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

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over all other routes, by geographical position,
that If we take hold of that section Of this line
at present before us, and prosecute it with vi
gor for a few years, we shall be SO far ahead
OF all others as to put competition at defiance
The State of Texas proposes to give FIVE thou
sand acres of land for every mile of the road
constructed within her limits This will soon
carry it across her territory, and the govern
ment OF the United States will unquestionably
make such appropriations of the mining lands
10 California, rs may be necessary to finish the
road to the Pacific. 1t seems to be generally
admitted that this must be done as the only
means of retaining California in the Union
We haze endeavored to set forth, in a brief
way, some of the advantages which must ac-
crue to the State OF Louisiana, and the United
States, by the construction Of this road and to
show yoa the feeling which has been elected
upon the subject in other sections of the coun-
try. This has necessarily been done in a very
imperfect manner. 1t will be our object now,
fellow citizens of Northern Louisiana, to show
you hoW-in what way, and to what extent
you are 70 be benefited by the completion Of
this great work through your country. We
cannot hope to bring before you all the ad
vantages you shall derive from it. Were we
even to enunerate them, we should have to
write book approximatlng in size to the old fa-
mily bible. The limits Of this address Wilnot
allow us TO DO more than present you with a
few prominent points Of view of the subject
which may serve to awaken inquiry, and hav-
ing done this, we must leave to your own
minds to suggest other points of interest, and
trace ouE the subject in all its various bearings
| You have no doubt been astonished to learn
the wonderful influence which railroads exert
in enhancing the value Of land, in every part
Of the country where they have built Some
| OF you removed from Georgia, and Alabama
few years ago, having sold lands that never
We're v@ry productive, and that were pretty
well worn when you left them, for three, five
and eight dollars per acre. Since then rail
road has been built through that country, and
those same lands are now worth twenty, thirty
and forty dollars per acre. You know too that
when You left there the people were in debt
that the planters were behind hand-working
hard, living economically and striving to get
out Of debt. If you have been back there re-
Gently, you know, and if you have not, you
have heard, how prosperous they are now, and
how we'll satisfied they have become with their
homes. Their debts are paid, the state is pros
porous, their taxes are light-nominal when
compared with yours-the railroad stock is pay
ing them | A to is per cent and they have all
got their pockets full of money. They wont
sell their lands, and they are coming out here
to buy ours. One is astonished upon going
back there to witness the changes which have
taken place within few years. He is struck
with the costly and decorated dwellings,; with
the fine carriages, and the rich display of fash
ion and dress which he sees through the coun-
try. We think we shall be able to explain to
you how all this has happened, and why it is.
that yon, who have better climate, cultivate
better land, and are equally industrious, have
been far less prosperous. No one pretends to
attribute the rapid increase in the population of
Georgia, and the appreciation in the value of
her taxable property, in the last decade ofI
years, and her present unparalleled prosperity,
to any other cause than the extension of her
railroads through the state, and the manu- FAC
tories which they have brought into existence
along tneir lines; for no other element of pros
perily has been developed within the state.
We proceed then to show how this road
viii benefit the cotton planters living in the
parishes contiguous to it. And in the first
place twill enable the planter to take advan-
tage ot The market, and sell his cotton as soon
after il is ready to be sold as his own conven
ience, land the price may justify. 1tis diff
cult tcIsay what this privilege may, or what
it nay;not be worth to the planter, An ex-
animation Of the state of the market for series
of years shows it to have been worth great
deal haretofore. Some years, when our rivers
have kept down, the planters, through northern
Louisiana, have lost more than ten dollars per
bale, hy being delayed in getting their cotton
to market until the price had declined. Those
who ship by Red River are likely to lose as
much Us this year, AT this rate the loss upon
the wsole crop grown the past year in north
ern Louisiana, and that part Of Texas which
seeks The same channels of trade, would amount
to twG millions of dollars. It will lessen the
charges which the planter sustains at present
upon his cotton in getting to market, and haV-
ing it3sold which is Just the same thing to him
as an increase in the price Of his cotton to- that
extent. We ask your indul gence little. We
may possibly be tedious, but we are anx-
ious 10 make ourselves well understood; and
the subject challenges your investigation. Sup
pose you 60 to Shreveport or Monroe to sell
your cotton, you do not expect to get more Tor
it than it would be worth to you sold In New
Orleans, lie. you expect to get, IN either OF the
above places, only what it is worth IN New
Orleans, less than the freight and charges.
And 50, if you send your cotton to New Or
leans you only expect your merchant to sell 1t
for the price in Liverpool after deductlng the
freight and charges; for this is all you could re-
alize i you shipped upon your own account
1t must appear perfectly clear then, that every
avoiaable charge upon your cotton between
you': gin house and the yard of the manuufac-
turer in Liverpool, is an unnecessary, and op-
pressive tax upon your profits; and that what
ever means shall reduce these charges will, to-
thatextent, increase your pro6ts-will operate
70 Pit just that much money in your pocket
We shall now proceed to show you how this
Railroad will lessen these charges and to what
extent. We shall take them up item by item
IEEm lst. Suppose you live fifteen miles
from your present point ofshipment; it will take
Your team two days to haul to the river--say
Shreveport six bags of cotton. Your team
may be hired out at four dollars per day lt
therefore costs you S8 to haul six bags of cot