New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-12
THE TWO GREAT ESSENTIALS.

1t is now generally conceded that the
growth and prosperity of New Orleans in
the future are, in large degree, depend.
ent on the completion Of railroad con.
Meeting it with Houston-the railroad
centre of Texas, and the opening OF an
outlet to the Mississippi of sufficient capa-
city to permit vessels of the largest size
to pass in and out without detention, and
with as little cost as possible. These are
the two great essentials. the very i'm
portant works that must be completed be-
fore New Orleans can hope to fully enter
upon the grand march to that CONNER
cial greatness which, from position, she
is ultimately destined to reach.
Why, then, it is asked, do our citizens
continue to waste their energies in politi-
cal squabbles, that benefit only the few
who obtain Office, when united and Wig
orous movement looking to the speedy
construction of the Fort st. Philip canal
and the New Orleans and Texas railroad
would confer on them benefits of much
more extended and enduring nature. Our
business men and property-holders have
been eyewitnesses for years to the manner
in which the commerce of this city has
been crippled for want Of a sufficient
depth of water at the mouth Of a river,
Of magnificent proportions in all other
respects, that passes through the valley
Of the Mississippi and connects the chief
city Of the South with many of the most
productive and fourishing States of the
Union: river that is we'll calculated to
furnish the cheapest and best transporta-
ton the year round to the vast bulk of pro-
ducts, domestic and foreign, that are pass
ing from and to this country in search of
a market. 1t is estimated that grain can.
be ''carried so low from New Orleans to
Liverpool as to save to the farmers of the
valley at least twenty-five cents per bushel'
Of the cost which is now incurred by ship
ping by rail to the lakes by way of Chi
cago. Besides. it is asserted the, lake
route is not only dear one. but is closed
five months in the year. This delay
would not be experienced in shipping
from the West by way of the river to New
Orleans, Or from that place to the interior.
The only serious difficulty to the COM
plete usefulness Of the Mississippi lies at
its mouth. Nature has given this grand
old river and its many tributaries for
the use of man, and requires
but little Of his art to render it the most
useful highway known to the worlds COM
merce. Let our people remember this in
with the advice given them by
Senator Carpenter when here; which was
to drop politics for awhile and give their
to business of far more import
ance. And when he said this he must
have had in view the completion of the
two great projects referred to in this ar
ticle; for his broad views and practical |
ideas of the trade that is bound to centre
here from all parts of the world must
have deeply impressed him W it'll their i'm
portance as means of speedily adding
20 the business of New Orleans.
Scientific men connected with the gov
at Washington favor the con-
;truction Of the Fort st. Philip canal,
leeming it the most feasible and economi-
al plan, in the end, Of securing a perma-
lent and efficient Quite: to the Mississippi.
Reports favorable to the project have been
made at various times; but favorable re-