SHIP CANAL

SHIP CANAL. During the winter of 1863 a shipping canal convention was called at Des Moines, Iowa. The idea met with great interest in the states along the Upper MISSISSIPPI RIVER. The McGregor News stated that "a ship canal is absolutely necessary to develop the resources of Iowa and Minnesota." (1)

The legislatures of Iowa and Wisconsin endorsed the project of a canal around the upper and lower rapids on the Mississippi. (2) It was suggested that the development of the land west of the Mississippi would develop more quickly if transportation of materials and products could be improved. The canal was characterized as "pushing Lake Michigan up to the front of Iowa by which transportation to the lakes would be reduced one-third. The canal would, it was argued, break down monopolies for conveying products, have the potential to double the price of all agricultural land west of the Mississippi, add ten-fold to the value of all city property on the Mississippi, double the value of all east and west lines of railroad west of the Mississippi, and make Iowa and Minnesota first class manufacturing and commercial and well as agricultural centers. (3)

In a later editorial, the editorial page of the Herald suggested that farmland in Illinois and Wisconsin was 100% higher than in Iowa because these states bordered on the Great Lakes. This, the editorial continued, left them free from freight blockages and railroad monopolies. The paper suggested that if land values in Minnesota and Iowa only increased $2.50 per acre it would mean $200,000,000 to the two states. A report of a Mr. June, engineer of the Fox and Wisconsin River Improvement, provided an estimate that improvement of those rivers with canals and locks would cost $1,250,000. Improvements on the Upper Mississippi River would "lead to cities rivaling Cincinnati and Louisville on the Upper Mississippi." (4)

The PEOSTA HALL was tentatively scheduled for the meetings and the railroads had been convinced to transport delegates to the canal convention for half price or free. The NORTHWESTERN PACKET COMPANY agreed to carry delegates for two-thirds rate if there were twenty people from the same town. A mass meeting of local citizens was scheduled for the DUBUQUE COUNTY COURTHOUSE to elect seventeen delegates to the Ship Canal Convention to be held in Dubuque on May 4, 1864. Benjamin Billings RICHARDS was the chairman. (5)

The Courthouse meeting began with three men---Platt SMITH, George Wallace JONES and F. Hinds---being asked to record on their recommendations for delegates. Their list included Julius K. GRAVES, Frederick Ezekiel BISSELL, John H. THEDINGA, Jesse P. FARLEY, Henry L. STOUT, George L. Mathews, Patrick QUIGLEY, John T. HANCOCK, E. A. Babbage, F. Hinds, William G. STEWART, H. Hoelscher, W. F. Sheffield, John Jackson, W. W. Hamilton, L. A. Thomas, and J. Hannibal EMERSON. Those on the list were approved. (6)

The convention was actually held in the Julien Theatre since the anticipated Peosta Hall was not finished. (7) An audience for the convention activities was encouraged as a means of showing those attending that Dubuque appreciated the importance of the meeting. (8)

The delegates met on May 4, 1864 and elected as officers: C. C. Cole (Des Moines), President; W. J. Abrams (Green Bay, Wisconsin), Vice-President; W. J. Gilchrist (McGregor), Vice-President; D. Leffingwell (McGregor) and Charles ALDRICH (Dubuque), Secretaries. In his remarks to the delegates, President Cole assured the group that it was not being asked to build the canal between the Mississippi and the Great Lakes--only to show it could be done and with what benefits. (9)

L. A. Thomas proposed that a committee of nine be appointed to prepare work for the resolutions committee and to "draw up a memorial" to Congress. The motion was carried and B. B. Richards and L. A. Thomas were appointed. (10)

W. J. Abrams of Green Bay spoke to the delegates on the improvements that had been made to the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. He claimed to have it on the best authority that boats could be moved all the way from Green Bay, Wisconsin to the Mississippi if they drew on more than 3.5 feet of way (compare to the nine-foot navigation in the modern Mississippi River--ed. note). (11)

Resolutions written on the first day were presented on May 5th. These included: (12)

             Resolved, That while we would rejoice to see the
             construction of a Ship Canal from LaSalle to the
             Mississippi River, if cheap and practicable, if
             not a canal terminating at the mouth of the
             Illinois River,--our duty to the great bread
             providing State of the Northwest will demand that
             we permanently urge on Congress an appropriation
             for the enlargement of the Fox and Wisconsin River
             Improvements as being eminently cheap and practicable,
             necessary for military purposes, and to afford 
             facilities for the cheap transportation of the
             Northwest to an Atlantic and European market

             Resolved, That the improvement of the upper and
             lower rapids of the Mississippi by canal, is a
             proper counterpart and complement of a canal to
             the Lakes, is necessary to give full value to the
             latter work, and is imperatively demanded by the
             highest considerations of public policy and for
             the food of the whole nation.

