New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-05-06
DAILY CRESCENT
NEW ORLEANS, MOBILE AND GREAT
NORTHERN RATEROAn-


verified the statements, we had no idea that the
communication by railway with the North was
shorter via Mobile than by jackson
by request, we publish below the replies of
=" Au Reyoir" to the series of articles signed
"citizen,'' which have appeared in the Delta
during the last two weeks. The author wields
an able pen, and is we'll worthy of the steel even
of 80 redoubted knight as ssCitizen.'' We
commend them to our readers as setting forth,
In forcible manner, the advantages of the road
to our city, and the practicability Of the enter
prise. led. Crescent
The New Orleans and Mobile Railroad,
Mr. Editof-The discussion of measures of pubc ut;
y and policy, hold to be of great an advantage to
the public it is undoubted right appertaining to
every citizen He who undertakes appear before the
puhc and set himself teach instruct his fellow
citizens in matters of general interest if he carry with
him through the discussion pure upright and honorable
motives, however moderate his abilities may be. is ept-
TIED TO respectful consideration. In this age
nave so many modest ready to think to
the opinion Of the public that mans oices becomes
perhaps, the most important part Of the inquiry.
have been led to these reflections reading four ar
ticles in the Deta under the signature OF tsCitzep
The writer. feeling the embarrassment of his position
employs the best part Of his first essay
his position in regard to the subject
OF this communication should have been happy to
y.
IN his hrs communication protesting eschew PERSONAL
ltles but aiming to reason together with the good
people INDUCING the gall of his composition in insina
tions OF personal aggrandizement in this scheme II
Is difficult for man to dissembe and cloak his designs
under The garb of falsehood-man revots, by natural
law OF his nature "a creditable homage to truth1 from
everything savorpg of envy seshnrss and detracton
without falling into like L make no professions
but desire to be judged by my own acts :
propose 1st to discuss the objections of Czen,,-to
show their partisan character the sources from
which they proceed 10 70 consider what ars the OBJ
econs that in may be urged against the PROPOSE
tions OF the company and to conclude the communca
tions which have to MAKE, with in
relation to the Jackson Railroad Company the main
strenuous and underhanded opponent the truth Great
Northern Railroad by way of fMobie-promising some
details in relation to the famous bond transactionsthe
true character Of the late ordinances holding ont
maatton to the peope-their legality and the neeoin5
y of the bonds-Jackson and Baton Rouge Railroad and
the stupendous scheme now concoctng invest McDon
oghs estate in the railroad schemes the connection of
the Jackson Railroad with Council, details as to the
money OF stockholders spent in the late city election in
terestng and instructive correspondence
with all which matters may furnish interesting subjects
of communications to public spirited individuals like
Citizen - and more anon to whom everyt thing suggests
great deal more than it asserts portends great deal
more than it pretends.i'
1t the misfortune sir of city that we are ruled
by chques We have passed from to the other in
quiet and passive submission They have dragged this
city down upon its knees and intent upon its yitas
Propose anything useful it meets support but calls
forth all the active and jealous array of private interests
that antsgenstic. What do we see here arraved
against the Mobile and New Orleans Railroad M lass
ah seven oistnct interests elamoring day aud night
the protection Of their particular The
Road-baptizng itself the Great Northern Road with its
own pet scheme of railroad Mobile from the forty
seven mile post to Madsonvlle and thence to Mobile
Alderman Gordon with his road to Proctorylle
wanting S250000 for that n communication with Mo.
bile The two Canal Companies the Carroton Railroad
and Lafayette and Poutchartrain and last that odous
monopoly the Mail Bsatsa project that provokes such
hostiitycarries upon its face the evidence its i'm
portance to the city of New Orleans had forgot to
mention that it has brought even John NJ Bach and
thus we have them full pack, on the hue and ory-
Tray, BIaaohy and Sweetheart"
But to proceed to what may be considered as all that
can really interest the public the objections the rail-
road scheme Let discuss them freely and fairly and
gave our support only to what may be deemed useful to
the public regardless the hand of the interested
and devices Of those who are looking to their
eWn or to any exaggerated dsproportonate
expectations of the company My limits in this oommu
ncation will allow up the first great
OF quarrel-that is the injustice the city her sub
scrong to the balance of the stock of the
kairoad Company resulting from the fact that the pre
sent capital Of the Pontchartren Railroad Company shall
retain its integral part S504000 The amount of the
objection is that the value capta stock shoud bp
reducedn other words that in undertaking to extend
.ne capital OF the company under law authorizing them
TO 90 So with view of receiving subscribers to
build an extension of their railroad that the first step
should be to quietly submit to loss of neourth or
half OF its capital,
The idea that has been given out that the companv ia
selling its stock at par is Incorrect No can be such
ao us TO conceive it, but from desire of isrepresen-
tation The stockholders retain their interest continue
to be stockholders They nothing in the transaction
but what they may BIZ expected to gain from profits
arising from the consolidation of the two roads WHY
should any reasonable man expect that road that is
paying for the last fifteen months ten per cent on its
capital (s50OO0O and whose receipts daily increas
ing should consent to sink portion of its capital for the
purpose of securing the city partner in enterprise
IN which, by such operation the city would clearly have
more than her just proportion2
For my part, must confess am one of those who do
not see how the stockholders of the Pontcharrain Rail-
road Company who have secured trade and passenger
taihc netting ten per cent to gain anything by this
nj for
the stockholders When you reflect sir that the
OF the railroad div vdends the United States does not
amount to per cent the stockholders may seriously ask
themselves what have we to gain by the transactio I'm
less the road to Mobile believe it must be
very prohtabe. 1t is fact not generally known that
taking into consideration works at the harbor at The
lake and the workshops the expended by the
stockholders has exceeded million Independently az
this consideration the donation lands passed hy the
senate OF the United States for 100000 acres an item
of some value2
But to all this replied What has the pontchar
Train Railroad to do with road to Mobile? What ne
cessary connection? May not direct road he hult
admit it do see the necessity of mans going
TO Lake Fontchartrain to get Mobile, ta let me ask
VINO undertakes or has undertaken other than this Com
pany the construction of this road Has she not the
franchise from the State of Louisiana exclusive priv
iege of passing through Mississippi and to what then is
m .e question reauced Railroad or no Railroad Surely
the charters and exclusive privileges which this Company
mas obtained are paid for faf Something in the
assets - -
Among the singular inconsistencies in the
otlzen is the reasoning that the stockholders of this
company arc making splendid stock,obbing operation
to enrich themselves at the expense of the city while he
contends in the next breath that TIM road would
become worthless the building of the road to Mobile
and therefore, should not be osted upon it, Is it cred
ioe CitiEen that the stockholders be accomplish
ING both thtse ends at and the time? To con.
cude this branch of the is it apparent that If
the road to Mobile succeeds both the CITY and the stock
holders OF the Railroad participate just
proportions and that it falls the stockholders of the
Pontchartran Railroad may be ruined thereby
MY limits torold me to say more on this occasion.