The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-03
THE TEXAS TRADE.

We have before us, neatly printed la
pamphlet FORM, the report TO the stock
holders made by, Col. Il. u. Wbeelock.
President, and Major b. III. Greene,
Chief Engine or, OF the New Orleans Pa
ciiic Raiiroal 1. The report OF the Presi-
dent shows how the sp01 900 received
by the company have been ex-
pended, an ID tibet of Major Greene 10 a
clear and onoise statement Of the work
done, with an estimate OF the cost OF con-
STRUGGLING And eaaipping the 2ss miles OF
road nece seary to connect New Orleans
by rail with Shreveport ana Marshall.
This pamphlet willthe valuable 10 those
OF the PEOPLE who feel an interest In
this en- terprise. and will give them
more reasonable estimates Of tine sum
required to malte 1t a success than have
heretof ore been generally entertained.
Major Greene estimates the cost OF
building the road, exclusive Of eQnip-
rment, at $3,sy7 600. or $12, asa per mile.
He assumes that not more than hall his
estimate for depots, machine shops and
way stations will be required until some
time after the completion Of the road,
and that consequently the estimated
'$s,557,600 villa probably build the roe,d
and furnish 1t with moderate
and, for time. adequate equipment.
The great decline in the price Of both
iron and steel rails In the past few
years, the abundance OF labor TO be had
At moderate wages and our own tnowl-
edge or the country through which the
route OF the road lice, lead US to think
that Major Greene's estimate. small as
iit lie, Ia not much, IL any, uader the
actual necessary outlay.
Assuming that this es innate is cor
rect, It appears that Che business men.
property and 9th er classes of
citizens interested In the extension Of
our trade and the growth al Id prosperity
OF our city are not presel ited with a
very alarming or form.dabl Q enterprise.
We are we'll awarecf th Q fact that a
long, period OF misrule and q nancial and
commercial depression has sorely i'm
paired the means OF our pc ople. But,
Impoverished as we are, thr 30 millions
and q half for work designed and cal
.culated to revivify oar trade and appre-
,ciate our values, lie not an impossible
sum for New Orleans to raise. Ger |
ltainly her merchants and property |
holders who believe in This road can,
without criRpling their business or
other interests, prompty subscribe
money enough to SO Gar salvance the
Of the read that its in
tlomitahle President and directory will
he able to effect ftarther moneyed
arrangements for It's construction.
The revival OF our commerce and
wealth depends entirely upon the en-
terprise and liberality OF ourcwn peo-
pie, and thoy shoGld not hesitate to dis
play these qualities at this iuncture;
indeed, we may say, at this crisis of the
fate of the city.
Sinoe1s7l the great railr oad system of
Texas has been created, and 1t has de.
veloped that State into magnificent
empire. Its population has increased to
!. SOC, 0oe. and It's trade has been quadru-
pied. Southwestern Arkansas. under
the wand happy political condition Of
that State. Is also growing in popnla-
lion and wealth. Newlrleans once en-
loyed all the trade of those regions but I
with the extension of the Texas rail l
roads and the increase Of the population, t
trade and wealth OF that State, the en- 6
merchants and capitalists Of I
st. Louis. at . vast outlay, built two a
long lines Of railroad to opea CONNER b
Nal relations with 1t, while at the Il
,ame time Texas lines were built south &
ward from the lateral roads through r
he State to Galveston on the Gulf. Il
Almost the very day these roads to Gal n
'eston and to st. Louis were completed a Il
.reat revolution in the trade OF the
'outhwest took place. Previously Red [,
liver had been crowded with steamers b
arrying the commerce between North a
rn Texas, North Louisiana and Arkan- 5
rs and New Orleans. All the trade and n
.agel of these wide and wealthy regions e.
as tributary to this city. What its a
alue was we have not the data before b
on which to base an estimate: that III
was immense no one will dispute. ia
ut, within month after rail conneo- p'
,n between Galveston and Longview tn
ID st. Louis and TexarEana had been To
the steamboat business on n
ID River fell of perceptibsy; within q pr