The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-20
FEW PRACTICAL HINTS.

FEW PRACTICAL HINTS.
That the Mobile and Texas Railroad should
be constantly encountering new and vexatious
difficulties. is not to be wondered at, con-
siderine the mistaken policy heretofore pur-
aued in the administration of its affairs.
Admitting that it is one of the best built
roads in the country, that in careful system
and in courteous officials and employees. it
leaves little or nothing to be desired. Admit
ting further-which we may readily do-that
the expenditure of money upon its construc-
ton and endowment, has been liberal enough
to warrant far better return and more kindly
appreciation than yet accorded by benefited
public, it is evidently no unfriendly DISPOSE
tion which prompts an adverse criticism OF
its policy. On the contrary, it is made with
. sincere conviction that healthy and much
needed change in this respect would rebound
quite as much to its own advantage, as it un-
doubleday would to that Of the people OF its
locality.
Our chief indictment lies simply in the ex-
ceedingly narrow-minded policy which has,
heretofore, tlsterred it from endeavoring to
people and build mp the now too sparsely set
tied country between this city and Mobile
This can only be done by discriminating in
favor of local freights and passenger travel
if necessary, to the extent Of positive loss
for the time being. Allwho are familiar with
all that section Of country lying beyond the
Rigolets knows it to be both fertile and fruit
full, only needing the advantage Of quick
and cheap market to stimulate its extensive
and profitable cultivation. This the Mobile
and Texas Railroad can afford but has not
yet furnished.
Among the productions of the section may
be classed an abundance of all kinds Of fruits
and berries, now generally let to rot upon
the ground. A surplus of milk and cream,
which instead Of being manufactured into
butter and cheese, is now generally fed to the
pigs. An unlimited supply of fish, now
used mainly for manure. An excellent quail
ity of native wine, almost equal to the win
du pays" of the Rhine Valley, as yet un-
known to city consumers. Besides this, every
description Of seasonable vegetables can be
and are grown at far less expenditure Of labor
and means than elsewhere within the same
radius of New Orleans. The climate is, more
over, exceedingly healthy and more comforta-
BILE, and the land exceedingly low in price.
With such advantages lying at the door Of
an overcrowded and comparatively idle city
only one result could ensue after all the bar
riers against profitable communication were
broken down, and these barriers can be
broken down by the Mobile and Texas Rail
road. First, by the establishment Of a regular
market train or car, which would bring those
products to market at nominal price, and
second, by the issuance of family tickets to
permanent residents and settlers at rates sufi-
ciently low to attract and encourage emigra-
ton from the two adjacent and overcrowded
cities.
Ifprecedent can teach lessons Of any value,
If the experience Of other railroads in this res
pect is worthy OF imitation, such policy
could not possibly fail of developing and
building up the prosperity Of the road much
faster and to much more enduring extent than
the present high passenger rates and almost
prohibitory freight tariffs.
Parties accustomed to travel over the road
cannot fail to have noticed that the long bag
gage cars accompanying the coast trains go
and come comparatively empty, and that, too,
through section wasting with products Of
value to the city. Nothing but the most stoid
improvidence or suicidal blindness would re.
fuse to make the one tributary to the other, and
We hope the Mobile and Texas Railroad will
pardon our presumption in recommending tc
it little more praiseworthy enterprise in
place of the apparent dog in the manger pol
icy which now seems to confound their efforts
II we may be permitted the speculative
thought, this serious error originates in the
Northern ideas and experiences of its manage
ment. In that more prosperous section Of ul
common country local freights and travel are
Is rule, generally Disseminated against, ani
the deductions made upon the through
freights and travel.
This undoubtedly is wholesome and
proper policy in all thickly settled and pro
ductive localities, which at present the Lake
shore is certainly not, but under a more ju
dicious system would speedily become
Until then would it not be wise for the rail.
road company to aid in making it SO? The
lossor expense would be very small, the pros.
pective results enormous. In the Increased
value of their own land alone they would find
ample and profitable compensation for the
insignificant concession. Convinced Of this,
the wonder naturally arises whether thei,
present savings at the spiggct are not at the
expense of very wastetul bung-hole.
We submit this conundrum to their consid
eration with all due kindness and respect, and