New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-03-10
d. ma. J. al
INV OaLEA ANS, Feb. II, 1856.
~ fg;s Efcel,encu Robert III III.
= l1ss G1,elala,, az Tie sState Of LollissdMa

Tho railroads commenced in louisiana ana those IN
the States east af te 9 au
n aIIndet ID or own railroads, as it might fairly be
4 presumed that a subject so often before the public
EwVolld have made every one acquainted with their
condition, circumstances and progress; but unfor-
tlately this case but the truth is there is
a lamentabe Ignorance prevailing, and not without
more less hostility, jealousy and opposition, which
no promises proptiate or reason elghten or sub
due. 316 I1Ga5 & @&
1t could not be expected that the citizens ola State
destitute of all public improvements and possessing
mechanical skand experience to only very limited
extent could at once be endowed with capacity to
carry out large undertakings and avoid the commits
sion of many and serious mistakes. This is, more or
less the history Of every undertaking, public or pll-
yate that has been commenced since the country mas
been settled; and nothing but time and feeling q
permanent interest in undertakings by those WHY
have invested their to construct them VIII give
us that skill and proficiency which we ao hot y"
!fnossess. ,- "a.
That public expectation is dsappontea, ana a
hopes discouraged, needs no proof bqb SUI enuas
HAS he, done ia place our railroads beyond the reach
Of absolute failure and to establish an importance Tor
them, which should command gnpport anu No ns
con,aaenent should be permitted to make us despond
mr. defer n from meeting the issue with courage and
i determination to employ our means to their utmost
limit to secure the great prize OF commercial distne
tion within our reach aud which once gained Will
| renav orr sacrifices hundred-tod.
frhe Great Northern Railroad Company will have,
within month hence, one hundred and sixteen miles
Of finished road and sixty additional miles graded and
hrideed in readiness for the ron if it had The means
to procure it. The Opelousas Company will soon
have its road pushed to Berwicks Bay, distanceof
seventy 1.-two miles, and with every prospect of re-
smunerative traffic. The Vioksburg and Shreveport
Company is making considerable progress and the
discretion and foresight eyinced in its management
and the character, experience and responsibility of
the contractors employed to build the whole road are
guarantees of its successAs pioneer road this is
entitled to rank first any road yet projected in
the State The region tits designed to open is of the
greatest fertility and its capacity to- produce cotton
alone will in few years. be sufficienttto build up
trade that would support city as large as Memphis.
The travel Of North Louisiana and Texas will pass
over it to Vcksburg; thence by the Vicksburg road
to jackson, and over the Great Northern road, to-
New Orleans and every State in the Union. North
Of Canton, Mississippi, commences series of rail
roads which have already made progress and are be-
ing pushed forward with energy. They will establish
q complete network of communication, commenc-
ing with the Mississippi Central, extending from Can
ton to Holly Springs, and thence to Lagrange Tenn,
where it ntersects the Memphis and Charleston; and
son to Jackson, Tenn, where it ntersects the Mobile
and Ohio road running to the mouth the Ohio river,
and to Paduea at the mouth of the Tennessee river.
Twenty-four miles Of the Mississippi Central are
finished, between Holly Springs and Lagrange; fifty
miles south of Holly Springs and north Of Canton are
graded and prepared for the reception Of the iron
which has already been purchased and every reason
able expectation prevails that the remainder of the
grading and the preparation of the superstrueture
will be complete within twelve months The work on
this road is chiefly performed by the planters its
line, and at very small cost Seventy miles north OF
Canton commences the Memphis and Granada road
which will become the route for direct line of travel
from New Orleans to Memphis. Of,this road ten
miles are finished, and the remainder is progressing
under such auspices as to assure its completion From
Memphis various lines of railroad radate, all Of which
have made constant progress; and the one construct
ing through Arkansas, to Little Rock, is of great i'm
portance to New Orleans, in assuring considerable
outlet for the produce of the interior to the Msss
al
is locked up for many months. The Memphis and
Louisville road is now finished for distance of thirty
miles, and the energy that has distinguished its past
management, is an index OF its future progress. This
road is entitled to aid from the State of Tennessee, to
the extent of ten Thousand dollars per mile on the
portion constructed within its limits. The Memphis
and Charleston Company have in operation 172 miles
of finished road, and the assistance lately voted by
the State of Alabama will greatly facilitate its pro-
gress towards completing all its connections within
another year. At Chattanooga railroad communica-7
ton commences and extends beyond Knoxville to
Virginia, and the entire line thence to Washington
city is more than twothirds finished Every calcula-
ton is to be made, on the whole being completed
within the next three years. The from Louisville
to Nashville is now finished for a distance of thirty
miles, and its friends are sangune of its success.
