The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-28
SECRETARIES.
| J Hester. Samuel Mullen.
VICE PRESIDENTS


Mr.. Black then spoke as follows:
Geouomen-In selecting mo TO preside over the
deliberations of this meeting. l acknowledge
the honor conferred upon me. and desire to
the opinion Of many Of our influential citizens.
there il no subject looking to the material pros
poets OF New Orleans OF moro Importance to our
people than a railroad connecting with the great
State Of Texas. In order to stimulate tho pub
lie mind to this worthy enterprise this meeting
has been called o-night by the Eontractor5 2, 2i
furtherance Of this design. gentlemen have boon
selected who will address you on this subject.
Applausel.
Mr.. &C. Raymond then moved that com
mittee be appointed by tho chair to prepare res
outions to be presented to the meeting for their
consideration. Tho motion being put and car
ried. the following named getlemen were ap-
pointed by the chair:
Hon. w. w. Howe Thos. A. Adams, ESQ. A.
A. Maginnis. Esq. j. L. Lafitte. and Mr.. Isaac
Staut1er.
Whilst these resolutions were being prepared,
ti,e chairman introduced Cyrus Bussey. Presi-
dent Of the New Orleans Chamber OF fCommcrce.
who addressed the meeting as follows:
Mr.. President and Gentleme OF New Orleans:
|. In few months the people OF this great land
will assemble In Philadelphia to celebrate the
the worlds history and it is proper that you
| should assemble here tonight to review your
past in the history of the past. and TO ask your.
selves the question. II you are satisfied with
| what you have done to make this country great
and glorious. We are here tonight to INQUIRE,
What is the matter with New Urleansf ana. II
possible. to point out remedy.
Ten years ago when | came to this CITY, l "a, q
| serted a notice in the daily papers Wanted &c
Rent an Office" and TOR five days didn't get =
solitary response. Why? Because there was
not u vacant Office In New Orleans, Then, gen
| tlemen you reposed in what you believed to bt
your superior advantages, and you siumperet eret
have stolen from y9u the trade yhich W. na iegf gba
while every State In this UNION mas been pros
city, have been retrograding There Is a cause
for this. which. in my judgment. lies at our OWL
| doors.
England. the anniversary OF the first railroad
ever constructed in the world: only fifty, years
have today In my ~ Hnesnd Giies gav ysar,
| ago in honor Of tho successful construction
the first railroad. This will illustrate to you
gentlemen, what has been accomplished % @ nn Will,
tonight. and what 1t is competent ana possible
for gentlemen to accomplish who will apply
/ have had placed hero tonight map Of th'
Western and Southern States, to properly Illus
trate to you the peculiar posi- tion that Louisiani
occupies with reference to her railroad enter
The speaker demonstrated by referring to tn.
map that every other State was covered VIII
railroads. III Is only tne ottlc VI i5did w
does not have its entire length and breadth
covered with railroads. ask you. gentlemen
ii that is not shame to louisiana
These red lines that you see here on TINS map
like the wires OF a sieve; are rallroads con
structed in new countries by the enterprise .
men who scarcely had enough means % TO pur %
chase the forty acres upon which they had SET
tied, and know that these railroads were con
structed and were built by and in the interest o
the men whose property was to be benefited ant
the value OF their products enhanced;
] The speaker demonstrated the relatlye posi-
tiOns of Chicago, St Louis and other WesteTl
cities showing how RAILROAD CONNECTIONS r. wer
made with the Northern Pacific Rallroad-an'
to points where scarcely a few years ago. civil
| lied person could be found.
Now the question is. do railroads pay? l un N
dertake to say. gentlemen. that can prove 10
night that no stock pays better than railpoa
than United States $50 bonds. [Applausel
Now, gentlemen. the Union Pacific Railwa
was constructed through country with scarcel
ANYTHING to support it, but the net earnings 10
this year have amounted to $16,5o,01s. An
there is debt on that road, because It was nul
at the time when gold was worth 2Oo at cost g
s7o,oooa mile, because . great part Of the coun