Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-16
From the american Railuqy Times.
Grea, Mail Rout. to New Orleans.

| LfvHt tHG -iWti tCuH IlutUpy ItHttSs
Great Mail Route to New Orleans.
| Ii is somewhat amusing t. notice the conf
dence with which various new routes remote
from each other are presented as the true
lines for the great Southern Mall route to
| New Orleans. A few weeks since, the fresl-
dent aud Senator Yulee presented circuit
Gus route, combining steamers ana railways,
| by the coast of Carolina and Georgia, to
! Florida: thence by raj! across the Guit, to
| New Orleans, as the me plus ultra" OF lines,
and il is proposed to grant rate OF compen-
sation for the use of this combination Of
routes, subject to all the contingencies OF the
sea, that would pay annually the cost Of some
of our lines of railways, when It's best pro-
mise was four days for the cars from New
York or Washington to New Orleans. Last
week wc have another scheme, to run rail
way from Cairo to White River i'll Arkansas,
aud thus form the great mail line to New
Orleans.
have no interest in any Of these routes
or any other Southern railway, bot 1t has
been my fortuue, during the past sixty days,
to make Journey TO New Orleans, going by
one route and returning by another, and to
examine most of the intervening railways,
and | am satisfied that line superior 10
both those presented, will DC finished within
twelvemOuth, and even while unfinished
will form the cheapest, surest, ADD best route
TO New Orleans. On my way to that city, |
passed through the Western States, descend
eG the Mississippi from ST. Louis in two OF
the best steamers t. Memphis aud Nic&sburg
and then pursued my way by railroad and
coach through the Interior OF Mississippi, via
Jackson, in line parallel to the river. The
steamers on the Mississippi were large and
commodious, and the table superior TO that
in our best hotels, bnt we were nearly SIX
days from St. Louis to Ncksburg, running
upon sand-bars, stopping for cotton, and
again delaying to relieve an unfortunate
steamer caught by snag. Leaving the boat
at Nicksburg, | was able to pass day at
that city, another at Jackson, and by coach
and railway to reach New Orleans almost
as soon as the steamer; for the railway, cut.
ting off the bends of the river, is almost an
air line and dead level, and reduces the dis
lance one half, to say nothing OF superior Ger
tainty and speed
Returning East, crossed the bay to Mo
bile, and there had the option of the mail
coach for thirty-sx hours upon miserable
up the Alabama river for sixty hours, with
the risks Of water navigation. | preferred
the latter, but saw much to convince me OF
the uncertainties, delays, and perlIS OF both.
90 my way homeward, | took the rail from
Montgomery, by way Of Atlanta aud Chat
tanooga, to Nashville, Tenn, and thence by
Knoxville and Lynchburg to Washington,
through the elevated, fertile, and magnii-
cent region Of the interior OF Georgia, len
nessee, and Virginia. FROM my observa-
tons and inquiries, | am satisfied the true
route from Washington. as well as cur Nor
thern States, to New Orleans, for years to
come, will be finished this season, and Will
require but two days, or certainly not more
than sixty hours, for the transmission OF the
mails and passengers with certainty and
| safety. This route is via Alexandria, Lynch
burg, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, TO Holly
Springs, i'll MSsissippi; and thence by Jack
son to New Orleans, by continuous rail OF
the best character The distance Is less than
twelve hundred miles, and the average speed
may easily be carried to twenty-five miles
per hour.
But few gaps now remain. The first be
tween Alexandria and LyDchburg, Is not
long; it has made great progress and will
soon be finished. 1t may now be avoided by
detection via Redmond. The second is
but twenty miles, between Jonesborough and
Knoxville, to be finished in April. The third
is some sixty-fve miles, between Holly
Springs and Jackson, disappearing OF the
rate OF two miles per week; aud the fourth
is some thirty miles, between jackson and
New Orleans, which will be filled in May.
When this continuous line is finished, two
DAYS, and less than $50, will carry the pas
senger from Washington to New Orleans, and
pay his board on tue way, and there Will oG no
occasion for any administrative job, or folly,
to cost half a million or more per unuum, IN
crossing Florida or the Gulf, or running
tracks through the wilds Of Arkansas.
MASSACHUSETTS.