The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-06
RAILROADS.

Of railroads. II Is needless for us to re-
peat that. while we oppose the propo-
stion to levy tax for the benefit of the
New Orleans Pacific. we differ from Mr..
Mitchell as to the importance OF the
road to New Orleans and the State. We
think there is every reason to believe
that the road, II constructed, will
! be Of immense advantage to us. It is
projected through region OF wonderful
fertility. and 1t will tap the trade of a
country imperial in It's width and rapid
" growing in wealth and population. In
short, IL will open this market to North
ern and Eastern Texas. Southern Arkan-
sas and Northwestern Louisiana. nearly
all the trade OF which sections now goes
to st. Louis aud Galveston. This Is. OF
course. conjecture; but it il conjecture
based on very reliable and very strong
data. Nor Is the present trade of the
country referred to, oil that this road
will reach and largely control. IT will
be very apt to bring large and indus
trious Immigration Of white men into
Northwestern and Western Louisiana.
II
cultural resources of those localities
tributary to New Orleans.
One great drawback to this city isthe
sparseness Of the intelligent population
in the surrounding country. All the
great cities OF the East. North and
West are surrounded by countries dense
ly populated with intelligent. thrifty
and enterprising people who. being
demanders for all the necessaries Of
life, and most of the Injuries. add i'm
mensely to their trade and wealth.
New Orleans Is almost isolated In this
respect, aud road which will induce
the class OF immigration we speak OF to
Western Louisiana will be of immense
advantage.
II is very true. as Mr.. Mitchell says.
that before the era of railroads. cities
grew and ilourished even az now: that
London, New York and New Orleans
grew to greatness without railroads.
This. however. is no argument against the
construction of railroads at this time
The tendency or commerce to seek
centres was as strong before the era Of
railroads as Mt present Railroads have
not affected this tendency i'm the least !;
but they have come. to great extent.
to control 1t. Before tho institution
OF railroads. the establishment of trade
centres was governed by natural adj
vantages. London. New York aud
New Orleans owe their original growth
to tho circumstance Of locality. Rail
roads, however. now modify very
materially natural advantages Of
location. New York and Lonslon
continued to grow because they took
advan aage OF the railroad TO hold their
OLD and reach out for additional and
more distant trade. New Orleans owes
most OF her misfortunes. most Of her de
cline. TO the Infamous. ruinous, thieving
government which has for years afflicted
the State; but something of her loss Is
to be attributed to the fact that d
magnificent system Of railroads has
been constructed through Texas, drain
ing trade worth probably fifty mil
lions OF dollars. which che once CON
trolled. into st. Louis and Galveston.
We hold. and we believe it is certain as
fate. that New Orleans and Louisiana
can never become prosperous again
until the evil government which rides
the States is overthrown: but it IA equally
certain that New Orleans can never
again enjoy the trade of Northern and
Eastern Texas. Southwest Arkansas
and Northwest Louisiana, until her cit
/ 81 a n.
II no railroads had ever been built,
New Orleans would still command this
trade and would still be in position.
under favorable circumstances. to be-
come one OF the greatest cities on the
Continent But we cannot ignore the fact
that railroads are controlling the course
of trade we cannot ignore the fact that
they have carried population and wealth
into the far West: that they are build
ing up imperial cities and breaking
down others. In 1870 we were in Mar
shall, Texas. At that time the railroad
from Marshall to Shreveport was. we
believe, the only railroad in the State.
Representatives from that section of
Texas, to reach their capital, went to
Shreveport, passed down Red River to
this city, crossed over to Calves
ton. and from thence they
went by stage to Austin. Galveston was
then town of about 1900 inhabitants,
Dallas, Austin, Sherman and Waco
were mere villages Vast stretches OF
the richest country imaginable were un
inhabited. Since then the railroads
have been built: hundreds Of thousands
of immigrants, with wealth of gold and
muscle. have occupied the waste lands
Galveston is a city OF 10000 inhabitants;
Dallas of $4,000; Austin of Is, 200: Sher-
man, Waco. and many other villages
have become prosperous cities, and the
aggregate wealth OF the State has been
nearly if not quite doubled.
1t is certainly true that these results
could not have been produced by the
railroad, had not the people OF the State
been true to themselves politically.
and overthrow the villainous govern
ment which ruled over them in 1870.
But neither could this wonderful
development of the State have taken
place without the building OF the roads.
Arkansas has for several years been
fplprn hlv wclI c,,,,rl;nJ ,,-;,l, 81.