New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-01

our estimate the railroads between New
Orleans and Eastern cities, brought to
this city last year the almost incredible
value Of seventy millions of dollars, al
most exclusively merchandise, while the
coastwise imports did not exceed halt
that amount. Now, if the railroads
lying parallel with the coast, and
intermediate between the Mississippi and
| the coast, shall have created such CON-
| merce as we have stated, we can very we'll
understand why they should transport
direct between the West and East without
doubling the Cape Of Florida in the transit.
Our foreign imports have declined in the
same ratio and from the same cause New
Orleans received last year fourteen mil
lions, against twenty millions before the
war, while the Eastern Atlantic ports re-
! ceived last year more than four hundred
and fifty million dollars.
Our annual report adverts to the de-
livery of Western products by straight
rail. This is an innovation from which
New Orleans has suffered in common
with all other seaport cities dependent on
river delivery. Western products, once COL
lected at New Orleans for distribution by
river throughout the planting districts
tributary to this market, now finds the
Tennessee, Arkansas, Red, Yazoo, and
even the Alabama and Chatahoochie, su-
perseded bo.h as to Western produce and
merchandise by the straight rail leading
from all the provision and mercantile
centres directly to the consumer. A
planter in North Louisiana Or Southwest
ern Georgia who must have formerly
waited until the river rose before he
could get barrel of pork or a bolt of
bagging from Mobile or New Orleans, can
now order either as wanted daily by rail.
The same law Of rapidity and convenience
effects New York and every other seaport
in the civilized world where, at least, the
railroad and telegraph are established.
The same agency enables the whole in
terror, once dependent on New Orleans
for merchandise, to purchase their sup
plies at the East with as much economy,
and perhaps more convenience, than in
our own market. Hence we find our for
eign imports declining annually, while the
interior supply of merchandise is being
received inboard by rail instead of even
by coastwise importation via New Or
leans, as formerly. Indeed, our country
merchants, once the customers of New
Orleans, have now, by railroad access to
the same market with ourselves, become
our competitors. We complain as did
Hotspur-
Here this river comes me, rrankipg in.
And cuts me from the best of al! my lard,
huge half moon, m0nstrOus cantle cut.
Our readers will have observed that the
REPUBLICAN has for two years past pub
lished exclusively the values of merchan-
disc received from the East by way of the
railroads. This transportation of inward
merchandise is superseding the coastwise
shipments, and seems to have been with
drawn between New Orleans and the East
ern coast cities in consequence Of the
travel, the mail and mer-
chandise. 1t is useless to explain to bust
ness men how this has reduced the profits
and amounts of merchandise sold by New |
Orleans to the interior consumers. Neither
the war, emancipation nor misgovern-
ment has caused this entire revulsion of |
the commerce that once inevitably passed |
by way of New Orleans. It has been |
caused by the discoveries of modern |
science interpreted by practical enterprise
The railroad between California and New |
York has not more certainly cut off the |
travel and treasure transportation around
he Horn than have the bridge and rail
It st. Louis and Cincinnati arrested the
commerce that once doubled the Cape of
Key West, and paid insurance tribute to
he reefs Of Florida and the shoals of
Cape Hatteras.
This revulsion was not caused by any
hing the Democratic politician can COM
or that he would acknowledge.
t is even doubtful whether he would re-
,ounce the advantage of attributing them
o his opponents, for the relief which
heir removal would afford to suffering
people. When, then, the produce receipts
# New Orleans have declined to one
wenty- fifth part Of the whole transporta-
ion between the East and West, as stated
y the Senate Transportation Committee
f 1874; when each one of several
ailroads now transport from three to five
ines the tons moved to and from New
orleans upon the Mississippi river, it is
ssuredly our duty to comprehend the
ituation, to accept, and, if within human
nterprise, to dominate over the situa-
ion.
The relief of New Orleans comes from
he cause Of her decline. 1t is the hair
+ the dog that will cure the bite. New
|rleans needs rail-rail- rail. She will
equire at least four radial roads to de-
elop Texas, adjacent Mexico and the Pa
ifc trade of her own parallel. She
emands a fair share Of the national aid
u postal steam service to Mexico, Cen
al and South America, Australia and
outh Africa. She is the postal centre of
le whole tropical intercourse with the
abroad commerce between the lakes and
be valley, with their teeming millions