New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-19
Close the Cap

We commend to the consideration Of oul
readers the suh1Oined article from the
Shreveport Telegram:
The amount Of railroad talk and wind
that has escaped the people of our city
within the past two years, if carefully col
lated and condensed, would about fill as
mapY volumes as is possessed by the British
Museum, or initiate and support fully as
many balloons as were used around Paris
during the late war. This railroad jargOn
has simply been terrific And yet what has
il all amounted tol We have neither built
mile Of road nor given a dollar toward the
construction of one, We are as far as ever
from having a single line contaminated; III
deed, it is questionable whether our blow
ing, unsupported by material action, has
not rather blighted the prospect. Wind,
like everything else, is very good thing
in moderation, but necessarily kept up it is
sure to pass at par value.
ShTey epoi d BY sheer accident, is the virtual
terminus OF a great trans-continental line
of road-that is, she has short line directly
connecting her with the main stem of the
Texas and Pacific. Only this, and nothing
more. She is truly upon the line OF the
Ficksbnrg, Shreveport and Texas railroad,
and within but few miles Of it's western
end. She has no feeders, no connections
NO outlet to the railroad systems of the
continent east Of the Mississippi river. We
IL.
stands, as If we were located in the heart
of desert, with the exception that we
have a short span of country Immediately
west of us which brings q sort of local
trade. In this fast era of material advance
ment the navigation afforded by an uncer-
tain river is not esteemed at ii very high
rate We do not say that it has not GER
tain value, but its worth is not sufficiently
assured to induce any great amount Of
rivalry by progressive bodies in tapping it.
Our natural advantages are good enough, |
but in themselves will never make Shreve- |
port great city; we must work and add to
Shem, or we'll get LETT.
The closing of the gap between this point |
and Monroe, and the completion Of the line |
of railroad upon which our city is located, |
is a matter fairly within reach, and of vital
interest to Shreveport. 1t would afford an
outlet for our natural products, and
means of ingress for supplies from the
West, as Il market for which our city has
justly become favorably known. Houston
and Galveston, with this short gap closed,
could no more afford to compete with
Shreveport than they could with st. Louis,
and no city west of the Mississippi could
chen touch us as a mart for these supplies
With Red river in nayigahle order and rail
road connection to the East secured, rates
OF freight to Shreveport from all important
points would be cheap. and as a conse-
patronage. In fact, such a railroad c0nnec-
tiou would entire y chal 6 the character of
our river transportation. Instead of costly
passenger steamers being employed upon
our stream, we should have boats built with
4 view to large carry ing capacity, bringing
IN and taking out treights at figures that
would be certain to attract to our city the
trade OF vast region Of country. Passen-
ger travel for the most part would 90 by
rail, but stimulus would be given TO our |
river interests in the Introduction of cheap
lines. More money would |
he made all around by this competitive .
operation, and we should all be benefited
by the transaction.
The litigation in which this road has been
so long involved is a matter to be depre.
Gated by the people Of Shreveport. II I
should have been built long ago. Had this
been the case we would have been better off {
to-day to the tune of many thousands OF in |
labitants. The road passes through a [
country the people Of which are clamorous '
or railroads. and which they are destined /
uOn to have. If our citizens would under {
AXE something feasible and practicable let |
hem 90 to work in earnest to have this liti- t
ration stopped and the line between this
Joint and Monroe at once completed. II
now it can be built in eighteen 7
lonths, and tits the shortest and best way q
1r us To reach the seaboard. 1t is time to
top blowing about half a dozen different
abroad schemes at once, while we are
ctually starving for want of one solitary '
beet upon which our united energies may
e applied. The building OF the North Lou 9
lana and Texas railroad is upon the cards Q
I'd fairly within our ability; will it be I'M :
ertaken without further ado3 {