New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-28
PUBLIC SPIRIT.

There are many examples in this coun.
try that prove the value Of public spiritir
aiding the rapid growth Of cities and
the march Of public Improvements. II
advocating the construction of railroads
connecting New Orleans with all impor-
tant business points, and particularly
with Mobile, Houston and Shreveport,
the REPUBLICAN, shortly after the present
State administration came into power,
published a number of editorial articles
showing what public spirit was doing for
New York, Chicago, st. Louis Cincinnati,
San Francisco, etc. We endeavored then
to change the prevailing temper of our
property holders and business men, who
had relapsed into the dreamy existence Of
the settlers who controlled the destinies Of
the CITY when it was transferred from
French to American rule, by showing the
the effects Of fogyism in those days. The
blind selfshness and non-progressives spirit
| of the property holders and business men Of
those days were not encouraging to the
Americans whose energy and enterprise
had led them to come here and take part
in the building up Of first class city in
the rich valley OF the Mississippi. The
conduct Of the old settlers compelled the
new ones to cross Canal street, and the
public spirit and energy Of such men as
James Fl. Caldwell and Samuel J. Peters
soon made what was designated the Ameri-
can portion Of New Orleans its business
centre. This section Of the city continued
to grow under the fostering care Of Ameri-
can enterprise, until it became superior in
every respect to that portion which origin
ally constituted the city. Under the lead
of the public spirited men named, streets
were paved the city gas works and water
works constructed, the magnificent City
Hall, in front Of Lafayette square, built,
and there was no faltering in the work Of
progress until our property holders and |
business men, since the war, relapsed into
the fogyism of former days, and inter
posed their objections to the march
Of improvement. The grandest adjunct
IF this march is now conceded to be rail-
roads. With the aid Of railroads the
growth of cities has been accelerated to
wonderful extent. In 1848 there was no
'ailroad leading to or from Chicago, and
hat city was comparatively an insignif-
amt place. Now it has more than twenty
and by their aid has become. one
# the greatest business centres Of the
ountry, and has rapidly grown to be one
f the largest, most beautiful, and most
ourishing cities in the American Union.
he value of real estate has gone up like
lagic, and lots that but few years ago 1
ould be bought for a song are now worth
of dollars. As an illustration s
this fact we can mention that lot now I
cated in one Of the best business loca-
ons Of that city was offered for sale S
efore the construction of railroads .
and from the city ?or wagon 1
Id span of horses valued az '
70 hundred dollars. This same ios, we q
e told, is now valued at two hundred t
ID fifty thousand dollars. Last year one G
ird Of Chicago was burned down, and t
,ssibly more than hundred thousand Of r
T population were rendered houseless. Y
1t such is the force of public spirit in Il
at city that Chicago, Ph@niz-like. is b
ing rapidly from her ashes more beau O
III than ever. Her property holders and b
siness men know no such word as fail. II
thing can daunt them. They have over. is
ne one Of the severest calanlities that h,
S ever 0vertahen city in ancient or II
'dern times; and, a few days ago. her &c
siness men met and determined to ez. n
i'd million Of dollars in the erection .,
an opera house. The building is ,r,
be the finest Of the kind on ~
; American continent. The bust ~
$ men Of Chicago can 30 this, fl
do it promptly for the purpose of cis
the fine arts, while the prop. As
2 holders and business 2nep Of New fe1
cans make tedious and ruinoug DELAYS jet
ut raising million Of dollays to Sc ba
2 speedy railroad connection with
as. It is nothing but the lack Of pub.
spirit in the men who are the most
rested in hey welfare that is keeping hel
Z Orleans in the background while yu!
r cities are stretching forth their ener. up
and making mighty efforts 70 divert VIII
| her the rapidly increasing and prof. to
lie $rade of Northern Louisiana and me
rs. Were the property holders and son
ness men of New Orleans imbued out
the same spirit of enterprise that say
acterizes the men Of Chicago, it would sen
AXE day 70 raise million Of dollars eye
cure the speedy building OF the rail. give
from this city 70 Houston. Nor the
q they rest @ontented until they had. dea.
heir aid if necessary. rendered the otht
iy construction Of the road from We're Dist
'nville to Shreveport certain in a
''"--' the
SOME OF THE fRUTB ABOUTff. mod
ew samples of Mr.. Greeiev's e7ttar, 4or,,,