Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-03
BATON ROUGE A SEAP0RT-WHY
NOT?
New Orleans Democrat,

J New Orleans Democrat
Our spnghtly contemporary, the
Baton Rouge CAr1roLIAN, INDUCES
in some spcculations as to the future
of the charming city Of Baton Rouge,
and, among other possibilities, dis
cusses that of it's becoming a seaport.
On this point it says:
The idea that Baton Rouge might
at no very distant day become for
midable rival to New Orleans as a
seaport Will doubtless excite the mirth
of our contemporaries of the Crescent
City. For the fun OF the thing, how
ever, we'll draw a picture Of the high
land metropolis of the future:
In the first place, an ocean steamer
can reach our town in nine or ten
hours after passing New Orleans; and
find no impediment in the way Of
sand bars or any thing else at any
stage of water. She can get as near
the bank at Baton Rouge as at New
Orleans.
There is nothing to prevent grain
elevators and cotton congresses from
being erected here, and on the most
solid ground imaginable.
Then the enormous whartages ex-
acted at New Orleans can be reduced
to mere fraction at this place.
1t must be borne in mind, too, that
every bale of cotton that is carried to
New Orleans via the Mississippi river
has to pass Baton Rouge before it is
landed at the former place, where it
is reshipped.
The fact is that Baton Rouge with
it's wonderfully healthful site, is situ-
ated at the foot of the cotton belt.
This is no subject for ridicule, and
we regret to find Brother Jastremski
crediting us beforehand with dispo-
tion to sneer. We are quite aware
that since the consummation OF the
work of the jetties, the banks OF the
Mississippi river from New Orleans
up to Baton Rouge, or even above,
constitute little more than the protec-
ton for deep water land-locked
harbor. Anywhere along this great
reach of river front is q possible sea-
port. Wherever there is the energy,
the enterprise and the capital to pro-
vide proper facilities, there may be
warehouses, presses, elevators,
wharyes, etc., and there thes argosies
OF the world may find safe and spa
cious moorings. Far from laughing
at this picture of the CAPlroL1AN's,
we recognize in 1t every essential ele-
ment OF reality. Some time may
elapse before a serious rivalry to New
Orleans can be set on foot, but there
is no inherent obstacle to such rivalry,
as we we'll know.
Baton Rouge is Il delightful, happi-
ly-located town. 1t has every natural
qualification for q large commercial
depot, and needs only a development
of it's resources. Should this develop
ment be undertaken upon ar ade-
quate scale, we quite agree that any
disposition to disparage the ambition
of Baton Rouge would speedily be
checked. pThere is no such disposi:.
ton, however, and we regret that the
C.PIroLIAN saw fit to take it fol
granted in advance and to include a
corresponding disparasement of New
Orleans in its remarks.
TO one count in the CArITOLLAN',
proposition we must beg to enter AZ
objection. 1t says:
Mobile, with an air line railway
trayersing the pine land region, thus
avoiding the marshes Of the Rigolets
could strike the Mississippi river at
Baton Rouge, just 100 miles above
New Orleans, and there receive the
freights borne by the Western barges
and steamers, and connect also with
the system of railways Of Western
Louisiana leading to Texas and the
Red river valley.
This, with due respect to the CArl-
TOLlAN, is going altogether too far
Why, pray. should freights, seeking
ocean transportation. leave the Mis-
sissippi river at Baton Ronge to go tC
Mobile, which is not half as much OF a
sca-port as Baton Rouge is. Vessels
can be loaded at the Baton Rouge
leyee-veSsels drawing twenty feet
and steam straight to Liverpool
without breaking cargo; but what
vessel of that draft or anything like
it cSn load at Mobileo 70 load the
average ocean steamship from Mobile