NP, HT 5/29/1861

From the Houston Telegraph
 
May 29, 1861
 
The Texas & New Orleans Railroad
   On Saturday last the Texas Division of the Texas & New Orleans Railroad was completed to this city. It may not, perhaps, be considered out of place to direct public attention to some important features of this great enterprise.
   The whole distance from Houston to New Orleans is about three hundred and forty miles. Of this distance there are now one hundred and eighty miles of completed road, and forty miles more (Brashear to New Iberia) ready for the iron, leaving but one hundred and twenty miles to be built.
   Houston, as the railroad centre of Texas, will, when the whole road is completed, pour a trade over it of enormous proportions. Already there are spreading out in four directions from it, railroads in the aggregate 280 miles in length, besides this under consideration, striking to the heart of the great sugar region, the great stock region, the great cotton region, and ultimately the great wheat region of this State. Other roads are projected to become the channel of trade for all Eastern Texas, and all these roads must be the feeders of the New Orleans road, when once it goes into operation. As the connecting link between the railroad system of Texas and the commercial metropolis of the Confederacy, the importance of this road cannot well be over-estimated. As giving the people of Texas a means of rapid communication inland with the rest of the world, its importance comes home to every citizen. But there is another feature of it to which we have before directed public attention, and which must not be lost sight of.
   The project of a Pacific Railroad has long occupied the attention of the people. Such a road is regarded of high importance, not only to the people of this continent, but to the commercial nations of the world, and it has ever been believed that when such a road should be built, it would become the channel of the world's commerce. Four years ago we began discussing this matter, and in articles in this paper from that time to this, we have time and again set forth the considerations by which we were led to regard the T. & N. O. R. as a link in the line of roads which would first reach the Pacific Ocean. These considerations were briefly that this route was shorter by thirteen hundred miles than any other; that the various links were in the hands of local Companies, none of them having an unwieldy enterprise in their hands, and each link promising to be profitably operated on its local business; that each of these links being the work of private corporations, would be more rapidly and more satisfactorily completed than a lengthy road, depending on the public purse for its means of construction, that the eastern half of the road was in immediate connection with not less than three thousand miles of the Atlantic coast, to all parts of which great trunk railroads would be to it but branches over which the wealth of the whole world would flow; that the Western terminus of the route (Guaymas) is the most central point on the Pacific coast, alike accessible to the North and South Pacific, and to Asia, Australia and all the rich islands of half the globe; that of the whole length, one-fourth part would be built before any other route would be practically commenced, and that the whole would, in all probability, be completed before any other route could be put into operation five hundred miles; and finally, that whatever public attention was given to other routes, and public aid voted, all would be absorbed by managers, who, without a reasonable hope of living to see the enterprise completed, and of realizing anything from their labors, would fill their own pockets one after another, and successively leave the work more and more exhausted, while this enterprise would be all the while vigorously pushed ahead, its managers knowing the success awaiting them, very well affording to let the public attention be turned where it would. The reader can say whether we have judged the matter correctly.
   The fact is that from New Orleans to Brashear 80 miles of road are in operation. From Brashear to New Iberia 40 miles are graded. From New Iberia to Madison a link of 116 miles is wanting. From Madison to Houston 100 miles are in operations. From Houston to Columbus 80 miles are in operation. From New Orleans to Guaymas is 1340 miles, and Columbus is 420 miles on the direct road.
   But leaving the ultimate object out of view, as a military matter the completion of the 156 miles now wanting of this road in Louisiana should have the most immediate attention of the people. The cost of this road would not be more than two millions of dollars. Texas, in the present war may have but little of the attention of the enemy. What little they promise on our Northern frontier, will not afford enough exercise to our hardy people of that region to keep their hand in. Meanwhile we have 30,000 men who are eager for the fray. Should New Orleans be threatened the advantage of having these 30,000 men at hand ready to go at the call of government, but not on expense to the government while waiting is most manifest. The completion of this road and the establishment of a line of telegraph over it and from this point to the centers of population in the interior, would enable us to throw at least 20,000 men into New Orleans in ten days time. The expense alone of keeping these 20,000 men by the government six weeks would pay for the railroad. 
   But while this may be the case, the Government and the public should not shut their eyes to the certainty if the war is continued, of Texas being made one of the principal theatres of the conflict. If the war is continued, it can only be with the object of destroying our institutions. The idea of a cordon of free population around the slave territory has long occupied the attention of the black republican statesmen. The United States in pursuit of this policy, intend to throw troops into Mexico, ostensibly to defend that country from filibusters. Mr. Corwin, of all others, was the man to go to Mexico for this purpose. This done, and a war between Mexico and the Confederate States will be shortly fomented. Besides this, the landing of troops on our coast may be more readily accomplished than anywhere else in the Confederacy. The completion of this link of road, hence becomes a military necessity of the first magnitude, and one that cannot fail to have the attention of the Government.
   It does seem to us that the commercial advantages to be derived by New Orleans by an immediate connection with us, should be doubly sufficient to lead the capitalists there to put this enterprise at once through. But if not this, as a guarantee of having a large force at hand for the defence of their city, this work greatly demands their attention. And if these things are not enough to build the road, the government at Montgomery owes it to its own safety to take it in hand, and in some way put its early completion beyond a peradventure. That this will be done we cannot now doubt.
   While the capitalists of New Orleans have been pouring thousands into the "Southern Pacific" speculation, without securing the completion of a visible mile of the 2800 miles of that road, and while that road, even if completed, would be of little practical advantage to that city, our enterprising railroad men have actually built a 180 miles of a Pacific road, having New Orleans as a terminus, and which, with all the rest, promises to pour the trade of the whole empire of Texas into their laps! And now the enterprise wants a little aid from them. Will they give it?
   They now have eighty miles of Railroad running West. Let them build 150 miles more, and they will be in immediate connection with 410 miles now built in Texas, making in all 644 miles of railway. As a matter of comparatively local commerce, the importance of this road is very great. As a matter of more extended commerce, its importance to New Orleans is of vast magnitude, while as a military necessity to the Government, it throws every other enterprise into the shade.
   We cannot close this article without paying a just tribute of praise to the man who originated, and has pushed this enterprise thus far towards completion. Regarded by many as a schemer, he has alone and without money, built up an enterprize which has made him famous. In the face of opposition, and coldness from many who should have been most ready to aid him, he obtained his charter, organized his company, and has built his road. He has as yet but begun to realize the object of his ambition. Future years will point to A. M. Gentry, as one of the most farsighted and practical of the railroad men of the age, while the whole world will rejoice in the reality of his great projects.

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