The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1882-12-22
SUPT. HARAHAS.
Tells OF the Condition OF His
Road and What He Thinks
OF the Future OF
Mobile.
Mobile Resister

Mobile Register.
Superintendent Harahan paid
Mobile brief visit last week, aud
during the time was addressed by
"A representative OF this paper con.
eerning his road aud the working
condition.
"The old 6ruin report that you
have given up the New Orleans
and Mobile division continues ca
ramble through the newspapers"
remarked the reporter, by way OF
introduction
"Yes.' said Mr.. Harahan, sand
IN spite of the fact that the New
Orleans and Mobile is the most
profitable division OF the line. We
are doug "a huge aud increasing
business, and every wheel OF the
company is rolling. We are enjoy
ing short hauls at reu.nneratiye
rates. What more eau We ask ~
"What is the condition CT your
linef'
at is in an excellent state. The
track is all steel except about six
miles of lt near this end we shall
replace that little run OF iron rails
with steel IN the next two months,
We have employed an expert diver
to examine the bridges aud see
whether the foundations are all
right. This is u precautionary work
tor there ia really no expectation
of finding anything radically out
of repair or condition. The piles
and wood work expos d TO the at
tscks of the Toredo are all OF ere
os0ted wood, aud are perfectly
sound. We have had samples OF
the wood cut from the bridges, ID
see whether the decay aud destruc-
ton usual in unprotected wood bias
taken place, and have found that
nothing of the sort can be- detec-
ted.r
"TLe Bay st. Louis bridge Is
somewhat u famous structure, 1t is
said,n suggested the reporter.
alt is built up0n bottom OF
tenacious mud, or clay. You can
drive one pile down upon another
for ever so many ieet-no one
knows how maryland not touch
bottom, but We found that when Il
pile is driven from thirty to forty
feet into the mud and allowed to
stand a day in that situation, the
clayey substance grasps the wood
aud holds 1t so tightly that the
hammer of the pile driver rebounds
when it falls upon the top OF the
pile. From this idea that the piles
have no bottom foundation comes
the erroneous repart that the
bridge rests Oh nothing and IN only
held together by the side bracing
aud tfussipg. The fact is that no
bridge or tressle IN this country has
| a frmer foundation, or would so
successfully resist tor long series
of years the rough usage 1t receives
from the heavy traffic above and
the buffeting OF he waves below.
81 will tell sou another thing
about this line of railroad. We
could aud would bring cotton over
it from New Orleans to this port,
tor shipment abroad. it there were
only vessels to take it. We could
use our wharf here, ahd save dray-
age, rollage, aud other charges, by
dumping the cotton directly from
the ears into the vessels. The trans
action would be profitable, because
in this way could be avoided the
charges for handling usually made
in New Orleans. We can freight
here for fifteen cents per hundred,
aud, having no Oncr0ns charges 10
pay, could put cotton on shipboard
cheaper by far than it eau be done
in New Orleans. This could be
done with great certainty of snc-
cess this season, because there Is u
scarcity OF tonnage in New Orleans,
aud that port is crowded with cot
ton and other goods demanding
shipment.
g believe that all Mobile needs
| is little more enterprise. The
river, the llarbor, the deep-wateI
channel. the favoring railroads,
everything IN fact, offers eucour-
a2ement to the business men OF the
city, aud If the steps necessary ART
taken, there is no reason to tear any
future decliue in property values
or loss of general business. Every
thing we eau do we will do for the
benefit of Mobile. The people oI
this city can count upon this. II
Is a mere question OF business with
! us. We see that We can make
4. money by doing all we can to en-
I. courage business here, aud We lei
no opportunity slip to do so. You
{ will tind grumblers, men who vii
believe such statements as these Oh
: our part mere assertions, but | re
ter you to any one who deals 4
y any reasonable extent with us
/ You will be told that we are a bust
D ness concern, doing business on
/ basis dictated by the policy OF sell
D interest. The interests OF th
Southern divisions of the Louistill
= aud Nashville railroad are identl
cal with those OF Mobile.7
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/ Fireworks OF all kiuds. cake
q frnits. candles. toys, etc. at y. :