New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-11-23
CITY RAILROADS..

At the last meeting OF the Board Of Aldermen,
n petition was presented, numerousy signed,
praying the Board to grant the right of way to
the Pcntehartrain Railroad Company for
track for horse-cars through Broad street to
the new canal. The petition was referred to
the Committee Streets and Landings Inc
subject of local railroads, affo:ding tree means
of access to remote parts of the city, is one
deeply interesting to property holders ana par
ticularly so to persons of small means desiring
| 10 own or occupy homesteads in the suburbs of
| the town
| railroad like the one contemplated, from
| Ely sian Fields street to the canal, by means OF
| a lateral branch thence to the river, and from
Canal street to the upper portion of the Fourth
District, would be an enterprise of incalculable
benefit to the city at large. 1t is well known
that the highest and most eligible portion of the
town, for building purposes, lies on the line of
the proposed road. These localities, from their
difficulty of access, have not received that at
tention from residents commensurate with the
advantages afforded by them Persons have not
built there because they could not get there.
Property has remained at low mark in these
elevated localities, while the marshes nearer the
river, from their greater convenience, have been
built upon, and city made TO flourish where
but few years ago was nothing but marshes
and lagoons. This state of things has crowded
population too much in particular districts. 1t
has enhanced the value of property in central
portions of the town, while that lying more re-
mote has been unequally deprecated. Local
railroads would bring about revolution in this
state of things, and while they would bring
down rents to reasonable rates, they would con-
tribute to the spread of population and to an in
crease of social comforts. Rents are as proper
tionally low in the Third as they are high in
the First District Let horse-cars be establish
ed that will set passengers down in ten minutes
going either way, and a healthful balance will
be established between high and low rents that
will operate favorably for all classes. More
| particularly will those be benefited whose small
means do not enable them to comply with the
ruinous exactions of the few who own all the
houses 1t will benefit the owners of property
in those remote localities to an extent that is in
calculable. 1t will benefit the city by adding
to the taxroli the numerous improved proper
ties that would rise up in consequence of increas-
ed facilities of REORGANIZATION. All inter-
ests will be promoted, save perhaps that of the
fortunate few who own property in the heart of
the town, whose exactions indeed are one of the
greatest drawbacks upon the prosperity of the
city
The subject is one which commends itself to
every advocate of progress Certain residents
on the line of the proposed road will turn up
their aristocratic noses at the prospect of dust
and noise to be raised by the rattle of the cars
These annoyances have always excited the dis
gust of those who wish to be the monopolists of
quiet and of fresh air, But there are others
equally entitled TO a share of these common
blessings, and it is but just that they should be
equally distributed. Free access to the suburbs
will promote this distribution, and local rail
roads are the means which will effect the desired
object
We hope the Council will give ear to the
prayer of the petitioners As representatives
Of the people, delegated to carry out the popu-
lar commands they can not refuse to obey the
expressed wish of the majority. Give US the
horse-cars along Broad street, and let room be
made for the tens of thousands who annually
flock to our prosperous port. Give us the rail
roads and little more air