The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-22
THE RAILROAD WAR.

To EDITOR the HERALD:-
am old ship captain, aud Now Yorker by birth,
and for many other reasons would be glad 10 SEQ my
native city hold commercial supremacy; but at the
time cannot allow msstatcments such as
have read in your valuable paper OF the 10th inst
(irom your correspondent OF Brooxlyn) to appear
without refuting them with facts which have tram
spred within my knowledge. Justice Is justice,
upon that ground | wish 70 correct your corre-
spondcnt OF Brooklyn, SO that he may know what he
is writing about the time. About his Tom Scott,
Thompson Baltimore, Philadelphia abattors and rail-
roads know nothing when he says lit Is certain
that grain sent by way of the Mississippi River and
New Orleans would heat long before il reached Liver
pool say the writes about things he does not
know, and for this reason Ut for other he should
be impartial II he cannot be well posted have my
self taken before and since the war; twenty seven
cargocs of Western grain from New orl to Liver
pool and always delivered them there consgnccs in
as hne and nice order and condition any cargo Of
grain that have taken from New York to Liverpool,
and aattcr myself to have taken as many over the
ocean as the next man. Had laid the bar ut tho
mouth of the Mississippi River auy length OF time
confess 1t would have made considerable difference in
the condition OF cargoes OF grain but as have always
been lucky enough pass through the channel with
out loss OF time, aud AS by the HERALD that tho
pass opened by Captain Eads jet:es hence the
reason OF this article TO prove that with open passes,
New Orleans ship and deliver grain in as nnc
condition 10 Liverpool as any other port Oh this CONT
nent Boxes containing samples Of cargoes Of gram
shipped from New Orleans Europe invariably
sent New York so that Europeans may sell
arrive or aoat in which tho arrival Of cargoes
little sooner later makes but little difference specu
laors II Is true that Western grain shipped 10 Europe
via New York Will arrive there much quicker than by
any other rcuc, but with equal truth look at
the Large sum OF money saved by shipping via New
Orleans especially II IT be that Captain Eads has
been successful with his Jcttcs al the mouth OF the
river Who or what on earth could compete against
the Mississippi Valley Transportation Company and its
immense barges and the strong OF that river,
to carry Western producchay gram, slaves tobacco,
cotton, &c-irom the Western States 10 the scaboard
as cheap as II could be done wa New 0rcanss Where
will European shpowners send their vessels in prefer
ence 10 any other port, when the United States gov
crnment guarantees u Through passage any time"
ut the Jetties South Pass OF the rvors OF course
when they can, at all seasons of the year. always de-
pend upon full cargo their ships the
Mississippi Valley Transportation Company with its
barges assisted by the strong current OF the
| river can carry Western producc-ilour pork gram
nay, slaves tobacco &c.-t0 New Orleans for Just
third OF the price II would cost by railroad any
other route to New York. Ny owners (thcy own over
dozen sh,ps) since they heard by telegram of the
opening Of the passes by the jcttes will be max
Ing ready IN Liverpool to take In cargoos Of assorted
merchandise for Tho Southwestern States and Will
guarantee TO shippers in New Orleans TO deliver,
good order and condition. at tho ports OF Liverpool
Havrc any return cargo OF gram or cotton they
choose to give 10 our line.n Plans specifications
/
! ton OF which ana the building of 200 OF those
monster barges are now before committee of
Ave gentlemen from St Louis, Memphis. Cincinnati
and New Orleans, and "thinsss' VIII put through,
! they say as soon as the government of the United
States will notify IN due form, the other nations that
the South Pass OF the great Mssisspp River Is OPEN
and Will remain open ut all times, vessels OF any
size and drawing from five 10 thiry.Gve feet water
Has your correspondent OF Brooklyn seen OF
/ those monster bargcss Has he seen or heard of
the enormous quantity OF stun they carrys Has he
heard tho great natu ra assistance to those
Has he ever been West himself and purchased there
100000 or 800 600 bushels Of grain on European
New Orleans and bargcs and the other half, via New
York and its railroads and canals and once the
are in Europe has he compared order and
condition. time, and by which route had he saved
and realized liner proltss II he has not please
toll HIM that the good order and condition from both
ports are the same in every respect; that the tmo is
much shorter via New YORK, and that the saving OF
money and the best profits realized New Orleans
Tue saving Of money on gram shipped to Europe via
New Orleans Is immense, compared 10 New York;
enough, in fact 10 guarantee nearly all the Western
grain and other produce TO be shipped in future via
Now Orleans II las have already sad) large steamers
will 20 in and out Of the jetties without obstruction
II Captain Eads succeeds with his Jcttics'' ut the
| mouth of Mississippi River do believe that New
York will BIO much bothered Tor long with ship
ments Of grain and cotton to Europe. Now Orleans,
with free passage and deep the mouth the
river viii be tho only port In the whole world where
steamers even Of the sizc Of the Great Eastern will
ut all times tho year be sure OF getting
either tobacco grain Western produce, rice, slaves
or cotton for a return cargo
opening and deepening of the passes at the mouth OF
the river. The day It is DONE either by canal by
jctcs mark my words, 1t Will take long for that
city to be the busiest place known As 20 tho Texas
Pacific Railroad, your correspondent says:sNcw York
has the money and Is not disposed to invest for tho
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF any other city" That Is very
true, but my humble opinion is that whether Tom
Scott comes to New York with his railroads or not
New Workers will never give him a cent for his
Texas road This road, Ike all others, can only DO
built by "London," AMI l certain 1t Will
DO done alter little while, and Tor No.
rcasons New York is certainly tho wcalthest city,
and also the largest and finest city the whole CONT
ncnt Of Amerca but ITS capitalists to-day different
men than those mentioned by your correspondent Of
Brooklyn to furnishing the millions necessary to
build the Texas Pacific Tom Scott would only abandon
his Philadelphia notions &c That Is NIL humbug
Not cent could be had from New York day to build
tho best railroad in the world even was TO carry
the whole continent to New York The moncyed men
OF New York will only invest In first class mortgages
at twenty-five cents To the dollar II II Is only i've
per cent per annum. No, Mr. Correspondent from
Brooklyn, you any other man could persuade tho
present moneyed mon Of New York 10 invest in any
thing else but at the rate or twenty-five cents to tho
dollar and then In many with great difficulty
Again. your correspondent says:--"Thc extent and
value OF the trade which comes from the South and
West must depend upon the promplncss facility and
chcapness with which IL can be got TO sea "
Window \ Co: say sixtynvc ccnts from Chicago on
bushcL Vanderbilt takes It for half the money.
| That Is nice on paper Is itnoty
But let Mr.. Correspondent take the grain from
where u grows mean from the Western iarms--and
count up the difference in freight and charges from
those farms TO the and Europe via New York and
New Orleans, and then he will know tho vast differ
in the price (whon landed In Europe) Of which I
speak. | have in my possession lots OF documents
account sales, bills OF adng, &c. 10 prove your
correspondent that with clear passes the mouth
the Mississippi River, he would lose his bottom dol
lar shipping grain to Europe via New York; and should
tho Northeastern railroads attempt prevent by
reducing their rates compete with tho Mississippi
they would all 'sburst'' In less than two years
Hoping you will extend me tho same favor that you
| did to your correspondent from Brooklyn, remain
MI. Editor, respectfully yours, CAPTAIN
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