The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-10-17


items and we have an aggregate of 1856, 800
this road will, within ten years after its com
pletlon, put into the pocket of every planter,
who lives within twenty-five miles of its line
and makes 200 bags of cotton Those who
make more or less, and have more or less land
will be benefited in proportion. Herein is the
secret of the prosperity of those cotton planters
who plant in regions of country which already
enjoy railway facilities. We invite the atten
ton Of those planters who are near navigation
and cultivate river lands to the foregoing est
mates. 1t is generally thought this class OF
planters have but little interest in the road, but
a careful examination of the subject must con-
vince any one to the contrary. Some of the
benefits set forth above viii be gained to all
planters who trade at New Orleans, whether
they ever send bag of cotton on the Road or
not, and those who may continue to ship excu-
sively by the river will be enabled to do SO at
cheaper freights in consequence of the con-
struction of this road. In the first place, the
natural effect of the competition between the
road and the river will be toreduce the freiehts;
and in the second place, the road itself will en-
able steam boats to carry your cotton to New
Orleans at prices considerably below what you
are accustomed to pay, without any loss to
themselves. Steamboats, now pay wharfage
atm. Orleans that amounts, on an average, to
about six cents per bag on the cotton they car
ry. You are taxed with this by an increase in
the price of freighting your cotton. When this
road shall connect with New York and Charles
ton, New Orleans will abandon this charge
When this road shall reach the rich veins of
stone ceal recently discovered near the Trinity
river, in Texas, it will be profitable business
for it to supply our steamboats, with this kind
OF fuel, at ten cents per bushel, which will
save them $3.50 on a trip. This, with the
wharfage saved at New Orleans will enable
them 10 carry your cotton at thirty cents per
bag less than they now charge you, without
diminishing their own profits.
Thus far we have considered the advantages
of this road to the planting community. We
propose now to address few remarks to our
merchants merely to awaken their minds to the
subject, for we shall not have time to show fully
the extent to which this road will influence their
business, and enhance their prosperity. And
we need not remind you, gentlemen, of the diff
fculties and delays which have embarrassed
and continue to embarrass your business the
current year. Some of you purchased large
stocks OF goods-as you are compelled always
to do, because you can only purchase once a
year-and paid the insurance on them to
Shreveport. The insurance on $4,000 worth
of goods to Shreveport at 81 per cent is 500.
When your goods arrived at New Orleans, Red
River was so low boats were not running over
the falls, and freights were up to two. three and
four dollars barrel. Suppose your purchases
amounted to 600 barrels. The freight on this
at the medium price would amount to $500. 1t
would disparage your credit as business men to
suppose you keep this amount of money yin your
safe laying by you inactive. No, gentlemen,
you did not have the money to pay the freight
on your goods at these extravagant prices.
Nor could you borrow it without paying a
ruinous interest. A portion of your goods ar
rived at time when no price at all could
bring them up the river. Some of you sent
mule teams to the mouth of Red River
and some to Lake Providence, and hauled your
goods over land 80 and 200 miles, after hav-
ing paid river insurance Some of you met
your goods at New Orleans, and shipped them
to various points on the Mississippi river, and
some to Western Texas, and opened them in
markets already we'll supplied, and for which
your goods had not been purchased, and for
which they were consequently unsulted, and
there among strangers you were compelled to
make forced sales to sustain, if possible, your
credit. You have commenced opening your
goods about the time the bills given in purchase
began to mature, and in some instances these
bills have been presented at your counter by an
attorney for collectioa, while you were engaged
in opening the very goods for which they were
given! Your fall and winter goods were re-
ccived so late in the season that many of them
must remain upon your hands unsod through
the ensuing summer. Such a season as this, is
as disastrous to the mercantile interests of our
country, as an overflow in June is to the river
planters. 1t is not always SO bad as it is this
year, but to some extent these hindrances to
your prosperity always exist, and these runous
delays, this unnatural course of trade, and this
arrangement in your business calculation, will
return upon you with the regularity of the bu-
siness seasons, while your only dependence for
commercial intercourse, is upon the uncertain
navigation of Red River, Washita, and the
several smaller streams which penetrate North
ern Louisiana. While these are your depend
ence, you must continue to do chiefly a twelve
months business, and no profit you can ever
hope to realize, will remunerate you for your
losses, in delays, insurance and interest. Here
and there among YOU one may be found who
has "a large capital, good credit, an extensive
and heavy run of custom, who
may accumulate under all these disadvantages,
but as a class it is impossible for you to prosper
under your present SYSTEM of doing business
and nothing but railroad will enable you ever
to change this system. Railroads have had one
effect that was never anticipated. They de-
prive capital of its power, and take commerce
and trade from large capitalists and put in the
hands Of active stirring men who employ small
capital, Our merchants are composed of this
class of men. Young, and in the sigor of life,
they are active, industrious, and intelligent, but
have Comparatively small means It has been
generally supposed that want of capital is II the
reason why they don't accumulate faster. This
is mistake, it is not capital they want, it is
time. They want to save long voyages, which
delay goods on the way two Or three months
to save the interest and the insurance. Letus
imagine for moment that the road has been
built, and two men engage in business side by
side in Shreveport, or any other point you
please. One builds a large, long house, four
stories birh ,.ao,,;r;pra q heavy outlay of caDIta