New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-14
TIE FREIGHT Fight.

/! While OF, political press is managing
the affairs Q: Boston. the REPUBLICAN
looks steadily at the business sfairs of the
; State and city. IN this advocacy i: has
an immense weight TO carry and strong
current to corntefact. We are not only
| denied She aid, for we must encounter the
opposition Of those whose duty it is to
help home interests.
In nothing is .hiswan: Of knowledge
and public prejudice more obvious than
in the TACT tina: New Orleans is entirely
ignored in the great freight fsh: now
waging between the farmers and carriers
in the one case and the Eastern cities com.
petipg for this commerce in the other:
It would be sufficient. perhaps. Ia de.
| mand evidence that the railroads have
been even threatened with our river COM
petition by any authorized declaration
of the farmers, but we will give positive
assurances Of Indifference alike to our aid
or our competition. The New York Her.
aid claims to have taken the sentiment on
the grain trade of leading men among
two thousand merchants who form the
New York produce associations. From
this repor: we shall make some extracts,
with appropriate comments. A foreign
shipper had looked upon the grain freight
question. and in a geographical view only:
IN that view he considered mainly the
three water routes-by the lakes, the Cana
dian canals and the st. Lawrence, by the
New York canals and by the Mississippi.
Fog transportationsof grain. certainly the
climatic conditions are against New ORE
leans. and Canada has advantages over
New Y ork in cost by reason of the possibility
TO carry large cargoes without change from
the upper lakes into the st. Lawrence to the
side of the Atlantic ship, or even, if preferred
to continue the voyage to Liverpool in the
same ship which clears from Chicago.
0oCertainly.' he says, "the climatic
conditions are against New Orleans.
This witness gives preference to water
carriage over rail, and regards the Canada
line as having advantages over New York.
a large meeting of merchants had been
held. "to discuss the needs of New York
for improved and cheaper freight COM
munication with the great producing sec
tons Of the Union A very 'heavy
dealer in grain and cotton" was of opin-
ion that double freight tracks should be
laid TO strike the interior, from the lakes
to the Gulf Of Mexico. He thought
Canada has the advantage over us in that
by the Welland Canal vessels can carry
grain directly without breaking bulk from
the wharves of Chicago or Milwaukee to
the st. Lawrence, and make the transfer
Immediately into ships for the European
market, avoiding all cost Of intermediate |
handling
He stated that one thousand leading |
mercantile firms would hold council 'to |
open the eyes Q. New Workers to the con-
ditions upon which this city holds her
position"
The statement of large grain dealer,
perfectly familiar with prices and stocks
from California to the Black sea, deserves
much attention. He preferred the Erie
canal, enlarged, to the railroads, giving
which apply to all water routes.
A boat load of eight thousand bushels
has arrived; in an hour it can be dis
charged ready for shipment to Liverpool.