New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-01-21

NUMBER 275.
in Texas in Louisiana. That youthful but vigorous
republic, on entering the confederacy retained for her
own uses her vast landed domain and, with wis
dom worthy her good fortune, is now bestoUing these
lands bo9ntfuy for the purposes of internal improve
ment. The great lines Of Texan railroads which lead
Of land per mile. The lands in this region are Of e-
ceilent quality, and under climate unsurpassed for
saiubnty and general adaptation to the comforts and
well being Of mankind. The vast system Of railroads
which has been developed in the Northwestern
States owes in great degree, iss creation to Com
gressional donations yet those companies which
have paTaken largest Of the public bounty haye re-
ceived little more than one-third Of the amoant of
acres per mile which have been donated by TEXAS to
the Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
The New Orleans, jackson and Great Northern
Railroad is approaching rapidly its final complexion
70 Canton, Miss, two hundred and seven miles FROM
New Orleans of this distance hundred and tsir-
tyseven miles are completed and in daily use and in
the month Of March nineteen miles additional will be
opened for transportation leaving only tftyone miles
Of ths middle division south Of jackson to be con-
structed. large force of men are employed on the
unfinished portion of the roadway formation the iron
and other materials for completing the superstruc-
ton have been purchased, and an ample train of
ment.
1t is confidently believed that the road will be COM
pleted and fully equipped for the fall business OF
1858. I- .E5f 52 7sssl
The last Congress donated to this company, also.
the alternate sections Of public land within six miles
on either side Of the road but the lands in the inn
mediate vicinity had been for the most part entered
BY individuals and those remote not being of quail
ity likely to become Immediately available for the
wants OF the company, it has not been deemed ex-
pedient, up to ths time to accept the donation and
incur the servtude with which the grant is burdened
The advanced condition OF the work and the soyency
forhd
mise OF its future prospects for temporary con-
sderation. :"
This road will form the stem on which all the rail
roads east of the Mississippi leading to New Orleans
will be engrafed. Its branches will amount to many
thousands of miles and grand trunk, its rela-
ton to other railroads will be the same as the Misss.
sippi to its numerous tributaries. Uniting with the
Mississippi Central Railroad at Canton which is in
forward condition. the line of that road passes nearly
north to Jackson, Tennessee two hundred and thirty
six miles; thence uniting with the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad and pursuing the same direction, the Ohio
river is reached at Cairo, and by branch road at
Paducah. At Cairo union with the Illinois Central
Railroad will place New Orleans in communication by
railroad with the whole system of roads north of the
Ohio river, and with the great lakes. At jackson,
Mississippi the Great Northern Railroad is intersected
by the Vcksburg and Jackson Railroad, which forms
connecting link for travel with the Vicksburg Shreve
port and Texas Railroad, and the Southern Pacific
son, and in continuation of the Vcksburg and Jack
son Railroad, the Southern Railroad and the Alabama
Central Railroad, passing through Brandon, Marion
and Selma to Montgomery, connect us with the
Mississippi Two hundred and eight miles, by the
northern route before described, the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad intersectsthe Mississippi Central
Railroad near the Tennessee line.2 THIS connection
brings into the great northern railroads the con-
tiuents of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
and leads TO Washington City by the East Ten
nessee and Georgia Railroad, and the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad via Knoxville, Abingdon and
branch
great Northern line first described, between Jack
son, Tennessee and the Ohio river, forming con
nections with Nashville, Louisville and other impor-
tant towns in Tennessee and Kentucky. The State
of Tennessee has suhscribedten thousand dollars pei
mile 10 her principal roaToads, payable as the road
bedsis completed: This liberal aid will furnish the
ironsbpersttucthre, and leave to individual enterprise
the burden only OF preparing the form which it il
laid. ~
Looking west of the Mississippit will he seen tha
| the principal railroads of Arkansas, Missouri an
9owa- run nearly east to the river Upon the waite,
of this great inland must be borne to market til
heavy burdens of her iron tributaries but larg
portion of the passengers will reach New Orleans owe
the Great Northern Railroad, which, by its successv
links forms a chain extending over sixteen degree
Of latitute extract the following summary from o.
official report of the Company.
/ "When our connection is completed with the rail
roads above described, may reach Chicago, travel
ing at the rate of % miles per hour, in 36 hours
Washington City in 4S hours, st. Lonis in so hours
Cincinnati in 80 hours Nashville in % hours, Shreye
port and the Texan border in Is hours and all tht
| intermediate points in the same ratio of reduction
This statement above must convey to any rejecting
mind the great Importance of our enterprise, and
when it is remembered that all the Intercourse and
traffic of the vast system of roads which tend to New
Orleans must pass over ours as main trunk its value
| as an investment may readily be Appreciated
The hopeful condition of our three great railroad
enterprises is subject for public and private congrat-
ulation, and the Legislature of 1857 may justly np-
pland and emulate the patriotic and enlightened policy
of the Legislature of 1853 that laid the foundation OF
system of public improvements, which at an early
day will confer inestimable benefits the social,
commercial and agricultural condition, not only OF
the people of Louisiana, but also on the people of
adjoining States, whose prosperity and progress are
in great degree inseparable from our own.
would respectfully call your attention to the con
| dition of Red river and the Ouachta with the view
of anelioratng the bad navigation which these rivers
afford during the greater portion of the year. The
breaking up Of the RATS and consequent destruction
OF the large lakes or reservoirs, which formerly fed
the Red river during drougths-the natural impariug
of navigation by clearing the forests and extending
cultivation together with the lowering of the plain
of the Mississippi at the mouth of Red river, by cut
ting through the large bends, has been mainly in.
strumenal in producing the present bad condition Of
those rivers for supplying the necessasy facilities tc
the large and valuable portion of the State dependent
on them for transportation IT, after careful and sci
entc examination by experienced engineers, it shal
be determined that permanent relief can be afforded
by artificial works. the State should lose no time il
the execution but it, on the contrary, good naviga
ton cannot be restored without inCurng great evils
then the people, Of their condition. may suppl,
other means Of transportation, and will have jus
| claims for aid from the State.
would further recommend that the aid of the Stat
be given to the New Orleans and Baton Rouge Rail
road Company, by subscription of one.ifth of it
capital stock. A careful instrumental survey ha
been made, and it is ascertained that by line beal
ing nearly due east from Baton Rouge, and forty-iv
miles long, a connect on may be made with the Ney
Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad, nea
the 46th mile-making a total distance between Ney
Orleans and Baton Rouge of 81 nliles-whch, over
straight and level road, may be Travelled with
three hours. The road will pass through the cente
of the parishes of East Baton Rouge and Livingston
and, for the most part, through valuable public lands
which will enttle the Company to Congressional aiC
There are many considerations of public characte
which recommend this enterprise to your favorabl
consideration. The donation by Congress to the Stat
of Louisiana, of all the swamp and oyerfowed land
therein, coupled with the condition that thest
lands or the proceeds thereof, to be used only
for leveng and draining of the swamp and over
flowed lands this is, therefore, Trust tund, ant
cannot be used for any other object than that specl
fed in the grant.
This munifcent donation has freed the people
the State from that taxation which would be requires
to build levees to protect them from the inundatio
of the Mississippi And having thus been freed fron
so great taxation there should be no hesitancy o.
. the part of the people to extend helping hand il
building up system of railroads calculated to add
much to the greatness and prosperity of our STATE