Over the hills and valleys, far away it went, crowding back the
savage, demanding and taking for civilized uses his domain of
wilderness, and creating new necessities--and again the inspired
genius of man gave to the world the railroad and locomotive.
The great increase in the production of cotton in the West, and which
went for a market to New Orleans, necessitated greater accommodations
for the trade in that city--presses for compressing, and houses for
merchants, where the business could be conducted with greater facility
and greater convenience. American merchants crowded to the city, and
located their places of business above Canal Street, beyond which
there was not a street paved. There was not a wharf upon which to
discharge freights, consequently the cotton bales had to be rolled
from the steamers to the levee, which in the almost continued rains of
winter were muddy, and almost impassable at times for loaded vehicles.
Below Canal Street the levee was made firm by being well shelled, and
the depth of water enabled boats and shipping to come close alongside
the bank, which the accumulating batture prevented above.
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