New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-01
summon the attendance of reporters at all

summon the attendance of reporters at all
| casualties which could be made known by
the police. One reporter has, however,
tackled a subject which is rather more
| than he can wag under, nor can We see
that those to whom he has resorted for in
formation are entirely competent to aid
| him. A reporter Of the Tines takes up
the question Of shelteriug the wharves
| His proposition that these shelters shall
be as free as the wharves is perfectly
right. The testimony Of Mr.. Sinnott as
to the practica. injury to goods exposed
and the expense of protecting them IS
very valuable. Messrs. Moultor and
Ludwigsen explai: the damage to goods
imported. foreign and coastwise. None
OF these gentlemen, however. expound the
real reasons why the wharves should be
all protected by sheds.
New Orleans once imported coastwise
and foreign perhaps one-tourth of all
foreign goods, and all the goods imported.
foreign or coastwise, into the valley of the
Mississippi. Now she imports about the
same foreign values as formerly, but not
exceeding FIVE per cent Of the whole for
eign imports, being as twenty millions to
more than five hundred millions. The
chief cause of the loss is the superior
speed Of communication between the Eu-
ari-ok, ooI hn .pta P,,&
there is a subordinate reason Of great in
portance. Foreign goods landed here in
transi. for the West incur an amount Of
exposure, delay and expense which is not
imposed elsewhere. Before any railroads,
our draymen and corsignee might revel in
the costs and delays Of commerce. Now
any such impeachment to transit is a
premium to any rival route. The
amended law of goods imported il bond
does away with any delay between ship
and steamboat or railroad, but cargo Of
transit goods dumped out from steam
ship must be on the wharf or be d-ayed
to shelter. This involves mixture, break
age and other damage, which Western i'm
porters will not stand. So they import
by way of the Eastern cities, which pro-
tect their goods better. The same reason
ing will apply to the superior facilities
provided for immigrants. Baltimore
boasts tina. there is only forty feet Of open
space between ships side and freight Car.
New Orleans has no alternative. She
must protect transit goods or lose tie
transit trade. The mode in which this |
should be done is, to our mind, perfectly
clear. The wharves should be sheltered |
at the cost Of the city. They should be |
left precisely as free to public Use as a:
present. If the foundation can bear
such a structure and its contents. the
second story should constitute warehouses
for the storage of transit goods. The
rents Of these stores should belong to the
city. There could be hatchways and sta
tionary engines. There should be tracks
and archways 70. the passage Of freight
cars. while drays, carts and carriages
should come and so precisely as at pres.
ent Those who wish to examine this
subject should look at the transfer and
shelter systems Of Liverpool. London.
Bremen and Baltimore. TIE same should
be adopted here. but there should b no
Job or private franchise connected with it.
There is believed to be plan for city
wharf and warehouse in the archives Of
the Department Of Interna! improvements,
# Administrator Lewis should have tie
to look it up. !