New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-30
POSTAL STEAM SERVICE.

POSTAL STEAM SERVICE.
IN departing from this city 60 Texas,
one passes under triumphal structure
| inscribed "Morgan's Louisiana and Texas
railroad" It is monument 20 the sa-
| gacious maxim that man should attend
to his own business. The great work thus
indicated was the first undertaken by New
| Orleans. Strangers can have little idea of
| the opposition to road over bottomless
boys. TO compete with river, lake and
bayou navigation. The city was first
taught the fatal facility OF public credit,
the nation conceded its swamp in free
gift, and the eighty miles of rail was laid
to Brlshear City. The subsequent history
of this and other of our joint stock roads is
known. They were sold out by the polite
ians Of the city and State, and the proceeds
applied to current expenses. The sacri-
| fee was enormous, and the control Of the
highways thus disposed Of passed into the
hands of purchasers, one Of whom, like
| Trajan. commemorated his victory over
| the improvident authorities in the manner
stated.
Fools and spendthrifts and their
money are soon pared is one proverb.
Fools build houses and wise men live in
| them" is another We have no comment,
and certainly 10 contradiction 10 offer to
either. But the cool and sagacious capt.
| talist, TO whose triumphant inscription We
refer. has gone on to achieve good deal
more than the purchase of these works for
$50 many ducats." He has built work.
shops and wharves at the terminal sta
tons. branch roads TO develop the lateral
territory, has renewed the rail, changed
! the gauge, and done other iudicious acts.
which would never have entered into the
imagination Of the political administra-
tors who won its offices upon an election
and managed it into liquidation. The
most important Of these works in its con-
sequences is thus described in the indus
trial department Of the P;cay1as:
WORKING on THE ATCHAFALAYA CItANSEI
day and night in deepening the Atchafalaya
channel, between Brashcar City and the
Gulf, Mr.. Morgan has five steamers, three
dredgeb0ats and ten scOws constantly en-
pioyed. The day gang and the night gang
consist of over 100 men. The work is pushed
to the utmost capacity Of the men. Of the
dredgeboats and the scOWs. The monthly
pay roll here amounts to about $4,000
The boats, dredges and scows COS! about
$3.50, coo.
DREDGING AfCHAfALATA DAs.
Mr.. Morgan has three dredge boats deep
ening the channel at Atchafalaya Bay. I he
dredg eboats have worked through two
reefs of 300 and 200 feet, where there was
no water before, and where now there is
sixteen feet of water. The abrasive force
of the water has aided the dreds cling opera
tons.
In the last two years he has ,.reigei. by
working day and night, ten miles OF chan
mel in this bay IN deepening the channe!
three miles further he Will reach the deep
water OF the Gulf. The natural depth of
wafer in the channel was about 81. and
half feet. IT has been deepened to ter feet.
1t is the intention o! Mr.. Morgan 70 make
twelve feet of water al: the way from
Rrashear City TO the Gulf.
The new channel saves nine MILES Of lis
.auce It will take one year 20 complete
Morgan nearly d million OF dollars up to
January /. To deepen the channel 20
twelve fest It vii! tou btless cost twice tina.
amount.
This is an individual ENTERPRISE OF vast
Importance TO this State and to Texas, but
one which the State could never have been
induced to touch. Mr. Morgan asked no
State aid il thi. heroic struggle with the
distractions TO commerce. His plans are
always deeply la,', and victory With Aim is
but question OF time.
We have attributed this judie;ous ex-
penditure 10 the same heroic regard to
individual interest which induced the pur-
chase of the railroad. Perhaps it might
not be esteemed a compliment if the work
should be attributed to any such fancy
sentiment as the benefit OF States or
cities. We rejoice, however. that this is
being done which the State would never
touch Since there is {. great public use
for it, which its great constructor 1--WE
hope the mischievous type may not make
it CONSTRUCTOR has not perceived. We sin
cerely hope the work may be also applied
to the purpose we shall indicate.
It is to be observed that there has been
a channel dredged on: 0: ten and sixteen
feet az different points between Brashear
City and the Gulf OF Mexico. The depth
a: frs! was SIX and hal: feet. and il is
intended 70 make i: twelve feet through.
gu. its whole depth.
The only regular steam postal service
between the United States and Mexico at
presen: Is. strange % say, :.on New York
70 Vera Cruz. The distance is about $500
mile. by sea. The time is tsn days. 1t
is supported by the postage or by sub
vention to the carriers. The danger de.
lay and COS: of Insurance is obvious.
Those citizens Of the valley Of the M.s,is-
sippi who have any business with Mexico
mus: add the time and cost 81 q Journey
to New io:i. 20 tia: o: the sea voyage
stated.
Now. tie government: already pays
for III. transportation by rail from New
York to New Orleans. The slime is
seventy-.wo hours. i the mail FOR Mexico
We're transferred to the Louisiana and
Texas railroad. an, carried TO Brashear
City in four hours. il would then have q !
steam voyage Of $50 miles. a: about two |
days and {. ha!r Here. then. would be mail |
time o: s!x days and !oGf hours. against |
zen days: mail pay by which the govern 4,
men: would scorom.1e nearly half ihe !