Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-16
a Project to Bridge the River.
New Orleans Pieayune.


Elsewhere we print the charter of the
New Orleans Terminal railway and bridge
company, incorporated by some of our
weaIthiest and most enterprising citizens
They propose nothing less than to build a
bridge over the Mississippi river at or
near this city, and to operate it in con-
junction with a railway which viii con-
meet with and be available for the use of
all the railroads now operating lines to
New Orleans, and for those which may
hereafter be built.
This is a corporation entirely distinct
and ASSOCIATED from the company men
toned heretofore which proposes to con-
struct a bridge at Southport, above the
city, or elsewhere in Jefferson parish
The undertaking now presented to the
public contemplates the bridging of the
river in the lower part of the city, say at
point between Independence street and
the barracks, where it is claimed the
banks and bottom of the river
have for long period of time
been in a condition of complete euui-
librium, not having been materially
altered by the erosion of the current
since the existence of the earliest sur
veYs, as demonstrated by careful OBJ
bridge is to be so built that it viii in no
way interfere with the free navigation of
the river for the largest ships, while the
railway accommodations which it will
furnish are expected to satisfy every de-
mand for terminal facilities. Moreover,
it will not be under control Of nor its use
subject to be monopolized by any exist
ing railway interest, but will afford like
accommodations to all
Such, in brief, are the main PROPOSE
tons for public service presented by the
new corporation, which has already for
warded to Washington draft Of bin to
be presented in congress asking authority
for the bridging of the river. We are
told that this is no mere scheme advanced
by lot of prospectOrs who hope to Sc
cure valuable franchises and then wait
for something to turn up, but it is care
fully matured enterprise put forward by
practical business men who have counted
the cost and will find means to carry
their designs into early accomplishment.
Be all this as it may, one thing is GER
tain. There is great current of capital
and emigration setting southwark from
the North and East. This means an
enormous expansion of our commerce
and industries, and corresponding de-
velopment of railway business in the
South. 1t all ultimately tends to New
Orleans, which is the natural gateway
between the great fruitful heart of the
continent and the nations to the south of
us. In the not distant future there must
be a great and constantly increasing
gathering of ships and railways at this
port. It viii be necessary that all roads
shall have Che most intimate intercom-
munication, and at the same time be able
to approach the ships as near as possible.
To do all this without delivering the
entire river front to a few railways while
the balance are entirely crowded out is
the problem. To provide not only for
the present but for the future with its
enormous probabilities, and to give equal
facilities to all, while at the same time
the river front is preserved and protected
for all the other great uses of commerce,
is a question of supreme Importance
To solve this problem, to answer sue
cessfully all the difficult questions
which arise out of it and to pro-
vide fairly for the interests of all con-
cerned, is what is essayed by the cor
pOratiOn which now comes before the
public. That it can do all that is prom
ised remains to be seen, but the under
taking is one which will attract a large
share of public attention. The Picayune
will hereafter investigate the matter and
keep its readers posted on what may 6urn
out to be something very interesting.