New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-29
THEFREICHT BLOCKADE.
e. easoas for the Present Want of TFans
pOPtatiOns


4 Nashville paper says: I'VE have been
at some pains to obtain as much infOrma.
ton as possible relative to the cause OF the
freight blockade on the Louisville and
Nashville and Great Southern road, and as
to the reasons why local freights are not re-
moved as fast as they accumulate. We are
told by the officers of the road that on the
opening of the Nashville and Decatur and
South and North Divisions, six hundred
freight care and forty new locomotives
were thought to be sufficient for their sue
CesBfuI operation. 1t has been found, how
ever that this addition Of rolling stock has
proved Inadequate to the general demand
of the immense business of the road, and
that a further increase of rolling stock ls
absolutely necessary. Another, and very
serious, trouble with which the road has
had to contend IS the retention Of it's cars
on roads south of Montgomery.
Ii is well known that since the gar the
roads Ia the States south of Tennessee have
had an insuficie Mt supply Of rolling stocks
even for their local business, ard have been
dependent upon the Louisville and Nash
vile and Great Southern and the Nashville
and Chattanooga roads for complement
of rolling stock, which is often retained
South for the transportation of local
freights, which are far more profitable than
through business
On tho opening Of the South and Forth
Division, the Louisville and Nashville and
Great Southern road was compelled to sup
ply great deficiency in rolling stock on
connecting roads, which took possession OF
two hundred new cars at once and retained
them, despite the efforts of officials to have
them returned. 1t is estimated that the
road row has from eight hundred to thou
sand cars south of Montgomery, and from
four hundred to five hundred cars south of
the bridge, near Grenada, on the Mis-
sissiUpi Central road, which was recently
burned
No depot buildings have yet been built
on the South and North division, and
freight in many instances has to be retained
in the cars until hauled away by the con-
signees or else put out under the care Of
watchmen. The epizoOtic having prevailed
extensively in the South. cOnsignees have
not and could not be prompt in the removal
of their freighte. and they we're allowed to
remain in cars as the only recourse the
company had to prevent damage BY eG-
pOsure.
The officers assert that they are now
using every possible exertiOn to lift the
blockade and to remove the freights that
have been accumulated at nearly, if not
quita all of the local stations. To this end
they nave determined to stop the shipment
Of pig iron until all the local treights shall
have been entirely removed. Should this
DC zone, tncy VIII very greatly ESiISNe snip
pers along the southern divisions of the
road from Improbable embarrassments,
and besides, make more money in proper
ton than they will on through freights.
The rush Of freights upon the railroads
Centering here is unprecedented for the sea-
son. All of the roads are pushed to the ut
most extent Of their transportation power
and it is difficult to prevent an accumula-
ton of freights at the depots. For several
days the cold weather and the uncertainty
about prompt shipments have had serious
effect upon the cotton market, and yester-
day the transactions were very small.
The railroads are doing their level best
and in a short time will get rid Of the pres
sure upon them, unless the winter trade
continues to grow as rapidly as it has done
In that case more rolling stock must be
brought into use and we must begin TO con-
template seriously the necessity Of addi
tional railroad outlets.
From 300 to 400 bales Of cotton are
shipped daily, but 1000 have accumulated
in the depots besides a very large amount
OF other freights. Had it not been for the
accidental breakage of important machine
~ connected with the cotton com
press last week, all the cotton would have
been shipped as rapidly as it accumulated.
Over one-third more of the rolling stock Fs
now required in moving impressed cotton,
in consequence of its bulkiness, than would
otherwise have been necessary. The com
press will not be required before January |,
until which time We fear the cotton block
ade will continue.