New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-07-27
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 81, !
THE ROUTE TO MOBILE.

ror bne laSt rev years new sHlIIl seeHis W
have pervaded the mercantile and commercial
community of NewOrleans The blind reliance
upon natural advantages and the necessities OF
trade which for so long time checked the en-
terprise and retarded the growth of city, by
nature intended for the emporium of greater
trade than that which now flows through New
York, has given place to broaier and more en-
hghtened views.
Prominent among the plans which have sprung
out of this altered state of things is the system
of railroads intended to link our city with every
State and every county throughout the South
west, and to drain into our market the richness
of their products and afford to them in return
the most valuable of our imports. Not more
than three years ago it was predicted in one Of
the publications of this city that large portion
of the present trade of NewOrleans must in any
event be drawn of to other seaports Part Of
Eastern Tennessee must henceforth send its
business to Charleston over the Georgia Rail
road. The Selma, Tennessee and Ohio roads
must, from the date Of their completion, draw
off all the trade of Alabama, one third of the
trade of Mississippi, and about the same portion
Of the trade of Tennessee. Some steps have al
ready been taken to avert consequences so per-
nicious to the wealth and prosperity of the city
by the construction of railroads into Texas and
through the heart of Mississippi to Eastern Ten
nessee but hitherto nothing has been accom-
plished likely to prevent the realization of the
prediction with regard to Alabama and the At
lantic States. Railroads have been run around
us in every direction, intended to draw the legt-
innate business of our city to Baltimore, Charles
ton and other rival points, and we have been
content to lay supinely and watch their progress
without single effort in self defence.
The immediate opening of a new and more
expeditions route from this city to Mobile is an
object so full of interest to our citizens and to
the trading public that the subject cannot be too
frequently pressed upon those who have under
taken to carry it through. The present route
by the Lakes and Gulf coast is one requiring SO
great length of time, and is liable to so many
annoyances, as to have become a source of com
plant that cries loudly for remedy The dis
lance is now one hundred and sixty miles, re-
quiring nearly twenty hours to make the pas
cage, whereas by the contemplated railroad
route the length of rail will be only about one
hundred and thirty three miles, which, by ex-
press trains, may be traversed in from four to
six hours (more or less), according to the speed
of the locomotive. This would effect great re-
duction of time and as in this fast age time is
money, the immense capital saved in this way
would be alone sufficient to build the road The
road would also pass through very extensive
country, heretofore remaining uncultivated from
the difficulties of bringing its products to mar
ket and in this uov ,ynuld odd
the supply and cheapness of vegetable products
fit for the table, desideratum so much and 50
long needed in this city. This road will skirt
the Gulf shore, Offering ready means of in
ssress and egress to and from the city to the sea
side resorts
Apart from these considerations we look UPON
the present mode of travel by the Lake steam
ers as in every way annoying, and by all means
to be gotten rid of by the earliest and most
practicable means.
The steamers now engaged in this service are
in the hands of a wealthy monopoly, which being
possessed of money and means, drives away all
others, and in this way prevents that healthy
competition which is the only protection for the
travelling public Having the field free to them
selves, they put on boats of little speed and in
ferior accommodations, that are twice as long
in making the trip as boats going the same dis
lance on Northern waters; and are withal OF
such limited dimensions and so poorly aired
that they are but ill adapted to the crowds that
are compelled to throng them, and are decidedly
lnimical to health from the suffocating atmos-
phere that prevails in their pent-up cabins On
not one OF these boats, we believe, is there o
single musquito bar, 1--WE are sure there is not
one on the Florida) and in point of other accom-
modations they are SO vastly inferior, that any
competition whatever would efectually drive
them from the trade More is charged for
passage and freight on this line than on any
other in the United States of the same length
The masters of these vessels, too, are generally
selected without any regard to that urbanity
and gentility of department so essential to rem
der the passage agreeable We refer particu-
larly to the Captain of the Florida, u man Of
abrupt address, and uncouth manners, and per
fectly Indifferent to the comforts Of those who
are compelle by circumstances to place them
selves in his charge
The projected railroad will correct these
evils, and enable those who desire to visit our
sister city, to do SO by cheap, pleasant, and
expeditions means Let those, then, who have
the enterprise in hand 60 to work in earnest,
and let us at once be freed from the annoy
ances incident to the Lake route, and from the
CALLING exactions of heartless monopoly Push
on the good work