New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-09-04

ulFCGL travel ana ITtlSlLt between the ana
east, by these routes, cannot have been less than
fifty millions of dollars. Most Of this is taken
from the Mississippi.
Nor will these lines give up this vast trade with
out struggle. The competitors Liverpool,
Havre, Bergen and Bremen. They are New York
Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Each of these
great cities IS contendmg with its great RIVALS,
Each has its line of communication built with its
capital, worked for its advantage. Each is claim.
ing the most direct line between production and
consumption, and commerce is adopting the most
eligible. But the competition amongst all these
lines, and between all these great cities, will be
concentrated against the Mississippi river and her
great cities yet we may hope to see this
COMPETITION CoUNTERAcTED.
Your memorialists will state candidly the only
means by which, in their opinion, this great object
can be effected. st. Louis has done her part to-
wards it--New Orleans must emulate her example
There are, undoubtedly, some commercial usages
existing at this port in regard to receiving, selling
and forwarding products that do not exist upon
the competing routes of which we have spoken. |
Some of these usages are local, and difficult to OBJ
yate; others were proper and profitable when
the Mississippi had but one mouth-the Balize@
but are now, perhaps, disadvantage, when the
ing into every bay from the Chesapeake to the
Gulf Of st. Lawrence. Some of these obstacles
we will mention:
/. The necessity of strict quarantine against
vessels coming from infected ports.
2. The alleged climatic injury to pershabe
products.
3. Towage and pilotage to and from the mouth
of the river.
4. Certain wharf, leyee and warehouse regua-
TONS which discourage immediate transhipment
| 5. The necessity and delay of moving by hand
or horse power all the commerce intended for
6. TRe want want of connection between the river
and rail; between the various railroads entering
the city, and between the lake canals and the city.
The want of steam for transhipping by elevators
and otherwise.
These obstacles can, in part, be easily obviated;
but it may not be amiss to give few examples of
| the dispropOrtionate. charges which impede this
river and coastWise commerce, and operate III
| favor Of rival routes.
The river freight on a shipment of bone by
barge, from Iowa to Boston, was 1858 cost of
| transhipmdN at New Orleans $50 freight coast
wise, $40. 1t will be thus seen that the cost of
moving this freight from barge to ship was nearly
one-tenth of the whole cost Of transporting it
more than four thousand miles by water. In like
manner, the freight on steam engine from Gin
cinnati, consigned to point on the Jackson rail
road, was to New Orleans, $40 and to the Jack
son depot so, or half as much for moving freight
two miles by wagon as for transporting it 1900
miles by water The Times stated recently that
the cest of moving freight across the city was
equal to the cost of transportation on the Point
chartrain railroad to the lake 1t may not be
amiss to remark that in the efforts making to
open a direct rail trade between Cincinnati and
| Louisville, with Montgomery, Mobile and Pensa-
cola, the want Of close connection atNew Orleans
between the lake canals aud the leyee, either by
|
of a most important commerce.
Indeed, we have occasionally found the differ
ence Of freight and charges between St. Louis
and New York by way Of Chicago, Or New OF,
leans just about equal to the cost of transit and
transhipment at this port.
Your memoriasts do not propose to specify
the reduction in detail nor do they propose more
than ask your attention to the subject. They
think that these rates of factorage and transit
might be modified with the same advantage here
as at St. Louis aud elsewhere, and respectfully
commend deliberate consideration OF the sub
ject.
But passing from the trade between the internal
| West and the Atlantic and European cities, your
memorialists would respectfully refer TO a com
merce of great value which is undoubtedly within
the control of st. Louis and New Orleans, is the
GULF AND SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.
Much of this trade between the Upper 81issis
sippi and Mexico, the islands, Central and South
| America, is now conducted by the cross routes to
| New York, and thence shipped to Havana, Vera
| Cruz or Rio Janero. Cannot this vast and i'm
| pOrtaut commerce be put in direct transit, by the
BaliZe? Cannot the flour and pork of ST. Louis :
the manufactures Of that city and Cincinnati: their
iron work; their steam engines; their agricultural
acknowledgements all these values be sentby way
of this port and cannot the Northwest secure its
| coffee and sugar, its furniture, woods and dye
stus, its precious metals and its fruits, di-
rect from the South Seas, without the intervention
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad or the Atlantic
and Great Western?
|. Your memoralists think this might be done: /.
By aVlilng ourselves of the rights granted by the
/ last revenue law of Congress. 2. By such treaty
stipulations as might reciprocay relieve shippers
and consignees Of the prepayment and delay OF
port and revenue charges 3. By through bills of
fading from st. Louis, Cincinnati or New Orleans
coastWise and to foreign ports.
Your memOrahsts hereby PROMISE on their
part to make schedules and connections with
ocean steamers running in the European coast
and South Sea trade. They will prorate fret ght
with them upon the most Just and favorable
terms, and will exhibit proof to any parties au
thorized to inquire, that they can bring q barrel
of flour from st. Louis to New Orleans at less
, than one-third of the price at which it is now car.
ried by rail from St. Louis to New York.
The alteration Of the commercial usages re
ferred to is left to the wisdom of your honorable
body 1t is only suggested that you review and
compare them with similar commercial services
elsewhere. Ascertain the reforms which st. Louis
has effected in this respect and then determine
for yourselves aud the city whetherWe shall galr
by any modification. Will New Orleans thereby
increase in population, commerce and wealth
= Will she profit by change OF system which vii
. enable her to dispatch more business in giyel
time? Will she arrest trade hemorrhage which
now weakens and may destroy her? Will tht
health of her people be improved by diminishing
> aheir labor and exposure under the sun and rain
i of the levee?
4 Upon these great questions it is your exclusive
q province to decide. Your memorlallsts only ole
Is the evidence and the agency of the Mississippi
. Transportation Company to aid in the object o
=. common solictude. They wish to stop the com
merClal CreVaSSe now escaping lrOu Tue MISSES
sippi across the continent, and bring it back agai
Il to its legitimate channel and its natural port
% they offer their aid in opening the commerce be
~ tween the great Northwest and the South Seas
q thus enabling New Orleans to negotiate its value
~ and it expenditure in greatp part among he
~ merchants.
I To effect these objects, they ask at the hands {
IT, the honorable authorities at New Orleans certai
> facilities for conducting the barge and towag
:, trade, which may be granted without detriment I
~ any shipping or other interest. 1t will be Of
u served that the accommodation sought is not fl
t. themselves alone. 1t is for the barge and towae
y, business at large For themselves they fear
y rival and ask no monopoly. If they succeed
NC bringing back the river trade there will be MOI
az work than any company can do if they shall
~ disappointed, they will involve no others.
- They respectfully represent that the barl
W W towage business requires: |. Ample space #
m discharging cargoes Immediately upon their a
p rival and likewise for loading those which are
y be towed out. 2. Shelter and space for INN
u date transhipment upon other vessels. 8. Z
~ emption of steamtugs bringing no freight fro
IN wharfage, with such general facilities and redu
~, ton of local charges as may enable the barges
~ compete with railroad and canal opposition ont
''0 cross routes. 4. Wharves, in position central
commerce and favorable for the shelter and tran