New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-22
The keyee Freight Railroad

COrmler, jules a. Blanc, JACOB van w !cAle
and Thomas c. HerndOn. asking of the city
| the tight Of way along certain streets &c
| construct double track freight railroad
| for transporting cotton on cars drawn by
horses OF mules from the presses, shipping
| and boats, and for the carriage of such
| other goods. produce and merchandise az
! can be sdvantag geously handled and trans
! ported by such cars. The petition
was referred 10 the committee Of
! the whole for consideration. As we
understand the proposition, the gentlemen
| ask for no favors from the city, except the
right Of way and the privilege Of laying
| their track. We can see in it no monopoly
| or no job. The track should be go laid, and
| leveled with tho streets. as not to interfere
| with travel in any manner. The com.
| petition will then be simply between the
| freight railroad and the floats and drays
! now used. Il may be argued that such
| transportation will throw out of employ.
I ment . large number Of draymen. While
| it does that it will create q new industry.
! for mules and drivers. and men TO load and
COCGOA "hA UO Av4uAOV VII tAO AO "
! road. 1t is unwise TO oppose any labor.
saving plan or machinery. There was
time when country stage drivers bitterly
opposed railroads. upon the ground that
such new tangled notions of taking people
from place TO place would ruin the stage
business. When it was found that the rail.
roads would employ all men engaged in
staging, and many thousands more, and
that travel increased in proportion as prices
were reduced, and comforts en- route were
provided. opposition to such improve
ments became absurd and ceased. The
commerce of New Orleans is sapped
by the charges put on merchandise at
every turn. With the present condi-
ton of streets. and in such condition as
they are likely to remain for years,
while tax resisters exist, a drayman could
not afford to take single bale of cotton
from the lower Levee Cotton Press TO.
an English steamer at jackson street for
less than el-the regular drayage tariff is,
ten equares fifty cents, twenty-five squares
eighty cents, and so on, irrespective OF what
the load is-a cheap freight railroad could
take the bale Of cotton the longest distance
proposed, say four miles. for ten cents,
quickly and in good condition. 1t there 10
anything that will reduce the expenses of
handling merchandise in this CITY it should
be employed. to encourage business to
como here.
The petition sets forth at length some Of
the advantages hoped for in building such
. road. and We give it in full:
TO COMMENCE.
The road stretching along four and one
half miles upon the river front, will afford
quick and Uninterrupted transportation Of
brought to or to be shipped from the city.
1t will not be affected by bad weather,
the cars will carry much more than il now
carried upon floats and will travel with
greater speed. One car with a single mule
will perform the work of three or more
floats with two mules each. The obvious
effect Of the advantages just recited, will be:
To transport to vessels their cargOes in q
much shorter period Of time than is row re-
quired.
To shorten the stay Of vessels in port aud
thereby lessen their expenses.
To reduce the expense Of Transporting
cot on and eoods from tho presses and
warehouses.
To enable shippers and brokers 20 fulfil
their engagements for the delivery Of freight
to vessels without regard to vcsther or dis
tance.
To receive and haul away goods and pro-
duce as fast as landed, leaving the levees |
and wharves free and unobstructed.
To transport the cotton intended for ship
ment only as wanted, for as tho movement |
OF the cars are not subject to interruption,
there will be no need OF taking advantage |
Of fine weather or propitious moments to |
crowd freight upon the wharves and left !
there in slime and dampness to await its |
turn to be put on board.
TO SHIPPERS AND PRESS OWN.
ERS.
70 shippers the road affords reduced ex-
pense in hauling cotton, greater cleanliness
in its handling, greater protection from e1-
rOsure, and q consequent saving of loss
rom injuries by rain, mud and clumsy
TO PRESS OWNERS.
It will secure the transportation OF cotton
% and from the presses at less cost, The
racks laid in the various yards will require
ess space than is now given to wagons and
1oats, and will entire ly avoid the cutting
np of the yards by the heavy wheels Of the
vehicles now in use.
To all those interested in cotton, ETC., it
will afford the security Of responsible parties
or the care and safe delivery Of all articles
1t will dispense with numer-
'us and frequent irresponsible carriers, and
will originate and continue a uniform and
lnvarying system Of transportation under
he constant and single management of one
Ompany at uniform and low rate, and by
means Of vehicles rapidly moved and trav-
ling upon q road which can not be OBJ |
tructed by every rain, and which is kept IN |
epair without expense to the city.
ADVANTAGES TO THE CITY.
As to the levees, the existence of such | {
Dad upon the levee secures the sOlidity and
afety of the levees themselves, for as the | I
Dad will lie upon the levee itself, the least
OPPRESSION or caving will at once prevent | {
be use of the track at such points. The
,terest of the road will thus be made iden- {
cal with the security Of the levees, and
be city will thus enlist for thhe perform {
nee of most important duty the vatchful
are of large number of persons, and the e
fects of careless inspections will no longer
Q known or felt. e
Moreover, when from unforeseen circum-
ances, or such as can not be guarded e
yainst, the levee is injured, the necessity
Immediately repairing the damage will {
. met and complied with by the aid of the i
wee road, with many times the speed and Ii
fciency of the ordinary carts and wagons, I
ssides the road having always in its imme- 4
ate vicinity large quantities of ballast and 6
her materials suitable to repair the in Il
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