The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-12

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The comparison of 1919 and 1850 must not be
considered isolated case, but on the contrary
Is too true expose of the course of the trade of
our city for years Blessed by nature with unusual
and extraordinary advantages, it to be expect
| ed that each year, instead of showing a decrease
| would have witnessed both an extension Of com
merce and increase Of wealth, and such your COM
| mlttee believe would have been the case had our
citizens kept pace with the spirit of the age, and
| improved those advantages which nature has so
| bountuly showered upon us.
The cites on the Atlantic seaboard always awake
to their interest perceivlng the manifold benefits thai
| would necessarily accrue by connection with the
rich valley Of the Mississippi, have spread their
nets OF improvement far into the West as to di-
rect large commerce, which ever has been trbu-
tary to New Orleans, into their own store-h houses:
| and when other lines Of improvement now pro-
| lected and under contract shall have been
completed, still greater portion OF trade will
| be taken from us. 1t behOoves, then, New Orleans
| to proht by this sad experience Of the withdrawal
OF her trade and adopt some energetic measures to
| arrest It, or her importance a commercial city is
| entirely destroyed. And not only is New Orleans
| as a city interested in these energetic measures to
| save her commercial importance, but Louisiana as
! State should yield her every assistance, and so
! also the entire South West, who are so deeply in
terested IN her increase and prosperity.
In other cities, the effects Of internal improve
! mens have been rapid increase of trade and ap-
probation of property. In 1S45, before Phiadel-
; Pha had completed her lines of internal commu-
nlcatlon her trade, compared with that of 1S47
/ when these Improvements were completed, exhibits
! almost magic effect
! II Il l8t5 Iss2 the arrival Of!yesseIs were 81 s6ss
! Thus almost doubling herself in two years; and
this rapid increase can be traced to no other cause
/ but her internal improvements.
In New York equally as striking effect pro-
duced on the value of her real estate. In 1924 be-
lore her internal improvements were developed, the
value OF property was SS3,07J,6 ,676. The next year
the Erie Canal op-ned and the assessed value
of property SIOI, 100, ,O46 showing an increase
IN one year, of SIS, OS4, $40 and such have been
the marked effects OF all Improvements which have
diminished the of trans portation and facilitated
! communication with the country.
But, as recent indications show that our city is
! becoming alive to the importance of opening new
; and more direct communication with the country,
1t is useless to multiply instances show either its
| advantages or necessity. Recently public atten-
ton has been directed to the Tehauntepec improve
ment and deep solieitude felt for its success The
| Importance of this improvement your committee
| believe, cannot be Oyer-estimated. When COM
! peted, it must not only open a large portion of
| Mexico to our trade, but must become the highway
| over which our commerce will find its way to the
| distant markets of the Pacific. This great project
great in its advantages to the citizens and the
/ Stale as well as the entire West and South, your
committee are happy to state, is in the hands ofthOse
who need no assistance from the city State other
! than the amendment of the laws of copartnership
| by our Legislature, 10 enable the Company to come
/ under its provisions. The difficult and uncertain
navigation of the Attakspas renders it of the Ut
| most Importance to this city that a direct Commu.
nIcatIon should be at once opened TO release pro-
duce from the heavy tax of Transportation which it
| now pays before reaching our wharves Already
| has a railroad been projected TO meet this much
desired object, by connecting the Mississippi with
| Grand River, over high ground, and distance of
| only twenty miles Let 1t be completed and soon
| will her rich savaAnahs and beautiful praires he
| teeming with life. The Western parishes of our
! State, and the Eastern portions of Texas will pour
their productions along this line to minister to
| wants and add 10 our wealth. Should this i'm
provement need the helping hand of our city, a re-
| gard TO our own interests should prompt us freely
TO grant it. But the railroad to Jackson, Mis-
sissppi, is the one which your committee are more
particularly instructed to report upon, and which,
from It's immediate effects, must be of so much inn
| pOranCe to the wealth and commerce of our city,
and the small amount for the city TO raise, in com
parison 10 the immense advantages to be derived
lhererom, justly claims the largest portion Of pub
lie attention. This road would open trade to a
country having population of over 100000, and
an area of over 100000 acres. The effect Of
bringing such population in daily communication
with our CITY would al once be felt, not only in the
great increase of trade. but in the advanced value
of real estate. 1t would soon convert the waste
lands of Louisiana and Mississippi, through which
it is contemplated to pass, to garden 10 minister
to our wants, and instead of receiving our poultry,
and those things necessary for our daily cOnsump-
ton, burdened with a long transportation, we
would receive Them from our neighbOrs along this
road, much better, and at a reduced cost The ex-
pense OF living in the city would be greatly dimin-
shed, and as you diminish the expenses of living,
you not only increase the comforts of the laborer,
but his ability to pay his landlord remunerating
rents.
Whilst these happy results must be the imme-