Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1857-02-28
The Opelol.sas Railroad.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The OpelOusas Railroad.
Not having been favored with copy Of
he annual report Of the affairs Of this road,
We copy the following synopsis from the
columns Of the Delta:
The last or fifth annual report Of the
President and Directors Of this road show
i to be in satisfactory condition, finan.
:ially, and in promising state Of forward
ness towards ultimate completion for
at least, considering the coma
lose state in which railroad enterprises ia
general have languished for several years
past in this State.
Reviewing the operations Of the Com.
pany for 1856, the report informs US that
he idea entertained in the beginning OF
he year of disseminating the road for a
lime At Bayou Beuf and commencing a
separate link at New Iberia to connect
with Opelousas, the Directory deemed it
expedient to abandon, and to complete the
road and place it in running order between
Algiers and Berwick's Bay. After OBJ
serving that the latter measure would soon
be accomplished, and the connection com.
plete in March next. the report continues !:
We will then have we'll built and well
equipped road from Algiers to Berwick s
Bay, susceptible Of separate and profitable
until the connections can be
made beyond.
The extension Of the road to Berwick S
Bay has ever been considered as Of the
greatest importance to the city Of New
Orleans, in view Of efecting shorter and
safer communication than we have here.
toforc had with the ports Of Texas and
Mexico. by the establishment Of line Of
steamships ia connection with il. The
distance from New Orleans by the railroad
to Berwick's Bay, and thence to the bar
Of the Atcba!alaya, is about the same as
from The city to The Southwest Pass Of the
Mississippi River, and the saving Of dis.
lance BY the sea to Galveston is about 100
miles, besides avoiding the more danger
Gus part Of Tho voyage. The attention o.
the Board was, therefore, early given 10
the advantage. likely to result to the road
BY an arrangement. the object OF which
would be to divert the ,chole frauei and a
portion Of the freight, from the longer and
more hazardous route, to the shorter and
safer one.
The report then alludes 10 a proposal
made by The Southern steamship Com
pany, and accepted BY the Directory, FOL
running one ship ia connection with the
road to Galveston, with the privileges o
stopping at Sabine Bay. and providing thai
the passenger faro BY the river and roac
routes should be the same, unless ships
should be placed on the river by o.he'
parties in competition with them. So un
promising, however, did this arrangement
appear afterwards. that it suited both par
ties to agree to terminate It by thirty day:
notice from either side; aud a contrac
was subsequently, entered into, in Novem
her last, with Cornelius Vanderbilt, BY
which the latter binds himself to run lins
Of steamships semi weekly, tri-werkly o
daily. according TO the exigencies Of trade
between the terminus at Berwick 5 Bay ant
the ports Of Texas; and two ships, oh
serves tho report, now being built express
u for this business, will be placed on tn
line BY tho LIST Of March. This agree
ment is to exist and to be exclusive as Il
the party Of the second part Vanderbilt
until tho Let Of March 1862, lwhen il ma,
be renewed for further period Of fiv'
years, unless tho party Of The first par
elect to purchase at that time the steamer
and other property used by the secon'
party, at a valuation to be fixed by tire,
disin,erest ed appraisers. With respect t
passage and freight on the joint througl
line il i stipulated Is follows: "a
The through rates Of passage and freigh
between New Orleans and said Texa'
ports isto be regulated and determined B.
the party Of the SECOND gpart. of whicl
through rates the parties1ofs tho first pa'
are to receive twenty per cent. Of the eros
amoont Of passage money, and fifty Pc
Icenl. Of the gross amount Of freight money
and the partyio Of the second part Is 10 re
lceiys eighty par cent. Of the gross amou'l
of passage money, and city per cent. Of th
gross amount Of freight money Liz
stock. which Is to constitute no part Of th
lthrough business provided 6r BY The abov
psoporiionais division, IS to be transporte
81 the parties u The firss pan to and frog
tho said steamers, from and 70 Nav o.
leaas,s 1t the, hwsst rates mot 70 excee
itwo dollars psr head for beef cattle. v'sa
+ Il :. .l.. .N:cs,l.tn1 th.t Nkaz n~v4v a