The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-07-14
The R.d River Railroad.

The Picayune, few days since, contained an
excellent article on the subject Of railway from
Shreveport to New Orleans, from the pen of MI.
DeBow. The rich regions along the Red River
and about the head waters of the Sabine, Trinity,
and Braxos rivers is section Of country to. which
Now Orleans must in future looK as one of the
principal sources Of her trade. The rapdity with
which it is now being settled makes it important
to to be in haste to open the means Of sure and
constant communication with it, at all seasons, be-
fore its trade finds its way by its rivers to the gulf
coast, and thence, like the of all south
western Texas, form its alliances and connections
with New York. Time in the accomplishment Of
this project is a matter Of vast moment. The i'm
provement Of the rivers the construction of one
railway from any portion Of this region to the coast
would divert large portion Of its trade from
1t will not do to wait until the Opelousas railway
shall extend itself west into this region. The peo
pie of that country will not wait its tardy progress
but will seek other channels to market. The
Professor says for obvious reasons, it should "be
kept distinct and independent proposition from
that Of the Opelouses railroad, though both may in
the event be connected" His idea appears to be,
to have two parallel lines the whole distance from
here to some point on the Red river. The time
and cost necessary to complete these enterprises is
an insurmountable objection to them, when there
are shorter and cheaper means of accomplishing
the same object. The Professor is in error in say
ing that the first suggestion of such road as an
independent proposition, emanated from meeting
Of the citizens of Shreveport few days ago." As
long ago as 1916 and AZ Robert Patterson, editor
Of the Corcorda Intelligencer, Professor Forshey,
and the writer, prepared series of papers which
were published in the Intelligencer, showing the
Importance to New Orleans and the upper regions
of Texas of opening railway communication from
Shreveport to some point the Mississippi river.
Mr. Forshey made some general reconnaissance of
the country, and estimated the cost Of the road,
them at less than ten thousand dollars per mile.
Again in 1S49 in a series of articles in the same
paper, the subject was revived, and the feasibility
and cost of extending the road to Rio Grande and
ultimately to San Diego considered and the
project was urged upon the citizens Of New Orleans
as the initial step to secure the terminus of the
great Pacific highway at our doors. Inc route
subsequently, marked by Gen. Worth the route
for the Pacific railway, was the same as indicated
by the writer of those papers. The cost of the
road as estimated by Gen. Worth, and as stated iu
those papers the same. The eloquent visions
of Gov Chambers, of the benefits and blessings of
such a road to Texas and Louisiana were foreshad-
owed four years ago in the columns of the Concordia
Intelligencer. That paper foretod at that time the
effects upon the trade of New Orleans of the Inter-
nal Improvements of the northwest, and article
written in 1S4s, predicting events, was published
in 1851 in DeBows Review as the actual condition
of our trade at present. What was unheeded
prophecy in 1s4s, was history in 1851. How diff
cult it is to public attention to coming inev-
table events The present absorbs all our in
terest.
From lake Providence to Shreveport is but sew
enty-fve miles. From Vidalia to the same point
on Red river, the distance is about hundred
miles. From eitherNf these points, the country is
extremely favorable for the construction of rail-
road. The cost would not exceed $750,000 or
81 600 000 and it would pass through body of rich
public lands, from which donation could be OBJ
tanned from Congress, that would pay for the con-
struction of the road. If prosecuted with energy
the road could be built in year. 1t would termi-
nate on the river SO near New Orleans. that there
would be danger of the trade being diverted from
to Charleston other Atlantic ports, for would
cost to bring the cotton from it to our city,
than to ferry the bales across the Mississippi and
place. lneh w d runway Gar vi the opposite Oank
This road would therefore secure all the benefits to
this city that railway hence direct to Shreveport
would give 1t would not be rival to any other
enterprise, and thereby avoid all clashings of inter-
ess. 1t would open permanent communication
with the fertile regions Of Bayou Mason, the Tensas
Black and Washita rivers, now closed to us by low
water six or eight months in the year and should
the Opelouses road be extended to Shreveport
and take the trade beyond that point directly to the
city, this road through the upper parishes of the
State, from the Red river to the Mississippi would
find ample support in the trade along its line and
would add each year benefits to the country through
which it passed. greater in value to the whole cost
of the road We hope the citizens of the northern
portion of our State will not allow this project to
remain long a mere design paper. The differ
ence in the cost of their groceries, bagging, and
the freight of their cotton in year would pay
for the road.