New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-12
ingenuity to evade it. We hope another
decade will see still further progress
made
RAILROADS WILL BUILD STEAMSHIPS

railroad companies between New Or.
leans and New York could, by the exer.
else of their united credit and congress
ional influence, put on line of postal
and travel steamers between New Orleans
and Vera Cruz, to be worked on joint &C.
| count and with division of the expense
according to any rule the companies may
| agree upon. Letters have been received
from two Of the principal presidents Of
these companies, each controlling sections
Of road more than four hundred miles in
length. These gentlemen, without quail
ication, indorse the plan as eminently
practical, and promise their cooperation
to give it effect stating Herewith
the obvious pecuniary difficulties of
the period. 1t is probable conference
will be held on the subject, when the i'm
mense addition to the common business
to result from the combination proposed
will, no doubt, assure its deliberate and
definite consideration.
We promised to communicate the re-
ception Of this plan, and to sketch a
scheme for putting on lines Of steamers
between New Orleans, Aspinwall and Rio,
by the same railroad agency. We now
proceed to do SO, remarking that approx
mate accuracy in the cost and distances
is alone necessary to explain the project,
the application of minute detail being at
this time unnecessary.
There are two systems of transportation
indispensable to the interior. There is
the commerce with Europe which is lati-
tudinal. There is the commerce with the
foreign countries on this continent which
is longitudinal. These sytems have their
diagonals, binding together the sectional
interests and Intercourse of the Union.
New Orleans is the chief deep water port
on the Gulf. It combines rail with river
transportation, and so constitutes the
best port for connecting and conducting
this continental or longitudinal trade.
We by no means except other Gulf ports
from performing share Of this COM
mon commerce. The Gulf like the
Atlantic ports will each have its
longitudinal lines by land and water,
just as the three great cities of New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore, separated by
a distance of less than two hundred miles,
yet without obstruction from a common
rivalry they maintain an immense trade,
and support more than two millions Of
people. 1t may be the same with the
Gulf ports. We will say here that the de-
velopment Of this continental commerce
is destined to be more valuable that is, to
make larger prolific the manufacturer
and farmer Of the interior cities than that
Of Europe itself. This is a bold but it is
a deliberate opinion, and can be main
tanned with argument and evidence too
to be adduced here.
But New Orleans is now a port which |
in the season Of navigation commands |
twenty thousand miles of navigable |
waters, draining an immense longitudinal |
area from north to south. By the railroad |
system it connects also the longitudinal !
trade Of the Gulf with that OF the North
ern States. This railroad system is as fol-
ows: From New Orleans to St. Louis 700 |
niles, to Chicago 900, to Detroit 1920, to |
Cincinnati $780, to Louisville 72O.
In this statement we have expressly alb
stained from minute accuracy because |
here are competing lines OF travel be- |
:ween New Orleans and these cities, and |
We do not mean to adopt any one as
against others. Of these lines there is a
common trunk to Cairo of $40 miles
Though the connection between New Or
cans and most Of the cities named is |
made below Cairo, it will answer our pur-
bose to assume the common trunk at the |
ength stated. Taking, then, the separate
ines from their respective positions with
he common trunk, We have an aggregate
longitudinal rail converging at this city
md connecting it with the cities stated as
ollows: Common trunk to Cairo, $40
niles; aggregate of road connecting the
titles stated with this trunk, 1475 miles.
Here, then, there is more than two
thousand miles Of. railroad, connecting
titles with an aggregate population of
more than million and half, with
ruff port capable of conducting all the
continental trade of these cities ouer
heir 0o7a roads and riuers. We will esti-
nate the investment in these roads at
'25, GOO per mile, or s50,O00,0O We
make now no estimate of the indutrial
interests involved in this continental
rade. Our object is to show that the
Whole line of rail, as stated, is interested
n combining to establish steam lines
o all the principal ports on this con-
inent, or its islands south Of the United
states.
We assume that these railroad compa-
lies know the positive and prospective
alue of this trade. 1t is.plain that their
redit is adequate to the work Of putting
N the steam lines if they choose to do SO.
'or all the diplomatic or treaty policy re-
Iuired to obviate commercial distractions
With the continental States, and for the
government aid by way of pos
al subventions, these two thousand miles
# road represent more than one hundred
members Of Congress, and certainly one
bird of the States in the Senate In
lrawing the distinction between the Eu-