New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-17
southern Railroad Connections with st.
Louis.
We copy this from the St. Louis Rep4b-


Louis.
We copy this from the St. Louis Repa45
iicdn for the information of our readers:
At this time. when the Iron Mountain
railroad is being rapidly pushed forward
toward Arkansas, it is well for us to care
fully watch all plans for new roads through
Arkansas and Louisiana. A proper regard
for the future interests Of our city demands
that we should foster in every way that lies in
our power, all projected roads that connect
with the Iron Mountain road. The immense
extent Of country West and South, which
the extension of that road will omen I'D for
our merchants, is well known to be exceed
ingly rich and fertile and much tie largest
portion of it is without any rail communica-
ton with the West and North The advan-
tages which we gain by close and direct
route to New Mexico and the adjoining ter
ritOry, together with the connection it offers
yith the Southern road TO the Pacific can
not be over estimated. Equally great are
the benefits which will be derived from the
trade that will flow to us from Arkansas,
Northern Louisiana and Eastern and North
ern Texas.
No argument is needed to show the lucra-
tive character of this trade, rs the business
done in the past year by the line packets
running from here up the Red river has
given ample evidence that there is money
grown up through the medium of this
packet line, we presume it will not be denied
that very large amount of business now
goes to New Orleans which would come to
his city if we had direct rail communication
with that section OF country. 1t has given
Us much pleasure, in this connection, to no.
tce several Of the Southern journals ad-
vOcating railroad from Pine Bluff ON the
Arkansas river, to Alexandria on the Red
river. Pine Bluff is but a short distance
from Little Rock, and the Iron Mountain
would have easy means of connection with
the proposed road.
The distance from Pine Bluff to Alexandria
$ about 200 miles, and from Little Rock to
Alexandria would be by this route about
go miles. Little Rock, by the line of the
Iron Mountain road, which is now rapidly
building in that direction, is BAL mites from
st. Louis, SO that by a line of about $40
miles length we would have road through
Missouri and Arkansas to the very heart of
Louisiana. Moreover, there is a road pro-
jected and already chartered, running from
New Orleans to Shreveport and passing
through Alexandria, From Alexandria to
New Orleans is about ITO miles. This gives
q line from St. Louis to New Orleans OF
something like $50 miles 1t would be well
for our railroad capitalists to look into this |
project, for it certainly offers advantages |
which would be OF incalculable benefit to |
st. Louis. |
Besides this route there is the other line |
projected by Memphis and st. Louis CAPT
talists, with theTonte of which our readers |
are familiar. We refer to the proposed ex |
tension of the Iron Mountain from Belmont |
Town the bank of the Mississippi, the en-
Dankment required serving the double pur
nose of q road-bcd for the railroad and
oyee for the river. Thousands of acres OF
wamps void thus be reclaimed, and the
and become as fertile and productive as
NV in the South. By these projects we
you'd be furnished with two routes to New
orleans on the ut side Of the Mississippi!
liver, one starting from each Of the terlnini
f the Iron Mountain road; one penetrating
Il the rich river counties OF Arkansas ahG
louisiana and the other striking through
he hear, 81 those States would bring the
rade of the central and western counties.