The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-19
THE RAILWAY WHICH WE NEED.


The time has been when the question of
making railway between two named points
concerned chiefly two classes, engineers and
capitalists.
To build the road requiring money in
large sums, it was for moneyed men to say
whether, all things considered, it was profit
able use for money to put it into railway.
This was study which involved the ques-
ton of the right of way, the cost of construc-
ton, the time required for completion, the
chance of rival roads or Of rival means OF
travel and transportation. the growing or de-
creasing importance of the cities and coun-
try from, to. through or near which the road
was to run, the probable number of passen-
gers, the prospective freight, the means by
which the same might be increased, the
chances of buying available property along
the line of the road, with the view of in
creasing its value and gaining by such in
be idle until the road should begin to earn
something, the value of the stock of the rail
way company as collateral for getting back in
the form of loans what had been invested in
the enterprise, the prospect Of State aid etc.
1t was for practical engineers to solve the
practical questions, which they could always
do within few hundred dollars on the cost
of each mile of road. They readily discov-
cred, by cheap and rapid preliminary sur
vey, what was the best or shortest route,
70 ha do ubar no
bed was to be filled up, where bridges were
to be made, where forests were to be cleared,
where protective entertainments were to be
made, the nature and location of available
stone, timber and iron, and all that con-
cerned the actual cost of preparing the road
for business.
Other classes were interested only in a
secondary manner. The contractor came
into the problem after the main questions
were solved. The lawyer and the law-maker
were scarcely thought Of, except to examine
titles or to arrange for the right of way.
We want a railway to point in Texas that
will connect our lines of trade, travel and
transportation with those beyond the Sabine
and the Trinity. We want road that will
enable the merchant from the Valley of the
Brazos to leave home on Monday morning,
spend Tuesday in making purchases in New
Orleans, return on Wednesday and have his
goods open and ready for his patrons in
twenty four hours afterwards. We want q
Texas as effectually part of the Valley of
the Mississippi as if no more than hundred
miles from the Atchafalaya. We want road
that will bring nearer to us the future mil
lions who are to settle and get rich in Texas
We want road that will reach out towards
the Mines the mountains and the valleys of
Northern Mexico, and finally reach the Pa
cifc, to form link in the commercial con-
nection OF the New World with the Old. All
the millions who dwell upon the southern
half of the North American Continent will be
directly and Immediately benefited by such
road.
1t would seem that capitalists ought not to
be afraid of an enterprise like this. It would
seem that no obstacle should for a moment
be considered, except such as may be sug-
gested by the practical engineer. No Legis-
lature, however mercenary or prejudiced or
corrupt or ignorant. ought to stand or can
stand in the way of such an undertaking.
Those who have the money to spare to build
the road may feel absolutely sure that at no
distant day an honest Legislature will second
their exertions. Meantime let them go
straight forward. Make satisfactory arrange
ments if possible, with present hold ers of
franchises, or else purchase a roadway and
build road.
The subject is of such vast importance-it
is SO weighted with the future prosperity of
New Orleans-every man and every mans
success in this city is so inextricably bound
up in it, that it almost seems that it would be
a wise thing for US to abandon the considera-
ton of every other commercial subject until
this momentous question is settled definitely
and the road made certainty.
The meeting of the Chamber of Commerce |
tonight, when the subject of railroad is to |
be fully discussed, should be largely attended |
by our business men.