New-York tribune., 1868-09-07
THE MISSISSIPPI AND MEXICAN GULF
SHIP CAN1L

%,
tcrseced the whole Northern part of the great valley
with railroads From the source of the Allegheny in
Western New-York to the source Of the Missouri,
near South Pass is about 30 miles-as far from
London to the Caucasus Yet one can now make
this entire distance by rail- with scarcely change
of cars
II is cheaper to hoatthe products of the West down
stream to market than il is to transport them up
hill by rail. By virtue of this simple proposition,
Orleans claims the commerce of the Mississippi
Valley, and especially the grain trade Her peerless
situation, at the portals of the Gulf of Mexico, and
near the lower end of that great liquid and moving
highway" which affords nearly 5000 miles of inland
navigation has determined her destiny. The inn
proyement of the navigation of the Upper Mississippi
and the Ohio: the completion of a direct railroad
line TO NewYork by the building of the New-Or-
leans, Mobile, and Chattanooga road; the extension
of the Opclousas Railroad to Texas and ultimately
TO the Pacific lonly 1850 miles from New-Oreans):
the establishment of steamship lines with several
European ports. and the revision of our commercial
treaties with neghboring powers bordering on the
Gulf of Mexico, all of which projects are either
in process of execution or will be undertaken in the
immediate future, will contribute to make New
Orleans the New-YOrk Of the South and secure to
her soon a million of inhabitants.
A single tug-bOat safely take down the Misss-
sippi four barges loaded with 100000 bushels of
wheat 1t would require COO cars and at least so loco
motives to transport the same quantity of grain by
rail. Wheat can be brought from ST. Louis to New
York via New Orleans at a saving of II days IN time
and cents freight per bushel any other route
The saving from st. Louis to Liverpool via New-Or-
leans would be 20 days in time and 26 cents
freight per bushe These facts are conclusive as to
the certainty of New-Oreans soon becoming one of
the largest grain markets in the country.
But New Orleans cannot depend upon the Father
of Waters alone. 1t is 100 miles from the city to
Southwest Pass. To tow 1000 tun ship up and
down costs $500, exclusive of potage and possible
detention at the bar The tunnage plotage. and port
charges for ship of that size amount to near $4,000
This is an enormous tax upon commerce. Next to
Calcutta and London, New Orleans is the most ex-
pensiye seaport in the world if not in fact the most
expensive Ship agents say that, when they can find
other place for vessels, they send them to New
Orleans
Orleans is the natural market for Mississippi.
Nc" Southwestern Georgia and Western
A,'o",''' ,rSo poor, Scagoua. A mama Tombig
hoo Chattabooche. and F1inr Rivers. afford some
g Ooo miles of navigable water They drain region
larger than New-England and Ne~ .YorI, aud in:
habited by 100000 people ney all empty in or neSf
the Mississippi SOuD" Lake Borgne, thewestem pro-
longaon OF Mississippi Sound with - feet of water,
approach les within five miles, and by means OF deep
bSyTu within two and half miles of the Mississippi
at a point 100 miles above the Southwest Pass ana
only ten miles below Newt Orleans. Cut this narrow
sthmus and all these rivers become virtually trbu-
tares to the Mississippi About 5000 miles of inland
navigation would thereby be added to the 10000
now belonging to the great river.
New-Orleans has received during the last year
10000 bales of cotton from Alabama Several lines
nd an INN Of
are now engaged in this coast and river trade. But
large as il is il would be immensely increased could
these same vessels come directly into the Mississippi
and load and unload their cargoes on the leyee Now
they have TO discharge at the lake end of the Pont-
chartran Railroad only six miles in length, or come
up to the rear of the city in one of the two shallow
and narrow canals. Their cargOes have then 10 be
duyed across the city, The frequent handling the
dravage the freight on the short railroad and the
heavy tolls upon the canals amount almost to pro-
hbition especially in the case of heavy and bulky
products Every pound of freight shipped from
New-York to Alabama, Mississippi, and the Gulf
port, east of the Mississippi. via NewOrleans, has
nov TO be subjected to this enormous expense.
The West supplies the Gulf States largely with
provisions furniture, machinery. etc. She demands
direct water communication with Florida Georgia,
Alabama, and Mississppi-a region larger than
Hance larger than Great Britain and Ireland. The
merchants and shippers claim that, if steamboats,
could load at ST. Louis and Cincinnati directly for
Mobile. for Montgomery, and for Columbus, Miss,
their trade with the Gulf States would immensely
increase As 1t has become apparent that St Louis
and Newt Orleans will soon become great grain mark
cts and immense elevators have been built for the
storage and transfer of grain in bulk the West also
demands the shortest, quickest safest and cheapest
communication withahe deep water of the Gulf Of
Mexico. The West is powerful in numbers. in wealth.
and in her almost superhuman energy. What she so
imperiously demands, she is very likely to obtain
To meet these obvious wants of the great West and
in fact of every other part of the world doing bus
ness with the Mississippi Valley through New
Orleans the Mississippi and Mexican Gulf Ship Canal
Company have undertaken to open a ship canal be-
tween the Mississippi and Lake BOrgne, to leave the
river at the head of English Turn, 10 miles below
New Orleans They own the State charter granted
for that purpose. The work will cost but 100000.
The Company propose to have the canal ready for
Use bv Sept l. 1863 lock $50 feet long and 50 feet
wide to guard against the annual rise and fall of u
feet in the river viii enable the largest class of
steamboats, to pass from the Mississippi directly into
Lake BOrgne and the Mississippi Sound
This canal will save the enormous cost of transfer
at New-Oheansl IN drayage, railroad freightand canal
fees 1t will also shorten the distance to Mobile and
all other Gulf ports east of Orleans from ~ to Is
miles 1t will furnish l2 feet depth of water against
corr in Lake Pontchartran. 1t will enable vessels
10 avoid the treacherous and dangerous navigation
of that shallow body of water. 1t viii enable steam
boats to load anywhere on the Upper Mississippi for
the Gulf States east of NewOrleans and also shorten
the distance to the deep water of the Gulf of Mexico
at least 60 miles.
Ner Orleans s the proper pace for transfer Of car