             Resolved, That this convention would most
             respectfully by earnestly recommend to the people
             of the whole country, and more especially of the
             Upper Mississippi Valley, that the adopt the fore-
             going system of improvements as a national policy,
             and insist on all occasions that their members of
             Congress shall receive and adopt it as their
             programme (sic) upon which to base all their actions
             on the subject of internal improvements of a national
             character.

             Resolved, That while the present crisis in our national
             history we would approve and urge the most rigid
             economy in the administration of public affairs, both as
             a natter of wisdom in the State and of justice to the
             over-burdened tax payers, we would nevertheless recommend
             the measure above named a liberal appropriation from the
             public treasury, believing that liberality in this
             direction is true economy, that the food producers of the
             nation are its most efficient and essential army, and that
             strength and encouragement of them, increase in the area
             of cultivation, invitation to foreign emigration and
             settlement to take the place of the noble men who, from a
             sense of public duty, have gone at the call of the State,
             are the surest means to strengthen the national arm and
             procure national success.

             Resolved, That this convention would further recommend
             that hereafter in all elections canvasses, candidates
             for office and other addressing the people on national
             questions, should also discuss these measures as of
             paramount importance to the whole country.

             Resolved, This convention would respectfully but
             earnestly urge upon the people of the whole Mississippi
             Valley that they should exact from their Senators and
             Representatives in Congress an unconditional pledge
             that whilst they will adopt a wise and liberal policy
             towards all works of international improvements of a
             national character and importance, they should at the
             same time make it an indispensable condition of their
             of such measures, that the construction of the proposed
             canal to the lakes and the canal around the upper and
             lower rapids of the Mississippi River, shall be a part
             and parval (sic) of such public works.

             Resolved, That a copy of this report, preamble and
             resolutions signed by the President and Secretary of
             this convention, to be sent to each member of Congress,
             with an urgent request that he give to these great
             national measures his cordial and earnest support.

             Resolved, That there be appointed an executive committee
             of nine, three of whom shall reside in Dubuque, whose
             duty it shall be to take measures to have the
             proceedings of this convention laid before Congress at
             the earliest practical period, and that said committee
             shall adopt all such measures as may be necessary to
             carry out the objects and purposes of this conventions.

Some discussion followed about the relative merit of the northern (Fox and Wisconsin) or the southern (Illinois River) routes. B. B. Richards stated that what remained was to write a memorial to the next session of Congress laying out the merits of both routes. Congress could then choose between them--or elect to construct both. (13) F. E. Bissell, however, questioned whether any chance existed for two routes and that it was better to focus on the best solution. The following resolution was proposed for the committee writing the memorial: (14)

             That the committee be instructed to request the Senators
             and the House of Representatives of the states of Iowa,
             Minnesota, and Wisconsin at Washington to act in concert
             with each other to obtain an appropriation from Congress
             for the survey of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers with the
             view of making it a ship canal, and said survey to be made
             under instruction of the Secretary of War and the
             Secretary of the Navy.

Before the convention adjourned a finance committee and executive committee were named. (15)

Conflicting interests quickly clouded the prospects of the Dubuque convention realizing a canal. From June 2-4, 1863 the National Ship Canal Convention met in Chicago with five thousand delegates in a huge tent structure in Lake Park on the shore of Lake Michigan. Resolutions called for the immediate improvement of canals in Illinois and New York to facilitate ship traffic around the Great Lakes and the Mississippi for both commercial and military purposes. Opposition in Congress and from interests in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and parts of the Midwest meant much discussion over the next months, but little accomplishment. (16)

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Source:

1. "The Ship Canal Convention," Dubuque Democratic Herald, April 22, 1864, p. 4, Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640422&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. "The Ship Canal," Dubuque Democratic Herald, April 24, 1864, p. 4, Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640424&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

3. Ibid.

4. "The Ship Canal--Its Need and Advantages," Dubuque Democratic Herald, April 26, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640426&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

5. "The Canal Convention," Dubuque Democratic Herald, April 27, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640427&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

6. "The Ship Canal Convention," Dubuque Democratic Herald, April 29, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640429&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

7. "The Canal Convention," Dubuque Democratic Herald, April 30, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640430&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

8. "The Convention," Dubuque Democratic Herald, May 4, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640428&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

9. "The Canal Convention-Its Permanent Organization," Dubuque Democratic Herald, May 5, 1864, p. 1, Online: htt p. 1ps://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640505&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

10. Ibid.

11. Ibid.

12. "The Canal Convention--Proceedings of the Second Day," Dubuque Democratic Herald, May 6, 1864, p. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18640506&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

13. Ibid.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid.

16. "The National Ship Canal Convention Assembles in Chicago with Vice-President Hamlin in the Chair," House Divided, Online: http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/39764