Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1892

Mr. Wharton to Sir Julian Pauncefote.

Department of State,
Washington , March 17, 1892 .

Sir: I have the honor to refer to the discussion which took place in the conferences lately held at this Department between the Secretary of State, yourself, and the Canadian commissioners, respecting the discriminating tolls in the Canadian canals 5 and to inclose herewith a copy of a letter from the Lake Carriers’ Association, dated Buffalo, N. Y., the 11th instant, containing figures showing the amounts of the discrimination in question.

The Department will greatly appreciate your courtesy in forwarding a copy of this letter at once to the Canadian authorities for their information in connection with the promised satisfactory adjustment of the question of canal tolls.

Accept, etc.,

William F. Wharton.

[Inclosure.]

Lake Carriers’ Association to Mr. Wharton.

Office of Lake Carriers’ Association,
Buffalo, N. Y. , March 11, 1892 .

Sir: Answering your request for figures showing the amount of discriminating tolls exacted at the Welland Canal during the season of 1891, I have the following figures covering the traffic reaching the port of Ogdensburg, N. Y., by water, via the Welland Canal, in 1891.

Total tolls paid on all traffic reaching Ogdensburg via Welland Canal in 1891, $55,037.05. Total tolls which would have been exacted on the same traffic had it been consigned to Montreal or any port east of Montreal, provided it had gone through without breaking bulk or been transferred at an intermediate Canadian port, $7,360.94. Amount of toll collected as a discrimination against an American port, $47,676.11.

In addition to the above, tolls to the amount of $5,719.56 were collected on grain which reached Ogdensburg via the Welland Canal, was there transferred and forwarded to Montreal. This grain paid full Welland Canal tolls of 20 cents a ton, without getting the refund. It was also refused the pass tickets ordinarily given at the Welland Canal on traffic bound through the St. Lawrence canals, which tickets permit free passage through the St. Lawrence Canals. The grain in question not only paid full toll at the Welland, but was obliged to pay full toll through the St. Lawrence Canals also.

Total discrimination against Ogdensburg traffic for 1891, $53,395.67.

I notice several newspaper items of late purporting to come from Ottawa, Ontario, to the effect that the Canadian government is to make some concessions in toll matters. These dispatches indicate, however, that the only concessions which the authorities have in mind is with regard to the ports of transfer. You will remember that last year the refund on grain cargoes passing through the Welland Canal and transferred to river barges for Montreal at some intermediate points, was only allowed incase transshipment took place at a Canadian port, and was refused where such transshipment took place at an American port, like Ogdensburg. The press dispatches indicate that the Canadian authorities will this year permit the refund on Montreal traffic, even though the transshipment takes place at an American port. Doubtless this will be of some benefit to Ogdensburg, but it will leave untouched the principal point at issue, which concerns the right of the Canadian authorities to refund nine-tenths of the cargo tolls on Montreal traffic, while no refund is made in the case of traffic of the same character passing through the canal in the same direction, and bound for an American port or route of export.

Yours, very respectfully,

C. H. Keep,
Secretary Lake Carriers’ Association.