The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-03
THE MUD BAR.
What il Costs the Country-How Trade Is
Diverted
position.

DlverteOs
Editor Democrat In the name OF and
for the people Of this valley, j not only
feel grateful for the kind manner in
which you have seen proper to notice
the plan that propose for deep, cheap
and reliable gateway to the gulf, but
thank you for the kind offer to publish
anything | may have to say on this sub
lect.
The question that presents itself IS,
how long are we going to set still and
let the vast trade Of this valley, which
properly belongs to New Orleans, be di-
yerted across the continent at double
and treble the rates of transportation
to the seaboard it would cost via the
Mississippi?
&AS this is q matter OF grave import
ance, l shall conilne myself to facts,
and refer only to statements made
before United States Senate commit
tee on transportation in 1873, compiled
from the most reliable sources. AS to
the matter of detention, Mr.. Highly. of
this city, presented tables showing that,
during the year 1871, thirty eight vessels
grounded crossing the bar. twenty-three
OF which lost time, ranging from four all
the way up to thirty, forty, seventy, one
hundred and twenty-one, and one hun
dred and sixty-eight hours, and during
four months, in 1873, forty vessels
grounded, fourteen Of which lost from
seven up to eighteen, twenty-four, fifty,
ninety-tive, ono hundred and thirty-six
Among this number was the
steamship Memphis, which sustain
ed damages to the amount of
S31 500 o6. No longer than yesterday
Capt Bremner, Of the steamship Chill
liam, told me that last year he lost eigh-
teen days on the bar at an expense OF
$3.50 day, equal to $1,000; besides this
he lost twenty passengers at $125 each
$500 In consequence OF this grounding
he had to put into Key West, and lost
5000 more, equal TO a total loss of only
$1,000 Now, this is encouraging, not
only to foreign ship masters, but to the
people OF this valley, who doubtless feel
thankful to the Federal for
such splendid outlet for the products
of seventeen States and two or three
Territories. Now, we will see what in
formation that committee got as to the
importance Of plenty Of water Mr..
Highly said that with % feet of water we
could carry freight for 30 per cent less,
and that on such water, with such
vessels as enter New York, we
could carry as cEeap as from New York
And without going into further detail,
this was the language Of Mr.. John
Newell, President Of the Illinois Central
Railroad, Capt. Gould, Major Howell, u.
L. Blow, Gen. Beauregard and every
who testified before that committee,
that the opened and improved Missis-
sippi, by the means Of canal, was the |
solution to the great question OF cheap
But this is not all it |
has been shown that the barge line
could bring corn from st. Louis to New
Orleans for ST cents per bushel, and that
II we had q canal 50 as to admit big ships,
we could transport grain from st. Louis
TO Liverpool for less expense than it
could be carried from st. Louis or
Chicago, via rail, to New York.
And, strange to say, after obtaining
back to Washington and recommended
an appropriation OF $28, 100000 to build
; canal from Lake Champlain to the
Hudson River; also, $7,WO,OOO for an
other canal from Hennepin, on the Illi-
lois river, across to Rock Island, on the
both Of which they knew
would be closed half the year by ice.
But this is not all the following year
hey voted against the House bill for
he Fort st. Philip Canal, which finally
'esulted in the jetty bill, the success OF
WHICH, Hlduy uOuDLeu LUen as we'll as
low. This brings us to another branch
# this interesting subject. We will now
Zee what effect this mud bar has had on !
he commercial tonnage Of New Or ,
cans, New York and the trans-conti-
lental railroads and Erie Canal.
In 1858 New Orleans had 51S,817 ocean
in 1873 it was 522, ,791 tons, ,
,eing an increase Of 1912 tons, and it re-
Iuired nearly all this tonnage to carry
he cotton from this port.
New York, upon the other hand, had, [
n 1853, 1,755, ,5H ocean tons in 1873 she
lad 4, ,OUO,O 900, and now has about 7,OOO,-
100, an increase Of over 5,OOO,O 900 tons. (
3ut this is nothing as compared to that
+ the Erie Canal, the Erie Railroad,
Central, and other trans
ontinental roads. In 1853 the tonnage !
on the Erie Railroad was i
81 ,054 tons; whereas in 1873 it had in !
reased to 1855, ,239 tons, and last year I
he Erie Canal transported 900, 600
Dns, the Pennsylvania Central about {
be same, and for the two roads and
anal i, 6,O00, 900 tons, or q, ,00O, coo tons
xxnN I'll - ard ~ - NJ :