New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-27
Prou, St. Louis to the Sea,

Fron, St. Louis to the Sea.
From the st. Louis Democrat
Great enterprises move slowly. Some
times centuries eIapse before proposed
undertakings though admitted to be de-
manded by every consideration OF CONNER
cial and financial economy, are successfully
established The SueZ canal is case IN
point. Centuries ago controlling minds
pointed out the vast uses such canal
woulC be to commerce and civilization, but
its accomplishment was left to the men of
the nineteenth century. The proposed in
lard water route from the Mississippi river
to the Atlantic seems to be rather OF glgan-
tic PROPORTIONS at first glance, and to give
but moor promise of early realiZatiOn; but
when deeper and more comprehensive
view Of the enterprise is taken, many OF the
conceived difficulties vanish, and the stu
pendousness Of the job SO materially lessons
as to win the admission from all practical
men that there is no reason whatever why
the work may not be begun at once and I'm
izhpd inside Of five years, except the want
Of the necessary means to accomplish 1t.
During the past two years the Democrat
has contained quite number OF articles
from various sources urging this proposed
enterprise into notice. Once completed,
the boats and barges OF st. Louis could
proceed direct to the Bay Of st. Marys with
az much. security es they now do TO the
wharf Of New Orleans. This enterprise IS
one eminently calculated to expand and
strengthen the commerce of st. Louis, and
should receive the prominent attention from
our merchants and business men usually
accorded to enterprises involving results so
desirable. Colonel ?. Raiford, OF St. Marys,
Georgia, has long been a jealous promoter
Of the claims of this admirable thorough
fare. He addresses a letter to the Demo
crat, which, though not written for publica-
ton. contains matter important enough to
be knoRR We therefore take the liberty
of printing it;
ST.. NARY's, Ga, October Is, 1872.
To the Biitor of the Democrat
am frequently asked why our principal
Southern cities do not encourage, by some
active means, the proposed inland water
route from the Mississippi to the Atlantic.
On the gulf line of the proposed work, the
three cities, Galveston, New Orleans and
Mobile are the entrepots of the commerce
coming into the gulf by way Of the Florida
passage and are the exporting points for
the trade which comes to them from the in
terror by the rivers and by rail.
There chief cities of the gulf not only do
not favor the plan, but are absolutely and
openly opposed to it !; they see and say that
if such work is accomplished large por
ton OF the trade now, necessarily, eX-
changed or shipped from their wharVes
would be carried from interior shipping
points directly through to the Atlantic, and
pass them as way stations on the road that
there would be no necessity for even halt,
and therefore the effects of the work would
be to transfer the trade they now have to
interior cities. While this argument is for
them, plausible one against the work, it
is also very strong one in favor of its &C.
c0mplishment for the much larger interests
of interior towns and producing sections
which, in the end, must control In this i'm
pOrtant measure.
On the Atlantic side, within the line of
land-locked navigation behind the ''sea
islands, there is but one important city
Savannah-and here too there is for the
old fogies, scarecroW of no small dimen-
siOns This city is ON the bank OF the Sa-
yannah river, some fifteen miles above the
mouth and is inaccessible for vessels draw
ing over seventeen feet Of water, while be-
tween il and the point where the new out
let would reach the waters Of the Atlantic,
there lies the much better harbors of Fer
nandina Brunswick and Darien, the first
named with nineteen and the other two with
over twenty feet of water in their channels,
and with an abundance of sea-roOm. While
again, on the other side of the Savannah
river, and quite as near the city, by the
route that must be travelled, lies the mag
nificent harbor of Port Royal, with twenty
tIgDI l6GJ Oh WdIGIf dutl duGuWIdSS IOI any
number of vessels that could in any event
be required: so that the idea with
many Of the Savannah people is, that
should the trade Of the West be
brought to Che Atlantic by this, inland,
gulf shore route, the tendency will be to
build UP rival cities at the better hSr-
bors and thereby draw off the trade now
coming to their city. While regard these
objections, under q broader view, as en-
80 %r1s II
cumstances, all the cities have named
would be greatly more benefited than in
jured by the work, they nevertheless ab
this time do control the action Of major
ity Of their people in opposition to the plan.
This local Enfriendliness, however, San not
prevail against the superior interior interest
throughout the twenty States and Terri
tories thst must look to the success Of this
outlet f0I their full and profitable aeyel0p
ment These sea island harbors, which can
be SO easily reached by the largest river
steamers. will. with proper understanding
of the subject. become to be regarded as
the water front Of the Mississippi valley,
and be ut iized, for commercial purposes, as
the common property OF the whole country.
1t il tht way station" ghost that has
put Mobile to work anew for the Through
ship canal, but which, for reasons I may,
in future letter, explain to you, is bound
to die out, and give place TO the better and
more valuable and inland route. Is it not
very strange that with the brains and en-
ergy belonging to your city, this oppor-
tunity of making st Louis the inland com
mercial centre of this great country, of
drawing To il the trade of all the tributaries
Of the Mississippi, and making it also the
terminus Of ali railroad traffic coming from
the West, by means of the cheaper trans
portation " hich can be made to begin there,
has not beFn grasped by your people, and
its tulfllmcnt made the objective idea with
every man who owns a dollars worth of
property within its limits
Desiring that you may be as successful in
your efforts in behalf of this great enter
prise as you were in building up the barge
system on the Western rivers, remain,
very respectfully and truly yours,
?. II. RAIFORD.