research by Charlie London

On July 18th, 1903, the Times Picayune scolded the New Orleans Public Belt Commission for inaction. Almost exactly two years later on July 1st, 1905 the first spike was driven to build the twenty miles of the New Orleans Public Belt. It would be two more years before the New Orleans Public Belt would begin operation on October 1st, 1907.

Click on the bond for a larger view and photo credit.

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Wilkes Barre Times
July 10, 1905

An innovation in the matter of providing transportation facilities for a great city under public ownership and control was inaugurated at New Orleans on July 1, what the “first spike” was driven in the ties of the Public Belt Railroad. This railroad, which is to be twenty miles long, will encircle New Orleans, connecting all lines of railway and all docks and wharves, rendering the handling of that city’s growing commerce a simpler and more economical problem than ever before, and apparently placing New Orleans on par as regards freight handling with the best situated cities in this or any other country. The speakers at the ceremonies attending the formal beginning of this work all spoke hopefully and confidently of the great benefits to accure to New Orleans trade and industry from the working of this railroad, which is looked upon as likely to cheapen the cost of handling of freight, open large areas of waste land to settlement, attract great numbers of manufacturing enterprises to the city, and give to New Orleans the absolute command and management of a large part of the vast incoming and outgoing commerce of the Mississippi valley.

Click here to read the original Wilkes Barre Times article from July 10, 1905.

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Photo courtesy the NOPB website. Click on the photo to go to the NOPB’s website.

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TIMES PICAYUNE
July 18, 1903

THE ALLEGED PUBLIC BELT RAILROAD

The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commissioners, or Board of Managers, had a meeting yesterday. This body had not been heard from for so long a time that few citizens knew of its existence, but, nevertheless, there is such a body.
It does not appear that anything was accomplished by the meeting save the asking of some questions. The city has $50,000 to be devoted to the building of the road, but matters are in such a condition that it is doubtful if th Board can do anything or that it possesses any functions.
The road, as far as it is built, is virtually under the control of the New Orleans and San Francisco Railroad alias the New Orleans Terminal Company, or something of that sort, but doubtless that concern would not object to the city spending $50,000 in construction or other benefits for that Company.
The actual construction of the road should not cost more than a couple or three thousand dollars a mile, but below the head of Elysian Fields Street there is private property that would have to be bought to secure a right of way. The cost of this would probably be far beyond the immediate ability of the city to pay. But the Belt Road has become so seriously entangled through the city ordinance and the decisions of the courts that in order to discover and determine what, if any, rights and functions may survive to the Belt Railroad Board, further litigation may be required. It seems, however, that there is nothing for the city to do but to wait the pleasure of the double-headed corporation that has been given control of the matter.

Click here to view the original Times Picayune article from July 18, 1903
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New Orleans Item
August 8, 1907
OFFICIAL NOTICE – Office of Public Belt R.R. Commission, Rooms 21-22, City Hall, New Orleans, LA, Aug. 1, 1907.
To the Public:
Notice is hereby given that the Public Belt Railway owned by the City of New Orleans will begin operation on the river front of the City of New Orleans in the section extending from Jefferson Parish line to Montegut street on the first day of October, 1907.
MARTIN BEHRMAN
Mayor of New Orleans and President
Public Belt R.R. Commission
Click here to see the original New Orleans Item newspaper page from August 8, 1907 where this article was found.
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Montgomery Advertiser
August 5, 1908

AT A STANDSTILL

NEW PUBLIC BELT RAILROAD of NEW ORLEANS IDLE

New Orleans, Aug 1 – Although it was supposed to have begun operations yesterday morning the new Public Belt Railroad remains at a standstill, owing to the big trunk systems entering this port having refused to turn cars over to the city’s road unless it is recognized by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
The Public Belt road failed to conform with the rules of the commission in filing its tariffs and the trunk lines decline to co-operate for fear of getting into trouble. It was decided tonight that City Attorney Gilmore of New Orleans should go to Washington and confer with the members of the Interstate Commerce Commission with a view to adjusting matters.

