New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-06
THR srEAMER CITY oP MEXICO.


she came. as the ships Of Tarshish were.
She brought passengers speaking tongue
foreign to on. own. and commodities
common to the tropics. but exotic in our
empire from sea to sea.
She came the harbinger Of a commerce
to be opened between New Orleans and
ten millions OF people who produce COM
modities exchangeatle 70! the surplus Q!
our farms and factories.
She was sent here by Northern men.
president Of profits Of which cur pollti'
clans were unconscious or 20 which they
were Indifferent. Yet We will say Of this
arrival that il bodies more prosperity to
New Orleans than any mere change OF
city administration from the hands OF one
set Of Democratic Administrators TO an.
ether. OK in fact than the success or defeat
of any politica! party whatever. The City
Of Mexico is the pioneer ship Of q service
destined, If sustained, to work al entire
renovation in the trade and travel inter
between the cities Of the
valley, the lakes, and even Of the Eastern
States. and the tropical ports.
/. The whole valley Of the Mississippi
has now rail and river connection with
New Orleans. Yet the travel and trade Of
this valley destined for ports of Spanish
America now c.oss by Eastern rail to
Eastern ports, and PASS around almost
our wao:c Atlantic and Gull coast. They
traverse almos. se...i-circle to avoid
using the;. own rail and boats. Let Us
see how st. Louis and Chicago conduct
this trade. We measure by degrees OF
latitude and steamer distances: Chicago
70 Vera Cruz via New York, 5000 miles;
same via New Orleans, 1900 miles; St.
Louis to Vera Cruz via New York. 334O
miles; same via New Orleans. 1880 miles.
Is it not plain that both these cities would
find their advantage in employing the
Illinois Central and the Iron Mountain
railroads, with their Southern extensions,
or the boats and barges Of the Mississippi,
rather than to send this trade and travel
East on rival roads?
Even with respect 70 the Eastern cities
the connection with Vera Cruz by rail to
New Orleans is ce,:air'y better by way Of
New Orleans than coastwise, around by
Key West and Havana. This through
service is now double daily. The trains
arrive and depart so as to give always
direct communication. The, coast stear,-
ers are at best semi-w,ekly. Passengers
or merchandise which arrive from Vera
Cruz at New Orleans can no: await the
departure Of coast steamers. They should
be placed Immediately on rail and carried
through to New York in less time than by
transshipment or coast steamers. The
time between Vera Cruz and New York
by way Of Havana being now from eleven
to twelve days, it is obvious that all pas
sengers and fast fre;ghts mus: come BY
way Of New Orleans, whether consigned
to Eastern OF Western cities. The same
reasoning will apply to the connection
between the cities referred to and ..spin-
wall, in Central America. The saving OF
cost in the postal service would be very
great. The government now pays large
sums Oh contracts from New York TO Vera
Cruz and Aspinwar. 1t has already q
double daily postal service from New York
to New Orleans On time Of less thar
seventy hours. BY adopting New Orleans
as postal centre for tie receipt and dis
| patch Of the Spanish-American mails thu
time and cost Of that service could b.
greatly expedited and reduced.
There are other feeders to the Yer;
Cruz service. The European goods ane
passengers intended for Mexico and nov
imported into New York. because tina
city alone has direct communication will
Mexico, will be received and dispatches
from New Orleans. These transit good
alone are annually worth s15,0o0.0C0
Blu. it is the specie and traye! between
Vera Cruz and Europe which will fin
the great advantage of our inboard route
If the steamers run direct between Yer
Cruz and New Orleans, the time woul
not exceed three and half days. Tn
rail and steamer time via New York /
Liverpool added would make saving {
nine days time and interest on shipmen
to Liverpool, with q reduction Ct insul
ance. When this shall be applied to th
whole specie and passenger movemei
between Mexico and England, it may /
readily commended by our inboard raj
roads and the Liverpool ocean steamer
from New York. To effect this. Loweve
it may become necessary for the line I
steamers to dispense with touching {
Tuxpan and Tampico. 1t may Gisloca
their whole programme By this ireyi:ab
delay.
2. How can the merchants Of New O
leans. st. Louis and Chicago co-opera
in this enterprise:
First-By developing the trace Of IL
port with Mexico.
Secondly correspondence with ii
merchants Of Mexico and the a.ir;ste
and consuls Of the United States, on Il
obstacles. diplomatic and commerce.
which obstruc. that trade. There shou
be review Of all municipal and COL
mercial relations. and the trade CT Il
two countries should be put on soEe:Li,