Year: 1859

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CITY RAILROAD QUESTION.


As the metropolitan public is universally aware,
the discussion Of the street railroad question in New
Orleans, within the last few months, has been ex.
tensive and thorough. All the points were touched
upon from time to time; and the conclusion gem
orally arrived at was that we must havea system of
street railroads. not so much in regard to the re-
plenishment of the City Treasury by any sale of any
contract which might take place. as to replenish it
by the enhancement of the value Of real estate which
1t was supposed would follow the proposed improve
ment, as well as to add to the convenience of the
community at large, by bringing the upper and lower
portions Of our widely extended city in halfhour's
communion with each other.


30 far as we understand the subject, the conven-
ience to the people, and the incident and general
benefits which were expected to result from linking
the remote parts Of the metropolis in iron bands,
the principal causes which aroused the widespread
enthusiasm which prevailed and led the late Com
mon Council to deliberate and judicous consideration
in the premises. Seeing that the people whom they
represented, were nearly II not quite unanimous in
this behalf the Council after long but proper delibe.
ration, concluded upon plan. That plan was duly
advertised more than sixty days. All our citizens
all our home contractors-al the contractors from
abroad-all enterprsing men generally everywhere
had full and fair opportunity to consider the propo.
stion presented them, and no doubt considered it
well and thoroughly.


The result of the protracted advertisement for
bonus offerings amounted to two bids-one from q
citizen OF Philadelphia, offering $4,000, and another
from one OF our own home citizens, Offering SIS 900
AS both OF the gentlemen supposed to know their
| own business best and as we know the New Orleans
man to be sensible, practical business man, it is
quite likely they made their offers proportonate to
the immense risks they would be obliged to run. We
| imagine the proposed street railroads will not cost
less than three hundred thousand dollars. This is
vast amount for really solvent man to invest in the
contingencies Of the future, and well does it behove
him to be cautious before he hazards certainty for
an uncertainty. Because street railroads have paid
well in the densely popnlated-the four five six and
seven hundred thousand souled cities of the North


it does not follow, by any means, that they would be
| remarkably remunerative in the largely territorial
but sparsey populated, comparatively speaking, city
| of New Orleans. short or long railroad, that
would pay splenddly in Philadelphia, would not be
gin to pay well in New Orleans, for the sound
and ample reason that it would be patronized by five
travellers there where it would be paronized by one
traveller here. Therefore, we can only compare the
system there and the proposed system here, rela
lively, If we would arrive at the truth When q
sufficiency of population settles along the lnes OF
adjacent the railroads. they will be remunerative ac
cordingly. But, on the other hand, it should be
borne in mind that the original contractor may bank
rupt himself and be sold out, before his road com
mences paying profits and thus net only lose the
capital he has invested but be deprived of all pros
poets in the future.


But we find we are digressing, when we intended
to be stringenty concise, and to speak only of the
main point at issue-he necessity for street railroads
The Comptroller duly adudicated the sale, and on
Tuesday last the Finance Committee and the Com
mttee on Streets and Landings of the Board of AS
sistant Aldermen reported against the propositions
The report was accompanied by resolution reject
ing the bids, and both were adopted. The action o
the Assistants is before the Board of Aldermen
and will come up for concurrence or rejection OF
Tuesday evening next This we believe, is thu
exact state Of the case as it now stands.


For our part, believing that the tax payers ant
public of New Orleans would sooner have the rail
roads commenced at once than risk the precariou
venture OF new advertisement for proposals. in
order to obtain if possible, but not very probable an
additional bonus of ten or fifteen thousand dollars
more at the outside-we trust the Board of Alder
men will refuse to concur in the rejection by th
Board of Assistant Aldermen of the highest BIZ
made, and that the latter body will after proper re
Election, withdraw their objections, and accept th
best proposal rendered.


There is little to be gained, but much to be lost, b
delay. Suppose an interval of sixty days shoul
intervene before satisfactory bid of thirty thou san
dollars-assuming that thirty thousand would be sal
isactory-could be obtained, we hold that the della
would occasion a loss and an inconvenience, tina
neither fifteen nor fifty thousand dollars would beg
repay. 1t would be the falsest economy the Cour
Gil could possibly practice, and would justly subjec
them to animadverson.


! Then, in the event of such delay, the work woul
be commenced as the business season approached
and several of our largest thoroughfares would b
. torn up and rendered comparatively .impassabl
during the very heart of that business season. Th
] would occasion infinite damage and a loss of man


thousands of dollars. But let the work be prosecute
now-and we assured that the highest bidder wi
go to work at once--in connection with the soil
pavement we are now putting down, and much of th


loss, annoyance and inconvenience that will otherwis
, certainly follow, will be avoided.