New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-27

Acting upon the plan Of recalling to mind old
existing Institutions as well as Of recording tile
birth of new ones, we shall detan our readers
with Lsie! account Of the Mexican Gulf railroad.
We shall leave, for a moment, the busier part of
town, and go, out of our way, to the street known
as Elysian Fields. The sight of the depot, diiapi-
dated and discolored by time, will be fitting in
PRODUCTION 10 the subject
About thirty years ago a company was organ
lied to connect this city with some point upon
tie gulf which should admit of the approach of
rstclass vessels close to the Shore and should at
the same time avoid the tedious voyage up the
river. Malheurense Point, near Cat Island, in St.
Bernard parish, (the portion of Louisiana nearest
to the Mississippi coast,) was found to answer
these conditions Lineof battle ships could
anchor close to the shore, and the distance from
this city was only thirty miles. Travelling as fast
as is done on many of the Northern roads, the
distance could be made in less than an hour; and
the distance to Mobile could be shortened
by six hours. The locality was a delightful
one for bathing and as q summer resort; it
was within twenty miles of Pass Christian
and other watering Places and with railroad
from Pascagoula to Mobile the time between the
latter city and this would have been reduced to
five or six hours.
These were the cons deratons that led TO the
building Of the road twenty-three miles to Proc
soryie, and are as cogent now as then. A short
line since steamship company, in view of its
4 manifest advantages, offered to buy the road at
100000, although its intrinsic value is not worth
alf the sum- But the price said to be demanded
Jas $3.50 600, and the road, so far as the city i:
Dncerned still remains virtually useless.
M sAfter building some eighteen miles of it, the
Sad was sold to pay its debts, but it did ult
lately reach Proctorville, about the time of the
sexcan war, and had the effect of making that
sace beautiful village. A great many famiie:
lsorted there during the summer, and the road
Enough not in thickly-setted country, pait
nj Eidends from the freight sent to and from tht
lighboring plantations, together with the fish
Ssters, game ETC., shipped to this city. But Col
iexander Gordon, who had been the soul of th
Nerprise, died, Proctorve was almost blow
Fay by storm in 1860, and railroad and villag
ave both almost disappeared from the public no
Z be. Trains, or perhaps one train, still passe
Yer the road, but the running off of the cars AM
81 hgine is a matter of frequent occurrence, an,
aveling is so dangerous that no prudent inst
ance company would insure against the risks t
passengers life.
The point that we wish to be kept in the mind
81 our readers is that this railroad might be mad
@ almost incalculabe advantage to the CITY, an
lat as it keeps others from building, and is to
angerous to be useful, the contract which its con
any made with the State is failure. If the pa
who owns this railroad and possesses the e,
usive right Of way will neither build nor sci
me legal step should be adopted to make IL
Tner fulfil this duty to the public or dispose
tito company that has the means.