The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-05-28
RAILROADS..
Some Facts About the Most
Important Factors
Ii the Progress OF the Com
rnercial interests
Of the Crescent City-The
Important Part They
Play in the Handling Of the
Commerce Of the Metrop-
oils of the South.

ttN cites the size OA New Jt-4tsekl KS
have the railroad facilities that the
Queen City OF the South has. Ten
lines Of railroads enter the city ana
with their connections give it COM
munication with every city and town
In the Emitted States, and a good pof-
ton Of MeXicO-are The great veins
through which the already great and
rapidly increasing commerce OF this
southern terminus and shipping point
surges back and forth to and from
the various commercial centres OF
the Union. The volume OF business
transacted by the city through these
ten railroads throughout the year is
stupendous II its magnitude. and is
a. certain indication Of the rery
healthy condition of the commerce OF
the Crescent City.
While the Introduction of the rail-
roads has been very disastrous TO
the Mississippi river trade. the gen
eral increase in the business u the
city has been so enormous that there
is still sufficient 70 keep the river
freight craft-the barge lines manipu-
lated by the big towhoa ts-busy
throughout the entire year, ana the
commercial world has enjoyed for
the past twenty years or more the
superior transportation facilities OF
the railroads. to which Is due al
most entirely the great increase in
the commerce Of the city.
The monster packets that ply the
waters Of the mighty Mississippi and
have made the Father Of Waters
world-famed, still enjoy a very fine
patronage particularly IN the summer
time, but the bulk Of the business
that arrives at this point comes by
rail, induced by facilities that are not
surpassed by the railroad facilities
Of any city in the Union. The roads
jealousy guard the interests II the
city, and ii is very rare thing TO
hear of one Of the lines discriminate
ing in freight rates in favor Of an
other city. without tho matter De
ing promptly cOrrected and settled -
the entire satisfaction of tne shippers.
An evidence Of the fact that the
railroads are q great factor III the
stupendous increase Of trade that il
constantly going On, Is found in the
action Of a number of them III pro-
viding free wharVes at the levee for
the vessels, and erecting, for the ac-
cOmmoda zion of the snip owners.
large elevators. improvements that
the Increase of the volume Of COM
necce ut this port made imperative.
The latest Improvements Of this ma
ture. erected by one Of the great
lines entering the city. IS the splan-
did StuyvesAnt docks and elevators,
than which there are no finer in the
country. nor any larger
Through the agency of the rail-
roads the grain trade OF the coun-
try has been drawn to this port.
where they have erected immense
elevators. and by this means afford
the shippers the advantage Of much
lower rate on through freight TO
points all over the world. than they
have hal through the eastern ports.
which has proved a great inducement
and is rapidly drawing the bulk of
the grain trade to this port
Not only has this city been greatly,
lmmeasurably. benefited by these
great arteries of trade but the en-
tire State has undergone a general
advancement Of every commercial IN
terest through their agency, In the
past year hundreds Of news towns,
farms and villages have sprung up
all over the State. and are fiourishing,
all directly due to the advance Of
the railroads. which are constantly
encouraging the immigration II this
section, of the thrifty people of the
frozen North and the sun-scorched
West
New Orleans being the metropolis
Of the state, it is naturally greatly
benefited BY this increase Of settle
ments. for the products of the farms
are poured into it as a market and
the supplies Of the farmers are there
fore purchased here. y great boon,
indeed. have the railroads proven TO
the commerce Of the state and Of
New Orleans in particular. and 10y
~. L. s.f
has been shown them. ana the con-
cessions that have been made them
in this city, for It owes them much.
Some interesting facts concerning
the great lines entering New Or
leans will be found in the following
individual treatiseS:
ILLINOIS CENTRAL.
One of the finest railroad systems
in the country. and one that has done
an inestimable amount OF improve
ment IN the south. Is the Illinois
Central railroad. TraveTsing ten
States with a mileage of over 1000
miles of tracks along which there
are plentifully distributed millions of
thriving stations. towns and cities
that owe TO it the greater part of
their prosperity, the Illinois Central
is a prime factor in the enormous adj
vancement of the commercial inter-
eSts Of New Orleans.
IS an induceT of immigration it is
unexcelled. All of the very fertile
country through which it passes has
become thckiy populated through the
enterprise Of this most. progressive
road. Ever encouraging new enter
prses. many Of which il has Itself
taken the lead H. and ~constantly
seeking to populate the unsettled
country along its lines through en-
couraging the immigration from the
North and West of the thrifty farm
ing classes, until now there are.
standing and thriving, living mile
stones of its progress, innumerabie
towns. villages and cities. This road
stands forth well IN front as the most
progressive Of the progressive roads
0f this country, and one OF the great
est benefaetors the Cres ent City
has among the railways that enter
her portals.
The Illinois Central railroad IS ex-
cepticnally wen equipped at New
Orleans for the handling Of both i'm
port and export business. having ela-
vatOrs and docks q Southport, Stuy-
vesant docks. a fruit wharf and
twenty-five freight houses within the
city limits Of New Orleans. In addi-
ton 20 these facilities the system
has a mileage of 1924 miles. reaching
over its own rails such prosperous
cities as Memphis. Louisville. Pa
ducah. Cairo. St Louis, Nation,
Champaign, Kankakee. Decatur,
Springfield. Bloomington, LaSalle.
Dixon. Rockford, Freeport, III. Madi-
son and Dodgeville. Wis, Dubuque.
Cedar Rapids. Waterloo, Fort Dodge.
Cherokee and Sioux City, Ia, and
Sioux Falls, s. D.
In . direct line running from Chi