The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-06
Southern Pacific Line.

| We regret to see our friend OF The refers
burg Indez reproducing the trumped-up
objection to the Texas Pacific line that 1t IS
not southern because a branch from it
crosses the Mississippi at St. Louis.
The Southern Pacific line is not continued
to St. Louis. The railroad from the eastern
terminus Of tho trans-continental line is an
| independent work. Nor did the Texas
Pacific line build the bridge across the Mis-
sissippi at ST. Louis. That was the result
of the enterprise OF st. Louis. 1t cannot,
therefore, be paraded as an objection
against the Texas line to st. Diego that it
is not, for this reason, a southern line.
There are branches from the great line to
Galveston, to New Orleans, to Vicksburg,
to Memphis, and to st. Louis. II the
towns not having bridges choose they
too can have them as well as st.
Louis, or tunnels, which st. Louis has not.
They could not expect the Texas Pacific to
build them either bridges or tunnels,
neither Of which it gave or proposes to give
to any place on the Mississippi. 1t is i'm
partial to all the cities Of that river.
The Texas Pacific is the true southern
line; and it is unjust to expect it to build
bridge at one place-and thus incur the
objection that it is partial necessary to
constitute it a southern line. II the south
ern people in the Gulf States and cities
deem bridges necessary to place them
selves upon equality in the participation
in advantages Of the trans-continental
line, let them emulate the enterprise Of st.
Louis and build their own bridges.
1t seems to US, with all due respect to the
people who raise this obi ection to the Texas
Pacific line, that it is an extreme proof OF
foregone determination to object to that
line. There is not title of reason for any
such objection. ..:,,..ss.. ...........
The line is eminently southern line and
favorable to southern cities. BY it Calves
ton first offers shipping point on Atlantic
waters nearly thousand miles nearer to
the Pacific coast than New York. New
Orleans offers the next nearest, with the ad-
vantage OF twenty-foot water from her
wharyes to the Gulf. Norfolk and Rich,
mond both have the advantage OF distance
over more northern cities in the trans-con-
tinental Pacific and Atlantic freight. But
we have no right to, demand Of the Texas
Pacific line a bridgeany more than our sis
ter southern cities have. We should rather
combine with them If the work is Of suffi-
cient Importance to. us and build the needed
bridges. Pardon us for saying that we
should be guilty Of q. great follyto object to
building work of such magnitude and
OF such vast, value to us of the South be-
cause it does not propose to do for us what
St. Louis has done for herself. ls, ~:
But considering the objection as possess
ing some reason, let us ask if we could defeat
the Texas line, which is already partly built
under a company Of great energy, what
ground Of hope is ehere that another COM
pany will undertake1to build it, and also
the coveted bridges for southern commune
ties? Would not a company; have enough
to do without having thrust upon it this
great additional burthen2 Could it be ask
ed or expected tof any company It
will take years. to build the line. Mean
time LET those who want the bridges, think
OF them. We have faith in southern energy,
and we have faith In southern reason. We,
do not believe that that reason would exact
what was unreasonable, and we believe that
southern energy Is equal to the demand Of
the public interest In such matter as that
under lr nsideration. Il be, bridge or bridges
will assurediy be built time.