New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-04-08
annrHRRN pAn1r1n RAILRoAp.

| ton with the Pacific coast by way OF the
then proposed Southern route. While the
people of the South during the four unhap-
Ply years of the war were engaged IN hght-
ing, some of the superauous energy OF the
North found occupation in the work OF
pushing forward the construction OF the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads,
and the consequence is that this great en-
terprise is now rapidly approaching com
pletion. So vast are the benefits that are
certain to flow from this new channel of
Communication that New York is now agi-
tated by the ct s&ie going on between
rival organizations e. 'he control of its
business, and all AN-s - line Of the road
an ever increasing torrent Of emigration
flows westward, spreading itself out on
either side as it advances, converting the
bleak and desolate prairies Of the North
west into fertile farms, and dotting them
with smiling villages and busting cities
1t is one of he penalties that the I'M
happy South has been called to pay fer
her great crime of rebellion that she, too,
is not now reaping the benefits that would
have accrued to her by the construction OF
similar work through her borders. But
it is never too late to do well. There is
proposition now before congress, and OF
the ultimate success of which there is little
if any doubt, which will accomplish for
at least portion of the Southern states
what would have been done had not the
rebellion suspended the railroad schemes
that were on foot in 1861. The scheme
embraced in this pending proposition is
very remarkable and striking enc. Certain
railroad companies who own existing or
projected lines in Missouri, Arkansas, and
Texas which if completed and joined
together would form a continuous railroad
from Cairo to the Rio Grande propose to
con. olidate themselves in one organization,
and ask Of congress the loan of $4,000, 900,
to enable them to perfect their work.
From the terminus of their road on the
Bic Grande they are to be empowered to
connect with road that is to be con-
structed through the republic OF Mexico to
San Bias on the Pacific coast. A perfectly
straight line, drawn from San Bias to
Cairo, and continued northward with but
slight detection, will reach the great
northern lakes at or near Buffalo
and this is the final consummation
aimed at by the projectors of this
enterprise. The South, however, is
more directly interested in the route ever
which the Southern end Of the new line
will pass. Commencing at Cairo it will
pass through the southern corner OF Mis-
souri,, the centre of Arkansas, the northern
corner Of Louisiana, the entire width of
Texas, and the whole breadth of Mexico.
From Cairo to San Bias is only sixteen
hundred miles; from New York to Cairo is
but nine hundred miles. Here is Pacific |
railroad greatly shorter than the Central |
route and having advantages that the latter |
can never possess. There is Of course !
much uncertainty concerning the speedy |
completion of that portion of the line
which is to run through Mexico, but even its
ultimate construction is only question Of
time, and when the new road once reaches
the Rio Grande, it will not be long before
the stupidity of the "Greasers" will vanish !
in the light Of "Yankees enterprise. The
Mexican government has been asked for
authority to construct two roads having |
relation to this project. One is a road |
from the Rio Grande to San Bias, the other |
from the Rio Grande to the capital of Mex
leo; and the northern terminus of both |
Of these roads is to be the point on the Rio |
Grande at which the road from Cairo |
reaches that stream. The present distracted |
state of Mexico and the foolish jealousy Of |
foreign enterprise that still beclouds the
mind Of her people will for while EN-
barrass and retard the execution of these
but there will come day
when these obstacles will no longer be
suffered 10 stand il Tie way. FFhhs |
hills of Mexico, filled with mineral
wealth; her salleys, blessed with fer
tile and inexhaustible soil--nesd only to
be opened to the tide Of immigration by
these roads to attract q population that
will make Of her another California, and
it her for her inevitable absorption into
shia republic. But even greater are the
advantages that will be reaped by our
own citizens through the construction Of
thisroad. The magnificent cotton, corn,
and grazing lands Of Arkansas, Louisiana,
and Texas, which can not now End pur-
chassrs at three dollars per acre, will then
leap up in value with a rapidly that will
beWilder their now impoverished proprie-
tors. The grazing lands Of these states,
on which cattle are fatted all the year
round without the cost Of dollar, will
hen be within five days Of New York, and
siIl De IS valuable as are the farms Of n
Inois.
The aid asked Of congress for the ae-
Of this work is comparative
) small. The general government has
.lpsn to the Union and Central Pacific
railroads sec, 00O,O 900; bat for she eomgle-
llon d iAia southern route the sum Of but
) AZ o00 900 Is asked, and this, also, in the
shape q : lean. y be paid in dfty years.
sincs the close Of the war, The
South has received no favors from Che