New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-24
fHRouoH ROUTE TO CHICAGO.

connected together ana thus enabled the
passenger to ship himself or his freight
direct to Chicago or any other point, but
the traveller had to change cars take car
riages, and put himself in charge of many
different companies before he could reach
his destination in the North. Now we are
to have veritable through line that will
run direct from New Orleans to Chicago
by the shortest route, without incommod-
ing the passenger or shifting its freight.
1t is great project, and what is more to
the point, it is project destined to a
speedy completion.
The details of this enterprise are as fol-
lows The Illinois Central railroad, which
extends from Chicago to Cairo; the Missis-
sippi Central, which extends from jackson,
Tennessee, to jackson, Mississippi, and
the New Orleans and jackson road, ex-
tending from jackson, Mississippi, to New
Orleans, have formed or have almost COM
pleted negotiations to form coterminous
line from the chief city of the West to the
great metropolis of the South. Mr.. Tom
Scott who represents the Pennsylvania
railroad; Mr.. HI c.. McComb, who repre-
sents the Southern Security Company, and
Mr.. Norman Wood, who represents the
Illinois Central are to meet at New Or
leans on Thursday next, for the purpose of
completing the combination, whereupon
immediate provision will be made for
bridging the Ohio river at Cairo, and for
building railroad from jackson, Tennes-
see, direct to Cairo, Illinois, distance of
about one hundred miles. This work
being completed, the blue cars that run
from Chicago to Cairo will be put clear
through to- New Orleans, transporting
grain in bulk from the elevator
on Lake Michigan to the grain elevator on
the Mississippi river at New Orleans.
This same grain can then be put in the
cars of the Chattanooga railroad going
east, or into the cars of the Texas roads
going west, and delivered in bulk at any
point accessible by rail from the city of
New Orleans. The only labor of discharg-
ing and lading cargo will be done by ma
chinery at the elevator; and the only
trouble or expense will be cost Of per-
haps two cents per bushel in lifting the
grain from one set of cars to the other.
By this means New Orleans proposes to
become the central distributor of Western
grain throughout the South, whether by
land or by sea, for it win be as easy to
load ship for the markets in the Gulf or
Europe, as it will be to load car for the
interior.
The obstruction to this plan heretofore
was the absence of the bridge at Cairo,
and the want of direct railroad connec-
ton between Cairo and jackson. The
route in use at present for the transporta-
ton of freight and passengers between
New Orleans and the West is identical
with the one which we have described,
except in the matter of the road from
Jackson, Tennessee, to Columbus, Ken
lucky, which belongs to the Mobile road,
and is, therefore, inimical 20 New Orleans.
Besides, it is inconvenient and expensive,
shipment of freight and passen-
gers by water from Columbus to Cairo, g.
distance of twenty-five miles. The new
made by Messrs. Scott, Nc
Comb and Wood has often attempted to
obtain control of this single link that OBJ
structed their design Of connecting the
South and West by single, direct and
continuous road; but the Mobile company
would neither sell nor charter its road
from jackson to Columbus, and this has
forced our railroad men into this new
to obtain what is SO necessary
20 be had before the grain of the West can
De delivered in bulk fresh from the eleva-
ors in Chicago.
In addition to the above improvement
n our trade facilities, the city of New
Orleans has consented, or will, that the
Jackson road shall build track connect
ng with the elevator of Mr.. Highly, on
he river, and the same privilege will be
,ranted to the Chattanooga company of
INNING its road up the levee to the ele-
ator. By this connection the trains from
he East and West will meet there, coming
rom the North at common centre, and
be products of the South will be shipped
forth, while the products of the North
ill be shipped East and West with but
ingle disturbance at the central depot in |
Jew Orleans. A train loaded at Chicago |
ill make the entire distance to New Or
,ans without break or stoppage, and
ain loaded at New Orleans will make the
IN to Chicago, across the bridge at Cairo,
nd deliver its cargo safe and undisturbed
thin two days and half
This is the beginning Of business. It'll
,e mere door to that which is to follow.
s one enterprise always necessitates an
Their, just as one new piece of furniture
reates the desire for an entire set. When
le city of New Orleans becomes the grain
istributor of the South, all the depend
Mt country which must seek its food here
i'll also be put to its ambition to con-
truct new and improved means of con-
ection with the central market Rail-
dads will be built in every locality; rivers
i'll be made navigable; roads will be i'm
roved. The spirit of progress, being
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