Click here to view the original Montgomery Advertiser article from August 5, 1908.
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Times Picayune
June 14, 1910

THAT THE RAILROAD COMMISSION MAY SIT
IN NEW ORLEANS.

The Louisiana State Railroad Commission was intended to be an extremely important factor in the public administration and economy of the state. It was modeled generally upon the plan of the United States Interstate Commerce Commission, being charged with much the same duties as the national commission, with the difference that the functions of one are wholly confined to the settlement of controversies between railroads and complainants strictly within the state, while the other’s jurisdiction extends to interstate, and national relations of the railroads with parties concerned with them.
Article 263 of the State Constitution, which creates the Railroad Commission, provides that the said body shall have its office and domicile at Baton Rouge, but “may meet and hold regular or special hearings at such other places as they may find necessary,” and it would seem to be entirely within the right and duty of the State commission to emulate the example of the national body, which holds such hearings in various cities of th Union.
To this end there had been submitted to the Legislature now in session a concurrent resolution, setting forth that whereas regular hearings or sessions of the Railroad Commission in said City of New Orleans would be of great benefit to the city and port of New Orleans and the state at large, it is the sense of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana that the Railroad Commission of Louisiana be requested to hold regular hearings or sessions in the City of New Orleans four times each year, said sessions to begin on the first Monday in January, April, July, and October, and to continue until all matters brought before said commission are disposed of.
As the City of New Orleans does not wish, even if it were possible, to monopolize the services of the commission, it is entirely willing that the resolution proposed should embrace Shreveport and such other cities of the state as might really need the presence of his important body to have hearings there, but it must be remembered that the commission is a constitutional body and is subject to no statutory control in this matter, but is allowed to exercise its discretion in holding such local hearings.
But the Picayune believes that the members of the commission are wholly devoted to promoting the public welfare in the discharge of their duties and that they would find it to their own advantage as well as that of the state in holding such sessions and hearings. For instance, in such a hearing, it often is the case that witnesses must testify and records be examined, and it is far from convenient to have them all on hand at Baton Rouge when some of them may be required here in the performance of their regular functions.
There is no question that the national commission finds its work greatly facilitated in holding sessions at the localities where controversies have arisen, and doubtless so would our state commission.
It is therefore, of great importance that the Legislature should give an expression on the subject without undertaking the serious action of providing for an amendment of the Constitution, and confidence is warranted in believing that the commission would recognize the general desire so expressed.

Click here to read the June 14, 1910 article in the Times Picayune about the Railroad Commission.
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Photo courtesy Karen Reuther Smuck
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today (December 15, 2011) that 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico will receive a total of $511 million from the third round of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s popular TIGER program, including $16,738,246 for the Port of New Orleans that “will rebuild a specialized rail yard at the Louisiana Avenue terminal along the Mississippi River. The overall project has two components: construction of a new 12-acre freight rail intermodal terminal; and resurfacing and fortifying a 4-acre storage yard that is used for ultra-heavy project cargoes.The project’s objective is to reduce congestion, facilitate the movement of marine and rail cargo, stimulate international commerce, and maintain an essential port asset in a state of good repair.”

Also announced was $9,814,700. The project will deploy Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) improvements on and around four highway bridges that span the Mississippi River in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The bridges include the Helena Bridge (US-49, MS & AR); the Greenville Bridge (US-82, MS & AR); the Vicksburg Bridge (I-20, MS & LA); and the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge (US-84, MS & LA). The improvements include dynamic messaging signs, vehicle detection devices, closed-circuit television, highway advisory radio, and other fiber optic connections that will coordinate communication across the bridges. The project will also include real-time river monitoring systems that will provide information for barges traveling beneath the bridges.

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/dot16511a.html

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/FY2011TIGER.pdf