New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-06
THE COTTON EXCHANGE.
Reception of Colonel Thomas A. Scot
The Railroad Hence 20 Shreveport.

on Colonel Scott Wednesday night anC
gained his acquieseence to a reception a
the Cotton Exchange, where ne was to lay
down his views regarding railroad hence
to Shreveport. Colonel Scott consented
and yesterday the reception of the railroad
king took place, while the Exchange rooms
were crowded with all the cotton and many
Of the leading merchants beside.
Colonel Scott being introduced by Mr.
Summers, president, as the greatest repre-
sentative living of the railroad interest,
while Colonels Forney and Dodge, with
whom the great railroad man was accom-
panied, remained near by.
COLONEL sCoTT's REMARKS.
Colonel Scott, bowing to the great au-
dience, politely but curtly delivered himself
of the following remarks or the railroad in
terests as affecting New Orleans.
am here to-day, gentlemen, by invita-
tiOn of your committee, not to make a
speech, but to have little friendly talk on
railrOads-railr0ads that relate Immediately
to the interest Of this city and to the State
of Louisiana. For the last two or three
weeks, accompanied by committee of the
road, consisting of Colonel FOrney Mr..
Walters, General Dodge, and others, have
been making tour through northwestern
Texas, which is the location of the line in-
tended to be built through Texas, near the
thirty second parallel, and so on to the Pa
cific coast. Having made this visit to Texas
for the first time in my life, never having
been in that region of the world before l
will state very briefly the impression made
upon my mind in relation to that country,
its productions and its peculiar adaptability
for extensive railroad facilities. We have
all been very much surprised at finding a
country capable of producing all of the
great staples to degree of perfection that
is remarkable. We found there, within a
circuit of very few miles, as good wheat,
as good corn, as good tobacco as good oats,
and as much to the acre as l have ever seen
stand on the ground in any part of the
wOrld-and | have no doubt the State of
Texas can produce and will produce more
of those great staples than are being pro-
duced to-day in all the balance the United
States. [Cheers.l
Our object in going to this section was to
look over the line of the Texas Pacific rail
road, and to make arrangements for its
construction, with you, perhaps. find we
can readily obtain all we need. A reason
ably strong population in parts, active
people, plenty of timber and water, and
good natural location for the road, and with
all these facilities / will say that work is to
be commenced and within the next two
weeks from this time contractors will be
placed along line due west, with view to
extend the road directly through to San
Diego and to the Pacific, and l think NAV
say. to the people of New Orleans, that
within the next six years l hope to be
able to go through to San Diego on a train
of cars. [Cheers.
The Texas Pacific railroad starts from
Shreveport on the one point, and Texar- |
cana on the other, and these two lines run |
nearly in westerly direction, and will |
come together at a point west of Dallas |
tOrty miles, known as Fort North We |
started at Shreveport, one end of the South |
ern Pacific road, and went to the end of the |
road, Travelled thence by private convey
ance over two hundred miles of that conn
try, every acre of which can be made to
produce, as | have told you, and can be
made the greatest section of this great
country. We want, in connection with this
enterprise as it prUgresses-fOr | consider
the construction of the Texas Pacific road
a fixed fact-we want outlets from it
at this end, We swant outlets from
New Orleans, from Vicksburg. from
st. Louis, and from any other point that
will build a railroad to Shreveport or
any point that will intersect with us. 1t
strikes me that your people are particularly
in the construction of a road
that will connect with that great work as it
progresses, and think that | may say that
n two years we will have two cOnverging
'Oads built, embracing 500 miles of road
'unning in Texas. As we bring that from
Red river, we want reliable connection
with the city of New Orleans by rail l
hink it is the duty of the people of New Or
cans to take up that subject in very great
earnest now. do not think it can be COM
nenced day too soon, and if your people
will take up the matter and build up rail
Dad from here to Baton Rouge, or any other
inc you may select to connect with us at
Shreveport, you undoubtedly will control a
'ery large portion of the business we can |
make and control upon that line 1t is not
necessary for me to dilate about what that
oad will do when it is finished: l believe
hat is we'll understood by every person in
he South. 1t has been discussed for twenty
id years, and should be familiar to every
lan connected with commerce. But when
is finished 1t will open up the adjacent
tates of Mexico, TeXas-the richest part
t Texas-New Mexico and Arizona, clear
trough to California. 1t does seem to
le that your people ought to take hold
Ow of the work necessary to be done be-
ween Shreveport and this city. After leav-
lg the line of the Texas Pacific road, we
LOustcn, Austin and Galveston, and thence |
e cameto this great city of yours. And q
all that country there is now developing .
trade which, if you can bring it to your
you can do it easily by construct j
e two lines of railroad, one from New Or \
ans to Houston, and one from New Or
ans to Galveston-wOuld be worth more
you than all the other trafc which comes T
New Orleans. e
Now want to iDoprass 71nou vo,y &c
rongly as | can, to-day, the necessity of =
ling those two things for the commercial \
,neft of New Orleans, ] want particu-
rly to see you build the railroad from O
re to Shreveport, or to aid any organiza- a
IN that may be formed to do it. I don't ;.
ant you to do it through me particularly, ~
It | do want to see you take hold of some p
ganization that is among you here and h
ke up the subject of building 300 miles of
ad that ought to be built for S30. 900 a
le or less, requiring a capital Of only OF
{, 100000, and that will put you in com. n
with Texas, and clear through y
the Pacific Ocean.
As far as the Texas Pacific road is con- NJ
-ned, the question has been asked me IT
enty times since have been in the South n
TO whether the Texas Pacific road would u
t connect with Eastern lines in a way u
1t would turn this trade from the city of T.,
w Orleans. To that l had but one reply q,
make and make it here, that it is no way =
lnected with any interest of any kind n
atever. 1t stands there perfectly indie m
ldent corporation. If the people Of New Fl
leans will make a connection with it r
y shall have as good a chance for its 81
de as any people on earth. 81
Therefore, should like to see your peo-
discuss among you some plan to be
opted by which you can bring about this
erprise. My statements in relation to nj
lrnada ara alvvava to tba uofnT and I fnT "a