New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-25

geDcies of high or low water.
lhe speaker read q telegram from the
Memphis convention, to the effect that that
body favored a subsidy to the Texas and
Pacihc railroad west now with branches
from Shreveport to New Orleans, Vicksburg
and Memphis. He also read letter from
Colonel Tom Scott to the same effect. He
then discussed the wants of each of these
connections to such length that we regret
We are unable at this late hour to give a
verbatim report of his remarks He said he
favored them ALL as did Colonel Scott, but
in case VT could not get them all, there were
preferences for each linAaoc ocding to the
standpoint from which eBey were viewed.
He thought that the track TO New Or
leans, the great port, of the Mississippi
valley, which furnished more exports
than any other city on the continent.
was one that most naturally suggested it.
self as the proper extension for grand
Southern road iom the Pacific. This, too.
would certainly benefit greater portion of
our State than any other. If for no other
reason, We should favor it as q Louisiana
measure. The extension to Vicksburg only
ninety miles of which remains unconstruct-
ed, should certainly claim our attention,
running, as it does, through portion OF the
State that has been much neglected, and
ending at deep water on the Mississippi
river. The route to Memphis, via Little
Rock, is feasible, and would be of vast bene-
| tit, atiOrding an outlet northward and east
ward to the Atlantic ports.
The speaker expressed fear that a want
of harmony on the part of the advocates of
the different routes would defeat any ap-
preparation whatever. He thought there
would be wisdom enough in Congress to
guard against this. There was danger that
compromise might be effected, by omit
| ting the branches and agreeing on a subsidy
| for the western extension from Dallas only.
bic ohD l,N
| Southern mem bens. The South is entitled
| to railroad, but railroad from Dallas to
| the Pacific could not be called Southern
| road, seeing how easy it would be for
Northern capitalists to tend it north ward,
| while the South is unable to build an exten.
sion without government aid. But, said the
speaker, while claiming Southern road we
are actuated by no sectional feeling. Not
| witbstanding all the corruption and fraud
| that were said to surround the construction
| of the Union Pacific road, he would not
have it uhbuilt today. 1t is fast develop
| ing splendid section of our common coun-
| try which is entitled to consideration trom
the government. 1t has moreover shown
| what can be done in the way of gigantic
national highways, and has given an im.
petus TO such works throughout the coun-
try. He hoped to see not only our road o,
| the thirty second parallel, but ON the thirty
sixth also, and would not begrudge seeing,
in time, the completion of the North Pacific,
whose commencement, amid semi-Arctic
regions, is now held to be quite absurd
| After few general remarks on this sub
| iect, Judge Seay concluded about halt. past
| three O'Clock, and was followed by Senator
| j. K. West, who spoke in substance, as fol
| lows:
The Senator began by returning thanks
| for the courtesies that he had received
| here. He eaid that he had not come here
wi ha lnfa tinn nf hi h,
| that he came to be instructed in regard to
| the wants and interests of Shreveport and
| OF North Louisiana. He had listened to the
| speech of Judge Seay with pleasure and
profit He had made it a study, and could
| say that there could be no national road
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, without
| taking Shreveport in on the route. The
Senator's manner was pleasing, and his
style OF delivery Impressive. He spoke of
| the difficulties in the way of obtainiD .
| national legislation in favor of granting
aid to Southern road; that the North was
80 much more populous and that the pow
erful corporations of the North, interested
in the Northern and Union Pacific roads,
could not be defeated save by concert OF
action on the rart of Southern Representa-
| tives in Congress. He said that it was ha2-
| PLY his privilege, as chairman of the Senate
| Committee On Railroads, to see that no bill,
| appropriation or scheme for the purpose of
| connecting the two great oceans by rail- on
Southern route, could pass if it left the
city of Shreveport in the lurch. There was
| no chance to leave out our city or to ignore
New Orleans, the great Southern seaport
| and harbor of the commerce OF the world.
| He agreed with the talented gentleman who
had preceded him, in this, that Shreveport
did not want Tom Scott or any other rail.
road man, but q railroad to give them an
outlet to the great commercial cities of the
| country.
Senator West then drew a comparison be-.
| tween the cost of building railroad on the
line OF the thirty second degree OF latitude,
| and the expense that attended the building
| of the Union and Northern Pacific roads,
| and demonstrated very clearly that the
cost would not be one-tenth as much, and
that in this genial climate, where SHOWS
and ice never interfere with the running of
trains, and where the country was almost a
| plane the cost would be infinitely less. He
| spoke OF the advantages of intercourse with
| ST. Louis, New Orleans and other great
| cities, and animadyerted in no mild terms
upon the monopoly that the Northern Pa
| citic had enjoyed for so long time. 1t was
| but justice to the South, and to Louisiana
especially, that the aid of the governr'ent
should be extended to a Southern road, and
that the most practical men of the age had
designated the thirty second parallel as the
possessOr of advantages over all Others
was mmense-ayeraglng probably $4,000
a mile-while the Southern road could be
built for SO much less that to refer to it was
enough to show that our section had not
been dealt by justly.
We regret that we can only give par
tial and, mayhap, an imperfect report of
Senator Vests speech, which was concluded
Just before our going to press (4:l5 2. NJ. J,
but We can say that no man was ever listen
ed to with more respectful attention than
he was. His manner was mOst dignified
he was q man OF intellect and profound
thought, and that his whole soul and ener-
gies had been, and will be, devoted toward
the advancement of the State OF Louisiana
and her people. The impression he made
upon his audience was most favorable, and
while praise from us would, perhaps, not be
appreciated, we consider his speech this af-
ternOOn the most effective that was ever
made in this city on the subject of railroads,
and calculated to do us more good. He
talked like man of sense, cool judgment
and statesmanship. We have never before
heard q speech in our city that was SO ami
versally approved by the hearers, and Sena-
tor West has certainly made many strong
and enduring friends by his visit here,
whose best wishes will always attend him.
They will look to him when Congress assem-
bles in December next as the cb bampion OF
his State and section, and one upon whom
they can always rely as faithful, honorable
and talented public servant.
prevented us giving full report of Senator
Vests speech, but We did the best we could
under the circumstances.
Hart's Great sale.
No..ns Mon%oo,norr ,,r&;n,o %o a. xha