New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-09
Road TO TEXAS-CAN THE COUNTRY
HELP THE CITY,

| ueSAIcU 1tAhS COuucCtIOA'
Here is prospect for the reconstru'
nt ii on of a hundred miles of rail which ha
been once in operation, but which faile
a because New Orleans did not make til
connection which would alone have rer
dered it profitable Has New Orleans tn
means to effect this connection at present
The Times estimates the sum of 50, 200, 900
a with q complete set of "New Orlean
men, as officers. 1t heads the subscrip
r ton list with the nomination of presi
dent, but does not grapple resolutely will
the financial question. This contribution
to the great work is emphaticaily charac
teristic of our city. We verify believe
that if it were left to us to fill all the of.
fees necessary to administer the federal
government, and also to apply every dol
lar essential to the banking and insurance
systems of the United States, there would
not be vacancy in one single Office at
the expiration of week from the day
that this great duty devolved upon us.
But while we stand ready to furnish
employees to administer any amount of
foreign funds, we have found ouI selves in
railroad matters, confronted by set Of
people as astute as ourselves. Gentlemen
arrive at our hotels fresh from the
syndicates of Europe. To them money is
no object; animated by spirit of enter
prise wholly irrepressible, these philan-
thropists only ask at first the franchises
of taxing the consumption Of our people
or Of constructing our much needed rail-
roads The result of this disinterested
enterprise is visible in too many ways to
require further impression upon the pub
lie mind.
There is a power, however, which has
not been appealed to in this important
work. The planters along the line are
almost as much interested as ourselves
Throughout the whole interior the rivers
are low in the summer, and the roads
very bad in the winter. From this results
great injury to the planter. He can not
send his produce to market in quantity,
even if the force of his own pressing ne
cessities should require it. The rates of
freight and prices of merchandise are
higher than they would be with an open
rail all the year round. 1t will also add
to the value of their lands.
With these demonstrated interests, why |
not appeal to the planters to aid in the |
construction of the road?
1t will be said at once they have no
money. This is very true: but if New
Orleans gives her money to this purpose
what will be done with it? Expend it
Immediately in labor and material But
the planters have already this labor and
these materials. Why not then induce
them to apply these clements OF railroad
construction directly to the purpose for
which they are needed?
We shall be told that the planters have
no supply labor so applicable. The crops
of Louisiana and Texas are cultivated
with labor purchased in two ways: l.
By hiring and subsisting the laborer. 2.
BY paying the laborer with a share of his
own production. Wherever, then, the
planter has laid in his labor by the first
mode it will be comparatively easy to
apply a portion of it to work his road to
market, and thus add to the value of his
crop and his land. In the second case,
we admit, he will have to make new
term in his contract and revenue, as in
the old custom of corree, some days work
IN the highway Or pay out-and-out for the
work done. No doubt the interest of the
planter will cause him to make every
,fort possible to secure this road to mar
let
How can the railroad companies aid
md induce the planter to engage in this
york?
In the first place the earthwork on this
Dad to Houston is very light. We doubt
whether there would be a grade of tep
Get to the mile along its whole length.
will be surface road principally.
his physical advantage will avoid the t
eayy cuts, sills and entertainments which e
lsewhere require so much labor There l
) little heavy timber to be cut down or c
ug up, and no rock work to be blasted 7
long the whole line. What is the earth
'ork required? Ditching grubbing, rails ?
lg the road bed, and delivering the cross Il
es wherever there is timber or navigable a
alter along the line. There are certain |.
orks which will require good deal of q
me, and the expenditure Of money. L
hese works are the bridges over the La
reams, and the entertainments across the A
oproaches to these bridges, and across II
nds subject to overflow We may assume ST
lat these heavy works will not be ready 81
II the rail within year and q half from &c
lie commencement of the road
The sections of this road having been az
aked off by the engineers, the planters ST
ong or adjacent to the line should be Ii
to take the contract for the d'
nth work through or near their lands. I'll
he inducement to apply or even to pur- OF
lase labor for this purpose, will be, we ar
sumo, sufficient. The planter will have til
year and half, within which time he D
II avail himself Of all the seasons in nc
hich labor can be spared from his crop. LEI
g can do some of the work in the inter Ii
i between laying by cotton and begin eli
ng to pick, There will be periods OF Al
in or of drouth, and if bis crop be short M