The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-27
THE TEXAS AND PACIFIC.

On the meeting OF Congress after the holi-
days II Is more than probable that the ques-
ton OF Southern line to the Pacific will come
up for consideration. We think the settle
ment Of this question Ii one which concerns
New Orleans more than any other large city
In the country. New Orleans by right, should
be and must become the chief Miss ssippi ter
minus OF the Southern Pacific road" as San
Francisco Is the chief Of the terminal ports
on the Pacific. They are as near to one
another as Chicago and San Francisco, and
ought to exchange like profitable commerce.
Nothing could do 50 much to prevent this
consummation as the adoption Of the pro-
gramme sketched out by the Texas and Pa
ciflc Railroad Company, making their termi-
nus east of the Mississippi river. Its owners
and managers have the bulk Of their property
interest north Of the Ohio river, and hence they
will contrive In some way to make the At
lantic and Pacific ends Of their lines work to-
wards each other for common advantage, no
matter what contrary expressions they may
make beforehand to Southern cities.
In order that the people OF New Orleans
may understand the situation more clearly,
and see It's bearings on the future OF Texas
and the city Of New Orleans, we may state
that the Southern Pacific Company have,
after mature elaboration, determined to ex-
tend their road eastward as rapidly as events
will justify 10 the Rio Grande at Ell
Paso The whole line has been surveyed,
the 900 miles east OF Yuma station put
under contract, and 1900 men are Mt work
thereon. Grading has been done for fifty
miles, and at our last advices the track was
out twenty-five miles, and going down at the
rate Of mile a day. Marcopa Wells, 200
miles, will be reached In May or June next
East Of that point alternative lines are being
surveyed. and Tucson, 300 miles, or half the
distance between the Colorado and the Rio
Grande, will be reached In eighteen months.
We believe that the Rio Grande can be
reached by this road by January, 1882 We
further learn that iron to lay half the remain
ing distance has already been shipped to the
Pacific coast This road will be built to the
Rio Grande without regard to any opposition
the Texas and Pacific may be able to offer;
and we are confident that Congress will never
give It's consent for the government indorse-
ment of bonds TO construct q road which is
to be built over the same ground without
subsidy. When this road reaches the Rio
Grande 1t will be necessary for the company
to look out for an eastern connection. II the
Texas and Pacific Is the only road acrossTexas,
they must Of course connect with It.; but In
that case the overland traffic will be pretty
certain to come and go via st. Louis. Unless
New Orleans bestirs herself there Is no help
for 1t, as st. Louis would not have a much
greater distance to overcome with two or
three independent lines to the Texas end Of
the line The New Orleans Pacific would not
be able to prevent this unless 1t had the
assistance OF road from Ell Paso to San
Antonio, and by that means force the main
line OF the Texas and Pacific to compete for
freight. While the New Orleans Pacific
would do great deal for our city In the
way OF opening up an all-rail route to North
ern louisiana Arkansas and Texas. 1t could
not be In O situation to control the trans-con-
tinental traffic alone; but with the connection
complete from here to I'll Paso, via Aus
tin and San Antonio, 1t would be inval-
liable We must bear in mind that, un-
less we have this Southern competing line,
all through freight will diverge in north
ern direction at least three hundred miles
west Of Shreveport. As proof OF this, 1t Is
only necessary to call attention to the
fact that an amendment Is now pending
In the United States Senate to make
the Matthews bill (942) conform to the
House bill This amendment II adopted and
the bill be passed, will allow the Texas
Pacific to shoot out In northwest direction
from Weatherford, and by that means make
the Vinita line almost an airline from Ell
Paso to st. Louis. The best security, In fact
the only security, for New Orleans Is to do
what she can to make herself the main ter
mnal point on the Mississippi river, and that
end can only be accomplished by seeing that
the gaps between Houston and New Orleans,
New Orleans and Shreveport, and between San
Antonio and FL Paso, are pushed to compile
ton that will enable the completed lines to
meet the Southern Pacific at Ell Paso. That,
with the completion OF the New Orleans Pa
cfic will put us in position to control not
only the bulk Of the rans-continental traffic,
but will give us the control Of the Northern
States Of Mexico