The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-10-21

stretching into the Mississippi Valley, she would
lose a large portion of her trade. So well IS
it understood that the Atlantic cities are depend
ent for their prosperity their connection win te
Mississippi Valley, that the Governor OF Virginia
in his annual message, says that this tact Is now
| almost reduced to an axiom" Aching upon '"i,
axiom and recognizing the truth of the remarks oi
| Gov. Bell, of Ohio, that " Oceans are no lonsel
| the great highways of nations, the ralifoau n"o
| made the land as subservient TO commerce as tle
,yo,or Railroads are TO be the artificial rivers OIL
| ,baso lattsr devs and woe TO the eommerclal Guy
thai suffsrs these rivers to be diverted from Inc
commercial cities of the Atlantic coast are using
,,or, effort TO perfect their connection WIN the
ursst Valley of the West. Boston, New YORK and
| baltimore have claimed the trade OF the North
| west and Richmond, Charleston, and Savannah |
are struggling for that of the South Their lines
| of Improvement are rapidly reaching the richest
parts of the Valley, and have already drawn from
rs large portion of the trade that found its way to
| MS through the Tennessee river, and during the
coming year they expect to secure a considerable
norton of that trade which we now receive through
Cumberland. 1t behooves New Orleans, therefore,
at once to enter the field of competition, and to
turn these improvements, which were intended to
divert its trade, to its own advantage The i'm
provements of Virginia and Georgia will be but
wealth in our lap, if we will but extend the neces-
sary Improvements to receive their riches A rail
road reaching to the Tennessee river, a distance of
only about three hundred and seventy-fve miles,
would intersect the Memphis and Charleston road,
and lateral road, passing through the rich prai-
res of North Mississippi, and the exhaustless coal
fields of Alabama, so as to unite with the Alabama
roads, would secure to New Orleans the advantages
OF all these improvements. The first link in this
/ line of communication is the railroad to Jackson
Mississippi From Jackson, extending eastward
to the Alabama line, railroad is in rapid process
of construction, under the fostering hand of the
State of Mississippi. 1t is contemplated to extend
I this road through Selma to Montgomery, Ala, and
thus complete the line of railroad communication
between jackson and the Atlantic coast. The con-
sruction of a railroad from this city to Jackson is
therefore of much Importance, completing the
II chain of connection with the Eastern cities.
II 1t now seems TO be generally conceded that it is
most judicous that the road to Jackson should start
from the north side of Lake Pontchartrain. From
jacksonville to jackson the distance is about 40
miles The country through which the contem-
plated road would pass, is peculiarly favorable to
Athe construction of a railroad. From Jackson,
aong the eastern side of Pearl river, Monticello,
4 the general face of the country is level. From
IL Monticello, through Holmesville, to Lake Point
Aehartran the country is succession of long lead
hing pine ridges or extensive able-lands, and in
~ many places a roadway can be made for miles, by
4 simply clearing of the growth. No deep excavat.
n ing, no heavy filling up, and expensive blasting
I Of rock, would therefore be required-and the
streams are small, but an inconsiderabe amount OF
4 bridging would be necessary. Along the whole
route there is an abundance of post oak and yell
low heart pne-the best timber for the superstruc-
4 ture of the road-every thing thus conspring TO
render the construction of this road of the very
cheapest in the United States. In the absence Of
an actual survey, we may refer to the cost of the
roads in our sister States, as furnishing some data
upon which to found our estimate. The average
cost Of 247 miles of road, in North Carolina was
y 500 per mile; of 81 miles in Alabama, it
So 1853; of the Central road of Georgia. 100 miles
1 long, twas $l2,702 per mile, and the Macon and
Western Railroad, l0l miles, only S6,2l8 per
I mile. Regarding, then, the nature of the country
over which this road will pass, and the favorable
circumstances which surround it, it is but just to
assume tina. it will not cost much as either Of
4 these roads.
A very intelligent gentleman from Mississippi,
and one who is perfectly conversant with the coun
try, of the decided opinion that it will not
Il more than $4,000 per mile and gentleman of this
Il city, who is well informed on this subject, SAYS
tndt the preparation OF the FOdu Ior te sueTstIu
4 ture cannot cost more than $500 per mile 1t is
Il then full estimate that the road will cost
Il $4,000 per mile-requiring Tor the construction OF
4 the road 81 ,12O 900, to which add $4,000 for
4 bridges, and it makes the cost of the road but
4 81, 100000. But to place this road in running
order, there must be boats, depots, locomotives,
Il etc. Estimating them to cost 100000, and it
makes the entire of the road in complete work
u ino;,
when compared with the importance of the i'm
n provement, that it becomes a matter of surprise
that it has remained thus long uncompleted In
the construction of this road Louisiana is only
asked to do her part to make the road to the State
u line and Mississippi stands prepared to complete
a it. The distance from Madisonville to the State
line is about forty miles, and tits savorsb
section of the contemplated road, will not cost owe
the average misunderstanding the cost of this por
ton of the road 1920 600 but as the heaviest ex
4 pense of placing the road in working order mus
IA necessarily be incurred at this end of the road
II would seem but just that Louisiana should pay on
Il half of the assumed necessary for this pur
pose, say $250,000. This sum, added to the cos
4 of construction, amounts to $570,0O0 which is tn
4 amount necessary to be raised in Louisiana.
N The Legislature of Mississippi has granted
II most liberal charter, with capital Of 00C
a for the construction of this road The charter ex
tends for fifty years, and the capital, stock and pre-
perty of the company exempt from taxation fo
4 Is years, The unanmiy with which this charte
II was granted and the liberal spirit which character
lied the Legislature of Mississippi in its action
{ D leave not doubt that theSlate of MISSISSIPPI
q would give TO this improvement generous supper
VIII NewOrleans then not catch some of the spir
Of the age? Cannot 500 of her citizens be foun
/ who will subscribe $1,000 each toward an improve
ment that will open such field for commercial en-
! terprise Money thus invested 5 not only yiel
i Fits annual interest but by increasing the con
ruerce of the city will so enhance the value OF pro
7 perry as to return than four times the inves
. ment As our space will allow, we will give som
data show that the trade of the country
II by this road is amply sufficient to support it, an
q will also point out the great interest which Ney
I'd Orleans has in its completion.
u Distressing Casuahy.-On the 9th instant
e, Mr.. Benjamin F. Ford, aged twenty four years
ant on Of B. F. Ford, Esq, merchant OF New Yorl
e., lost his life in the following distressing man
ner The deceased was spending the summe
the month at his fathers country residence in Green