miles, feeder and canal, would be $60,000.
2. The next source of revenue under this head is to be derived from the upper Delaware trade-and that of the country through which the feeder passes.
The Delaware is navigable for boats 130 miles above the Jersey line, or at a rough estimate 250 miles above the tide water at Trenton-for a great part of this dis- tance it passes through a thickly settled, agricultural country-abounding in lumber, grain, pork, oil, &c. a considerable quantity of which would go to the New York market by the canal.
The state convention which met at Princeton in 1827, estimated the revenue of the canal from this source at $35,000. Your committee are aware of the uncertainty of estimates thus formed, from data necessarily vague and indefinite. But from the combination of talent, ex- perience, and knowledge, from which the estimate emanated; and from the corroborating facts apparent from the face of the country and its known trade and re sources, your committee are led to believe that by tak ing one-third of that estimated revenue, they keep with" in those bounds which they have hitherto prescribed to" themselves. This would. be $11,666.
3. The third and last source of revenue under this head, to which the committee will advert, is connected with the contemplated continuation of the Lehigh na- vigation to the Susquehanna, and from thence by way of the Seneca or Cayuga lakes to the Erie Canal and the great lakes.
A water communication already exists between the west branch of Susquehanna and Lake Erie, with short portages, and the connection of the Susquehanna with the Lehigh will soon be effected. Thirty miles above Mauch Chunk, the waters of the latter river are upon the summit level between that and the Susquehanna at about 10 miles distance, and the junction can be ef- fected with the utmost ease. The spirit of enterprise is abroad in Pennsylvania, and she has already fixed her eye upon that important link, and promised its comple- tion.
This will open to the contemplated canal across our state all the advantages of a revenue from a back land agricultural trade. The immense agricultural regions of northern Pennsylvania and southern New York, equal in richness of soil and extent of territory to those through which the New York canals pass, will pour their products through this avenue to the Atlantic-and as the New York Canal trade yields already a revenue of $833,000 per annum to their Canals-this trade, equal in extent and importance, the legitimate property of of our canal, as a source of revenue, forms in the minds of the committee a powerful inducement for its com- pletion. But your committee leave it as a reversionary interest. They forbear introducing it into their esti- mates; though they could not in justice forbear adyert- ing to it in these strong terms.
Passing by the Central Pennsylvania Canals, as con- nected with, and already considered under the head of the Philadelphia and New York trade.
4. We come to the fourth and last item upon the sub- ject of the probable revenue of the canal from the De-
The Delaware and Chesapeake Canal, which will be completed early in the spring, opens to the Delaware, the trade of Maryland, Virginia, southern Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas; to which will, in process of time, be added that of the Ohio.
'This trade has been already considered as far as the ports on the east river is concerned-and it remains to ascertain the amount of trade between the ports and places on the Chesapeake Bay, and the city of New- York. This trade, so far as carried on in regularly licens- ed vessels, now amounts to 155,000 tons, according to the report of an agent employed by the Governor to make the investigations, and pays $2, on the average, per ton for freight, besides insurance. This amount has been furnished, like that of the New-York and Philadel- phia trade, as the very minimum-and probably does not embrace two thirds of that actually existing, when we consider that it includes Baltimore, Annapolis, Wash- ington, Alexandria, Norfolk, Richmond, Petersburg, &c. together with the natural and artificial navigations ofthe Bay. But taking this amount for the basis of our estimate, at one cent per ton per mile toll, it amounts to $62,000.
The Committee deem it unnecessary to advance argu- ments to prove that the trade of the Chesapeake Bay would pass to New York by the canals. The same reas- oning which applied to the Philadelphia and New York trade, applies, in its full force, to this, the price of insu- rance is increased in proportion, at least, to the extent of additional canal navigation: and it could easily be shown that the trade of the Chesapeake would be trans- ported by the canals to New York at but little, if any thing, more than the rate of insurance now paid-which would save the whole amount now paid for freight.
The committee cannot close this important branch of their inquiry without adverting to several facts intimate- ly connected with it.
1. They have founded all their estimates upon an un- interrupted state of peace. It was ascertained that du- ring the last war with England, the sum of $2,000,000 was expended in the transportation of various articles across New-Jersey in wagons; and a state of hostility with a maritime power would always tend to increase, to a vast extent, the revenue of the proposed canal.
2. They have taken in all their estimates, the lowest rate of tolls; instead of one cent per ton, per mile, most articles of transportation will bear double the amount of tolls, at least, and this would increase thsir estimates more than 50 per cent.
3. They have not taken into the account at all the lo- cal trade of the canal, which would, without a doubt, a- mount to a very considerable sum : and
4. In all their estimates they have taken the lowest possible amounts of revenue; while they have admitted, for the completion of the canal, the highest possible a- mount of expenditure.
But notwithstanding this, the result to which they have arrived is as follows:
Cost on the Canal and Feeder (largest dimensions) $1,114,741
On which the interest per annum, at five
per cent, would be 55,737 05
Revenue from Canal and Feeder, derivable from:
1. The East river &c. trade with Philadel. $38,562
2. The do. do. trade with the south, &c. 33,333
3. N. York & Philadelphia trade &c. viz.
1. From Travellers
2. Inland Trade 8,000
8,600
3. Coasting trade 38,400-46,400
4. From the increase of trade &c.(50 p. c. ) 23,200
5. Lehigh and Upper Delaware trade viz:
1. Coal trade 60,000
2. Upper Delaware, &c. 11,666
6. Delaware and Chesapeake Trade 62,000
$283,761
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From which it appears that the minimum amount of revenue which will be received from this Canal, will amount to two hundred and eighty three thousand seven hundred and sixty-one dollars, which is more than 25 per cent per annum, on the largest estimated amount of capital necessary to complete it. A revenue, which after deducting the necessary expenses of repairs, &c. would pay the interest and entirely liquidate the principal of the capital in less than five years after its completion; leaving the state forever thereafter in the possession of a clear yearly revenue, from this single source, of many hundred thousand dollars, to be applied as the people might direct, for their benefit.
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