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In the year from July 1, 1909,
to June 30, 1910, the road inaugurated service on 185 miles of new line. This included
the 114 miles from Bogalusa to Jackson (actually Nogan), Mississippi, 41 miles from Rio, Louisiana, to Tylertown,
Mississippi, 27 miles from North Slidell, Louisiana, to Abita Springs, Louisiana, and 2 1/2 miles from West
Columbia to Columbia, Mississippi. From Nogan, Mississippi to Jackson, a distance of 4 1/2 miles,
the line of the Illinois Central was to be used under a trackage agreement. Terminal
facilities of the IC in Jackson were to be used under lease also. The beginning of through service from Bogalusa to Jackson brought drastic
changes in rates charged by the New Orleans Great Northern, as well as great increases in tonnage hauled.
In 1909 the New Orleans Great Northern moved 13,245,548 ton miles of freight an average of 41 miles
at an average charge of 2.86 cents per ton mile. In 1910, the road moved 59,932,045 ton-miles
an average of 77 Miles and collected 1.78 cents per ton-mile. In 1909 the average train
contained 20 cars, 14 of which were loaded with a total of 216 tons per train or about 16 tons per car.
These averages increased in 1910 to 23 cars per freight train with a total of 262 tons per train or
about 19 tons per car. When construction work on the New Orleans Great Northern ceased, the road showed 243 miles of owned
main track which had been built and equipped at an average charge of $64,424 per mile. Of
this, $30,352 was in common stock, $32,072 was in 5 per cent bonds, and the remainder was in equipment obligations
and short-term notes. The company had outstanding $7,500,000 in stock, of which Crescent
City Construction Company owned $6,870,000. The line had 181 miles of 85-pound rail, 41 miles of 70-pound
rail, and 21 miles of 60-pound rail. The road operated some 35 miles of main track under
lease agreements. This was the mileage from Slidell to New Orleans and from Nogan to Jackson,
Mississippi. http://acmeme.com/gmo/chapter___xxi.htm
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