proof of its estimated Importance, the citizens IF Lou
isvile have recently voted it additional aid for
million of dollars. The Tennessee and Alabama Com |
pany have finished thirty miles Of road south of Nash
vile; this road is designed to form continuation of
the line between that city and New Orleans and is
entitled to the aid of the State of Tennessee for
$4,000 per mile on the portion running within its
limits which will amount to 81 100000. The Mobile
and Ohio Company have in operation 162 miles of
road and the whole of the line is nearly graded to the
mouth of the Ohio river and Paducah. That portion
running through Tennessee is already prepared for
the iron and the State is about to issue, in its six per
cent bonds 81 100000 to finish it.
The foregoing is accurate sketch of the various
railroads projected and commenced since 1851, lex
cepting the Mobile and OhioD which exceed 1000
half completed and every mile of which, when every
connection is made, will contribute something in favor
of the trade and Importance of New Orleans. Itsug
gess to every mind that will examine the subject he
profitable traffic and travel which such system of
extensions and intersections of railroads. will at
bring to the Great Northern Road and the slightest
reflection will be quick to appreciate the rich inherit
this Company will enjoy, in the undisturbed pos
session of the link of FOG miles between New Orleans
and Canton, forever secure against rivalry and
petition.
It's Importance is emphatically, and relatively to
any other railroad projected in the Union, what the
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, have expended
hundred and fifty millions of dollars in construct
ing lines of railroad that are rivals for the trade and
travel of the West less than one,tenth of the sum
will give to New Orleans the advantages of facilities
Of equal extent to those possessed by of the great
Northern cities through their enormous OUTLAWS. No
expedient which invention can contrive will ever ill.,
trude any competition against the exclusive control
which is now and forever invested in the 2OG miles
from it to Canton and capital, that is given to con-
struct it, will, in time, prove remunerative and pro-
ductiye beyond all example.
The vast basin of country which this grand system
of improvement is designed to Improve and adorn
embraces eight degrees of latitude from North to
South and thirty degrees of longitude Of all eli
mates it is the most highly favored its riches in the
fertility of the SOIL its mines of iron and coal const
tute it in every respect, the finest region within the
broad limits of our republic and aided in its deve
opment by the freedom of our genial institutions and
the enterprise of bold and noble race, it will attain
an opulence and power which will descend with re-
nown to the latest generations.
Its present may be computed at 1856 $50 square
miles, and 10 millions Of acres exclusive of the terri
tory of Louisiana. It's population in 1850 exceeded
three millions of inhabitants, nearly equal to the total
of the New England States, and not much under that
of the thirteen States when war Of independence
commenced and ifsits population was increased to
twelve millions, the average would not exceed to the
square mile that known in Englandin the commence
ment of the 18th century. Should it ever reach the
average to the square mile in England at the present
day, it would contain GO millions of people.
am now brought to point of confession which
must cause every honest and patriotic citizen who is
attached to his country to bow his head in humilia
ton. Every section Of this vast and magnificent rc.
gion from which we draw the materials of our enor-
nous export, is eNertng every influence to push for
ward great works. designed to achieve for New Or
leans the greatest commercial grandeur and power
every day brings fresh appeals to arouse us from our
Indifference and to extend helping hand in comnle-