New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-30
OUR RAILROAD, AND now TO BULB n.

| AAuAAn scem ALI eAIutal AL eAcAi purpose "
pushing this road to speedy connection
with Texas. The location is, we think,
an excellent piece Of strategy. It is also
a judicious application Of very limited
means to meet the immediate wants o!
this community.
1t will be a matter Of surprise to any
stranger to note the manner IN which New
Orleans has heretofore applied her money
to secure connection with her interior.
There is now one railroad 70 Erasnear.
Alongside Of tina. road for the first twenty
miles is another road to Dcnaldsonyille
parallel, and in sight Of both; is the Mis-.
sissippi river. Each o! these .oads has
at New Orleans a separate river crossing.
To have combined these two roads in a
common stem. for the frs. twenty miles
would have saved half million 0. dol
lars: to have employed the Mississippi
river TO: Ii. delivery Of material would
have economized something more. Tie
directory. for the first time. avail them
selves Of the river as q scatiold to build
the railroad. For the frs. time it adopts
an existing means o: communication. and
SO places its money where It will do most
good. The New Orleans and Texas rail.
road excends the money of the State and
breaks down sixty miles from New Orleans
on the banks 0: the Mississippi. Has it
brought or carried away pound or pas.
senger which we would not have had
withou: the premature and ;mprov;dent
outlay o: more than million O: dollars:
Suppose tina: road had been projected
from the Mississippi at Doraldsonville as
a base. the money expended would have
approached. and perhaps entered Texas.
/: would have developed new commerce,
and demonstrated success that would
have given II a credit for self-extension.
The strategic advantages Of the ..lex-
andria terminus are these:
]. 1t projects line of raj! upon an east
ern radius. thus intereepting trade and
travel which nigh: otherwise 60 Eas: by
the road to Vicl.sbusg. o. North to Mem
ph;s OF Cairo.
2. Alexandria is poin: commanding
several connections. and committed to
none. II is within sixty miles of Ope-
lousas. eighty miles Of Vermilionyille. one
hundred and forty miles Of Donaldson
vile, one hundred miles Of Baton Rouge,
and could be extended to the Mississippi |
without crossing Red river within twenty !
or thirty miles. The directory have thus |
relieved themselves from dependence upon
either the Morgan c. Ames charters. and !
ire free to connect with either OF to con-
'truct an independent line on the Back
,one or other route. They will. no doubt.
make their election as 70 the best means
II establishing an al! raj, connection
With the city. :: present, however.
hey will make = piece OF road that
S Indispensable. and which will be. when
made. Of as much value 70 the roads a.
eady made in that direction as they vii!
re to the Alexandria and Marshall section,
0 that basis Of junction and consolida-
ion will have been provided. The imme.
late utilization of the Red river will aid
realty in our receipts and shipments g.
ne next season, even if the directors shall
omplete no more than the promised see.
on beyond that terminus.
We apprehend, however, that the iirec.
Try is still inclined TO !inger around the
eshpots Of the Credi. MoDilier. 1t is
ways with bonds and mortgages tina. ,
icy expect to build the road. It requires I
cry little ability to raise money a. some !
.te or other upon mortgage. Engineers
I'd the newspapers pilo; and puff rail- {
ad scheme into foreign notoriety. Some c
rites ambitious Of travel are sent to S
lrope or New York. They give a COM b
ission to be paid out OF the sales, to a
'lace'' their bonds and return in triumph. Il
nus far. very little ability is required in f
administration, and the parties who I
oject the road may congratulate them !
YES on the prospec: OF large profits G
on the contribution 0! their official sig 5,
lures. G.
There come, however. two conse. L
ences of this bond policy. !. 10 the Il
bic. If railroad bond is sold for W
$ than par. the discoun: is charged TO ii
lstruction account. The road. there. p
e, costs that much more; the tariff on il
lghts and passengers must be laid to u
: interest and dividends upon the
ole cost. The termina! city--;n our as
e. New Orleans finds its trade ne
a limited to the point where the ex
3 OF charge upon its .oai come IN tn
lpetition with the rates Of charge is
some rival and competing ely. : 0!
d costing forty thousand dollars IN
e, by this shave of its obligations, f.,
ST be worked at rates which will pay vi
nteres: on this cost. The same road in
cost Of thirty Thousand dollars per 81
e could be worked on schedule of n,
s TWEEN ty-hve per cen: lower While, Of
efore, it seems a fine financial device ha,
lake the prospective business Of the 0;,
build it upon any terms, j: will be sni
I'd that the planters and merchants ha,
whom it is built will in the end nav .;o
high interest OF their travel and an,
sportation. SO tina: making a road :,
d itself, as was proposed by the North The
Pacific ring, is no: SO very smar. q .io,