New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-09
baton rouge MISUNDERSTANDING Renor.

mittee on Internal improvements, to which was re- =
erred the subject Of State subscription for cpsth Of
Railroad Company, beg leave to make the following
report:
The minority are OF the opinion that the New Or.
leans and Baton Rouge Railroad is q work Of great
nubc utility and that the interests Of the State REQUIRE
its immediate construction. The company was ncor.
porated by act of the Legislature dated April rs,
1855 with capital Of one million OF dollars. The
proposed railroad has been surveyed aud located and
the line for ceapness of construction and efficiency
for the action oflocomotye engines superior to that
Of any railroad in the State. The railroad will leave
out single DETECTION from straight line, fortyfve
miles in length, will reach and unite with the New
Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad, near
the fortysixth mile post Thus the whole distance
which 46 miles are already constructed land in daily
use, and leaving only As miles to be built.
The road will pass nearly through the center Of the
parishes of East Baton Rouge and Livingston, and
for more than twenty-five miles over valuable public
lands The undersigned well assured that ii the
road is commenced at this time, grant Of one hun
dred thousand acres may be readily procured from
Congress to aid in its construction indeed, it's well
known that the grant was only deferred last year in
default of the commencement OF the work. The I'M
dersigned have it on good authority that wealthy con-
tractors have proposed to build the railroad complete
and stock it with machinery for the sum OF 81 600
per me-which is about $1,000 per mile less than
the average cost of railroads in the United States In
addition to the foregoing very reasonable proposal,
the contractors will receive half payment III stock OF
the company, and take the bonds of the State and
the bonds Of the city of Baton Rouge at par value
and only dem nd payment for work actually done.
The balance required, say 100000, will be readily
provided by private subscriptions Thus the railroad
, may be built, and the public grant OF lands become
, an unencumbered property to the company, in which
the State will be onefth owner. We have said thus
much to prove the feasibility of the scheme and the
absolute importance of State aid in order that may
be speedily accomplished. We would now call the
attention Of the Legislature to its Importance TO the
public, and the strong and equitable claims Of the
:, company for State aid.
Tie convention of 1915 removed the capital of the
. State from New Orleans to Baton Rouge; and the
convention of 1852 refused to restore it, In both in
stances, however, powerful minority were opposed
to the will of the majority. So deeply dissatisfied
was large portion Of the State ut the Inconvenience
produced by the change OF the seat Of Government
that the Legislature in 1855 passed an act that poll
should be taken to ascertain the sense of the people
with reference to change. The vote, so taken, was
recorded in favor of REMOVAL and against t,t and it
is well understood that thousands of voters were
4 ouly influenced in voting against the removal in CON
sideration of the heavy expense which would attend
IS the measure Nothing was left, for a powerful mi
> norty, but submission under great dissatisfaction;
IL continual strife for relief-uness some practical
10 the passions of the discontinued and relieve society
from acknowledged oppression. 1t is the opinion Of
the undersigned that the Baton Rouge Railroad would
e accomplish the desired end that those opposed to
the seat of Government being at New Orleans would
" remain contented with its location at Baton Rouge,
o while those of different opinion would be satisfied
1T by virtual removal of their principal grounds Of OBJ
If lection. The compromise would, also, be effected
\ without cost to the State for the subscription Is not
III gilt but only an investment in enterprise which
o. individuals will venture four dollars where the State
If is asked to venture oneand that only after the
,e private stockholders have actually paid in their four
II fhs What better guarantee can one partner have
of the honesty Of another than his willingness to
III ture four dollars TO one and pay II in ddUance?
Ks By reference to the journals o. the Senate and
Y House Of Representatives will be that vast
amount Of legislation is at present done by little
more than quorum OF either House and by carry
ing the investigation further, it will appear that
many important measures pass las the will Of the
Legislature, which would have been rejected if fair
expression in numbers had been given. One of the
greatest practical evils in present system Of egs
laton arises from absenteesm; and If the absentces
nj placed it would be found average, that
no less than three-fourths of them were in New
e' Orleans The constitution has removed the Legisla
ture from New Orleans and the Legislature has deter
mined that its stBgs shall be at period of the year
Id when all classes of the city most bsy engaged
in their respective calngs; great personal sacrifices
must be made, or only idiers or men OF leisure EN-
IN poyed representatives. The representatives from
the country have all more or less business in the
or ey, and when the voluntary absence Of members is
viewed in connection with the large and numerous
travelling committees employed in investigating pub
lie institutions and interests we may readily account
for the meagre attendance in the legislative halls.
Id 1t may be said that increased facilities for travelling
between the capital and the city, would have the ten
es denGy to depetc still further our legislative halls If
the absence of members results from pleasureseeking
or ldcnesS such might be the consequence but if alb
sence arises from business necessity the time saved
in travelling would be restored to the account of ees-
laton. AT this OF theyear, the voyage between
New Orleans and Baton Rouge is frequently doubled
in time from figs, and the uncertainty of the arrival
nd OF boats at Baton Rouge for downward passengers,
causes hours OF suspense and delay fatal to
TO, ton to business though the member waiting were
actually absent.
y. By the construction of railroad the time of tray
cling between New Orleans and Baton Rouge will he
ST. reduced to three hours and the three dollars
member having business in New Orleans may leave
this place at O'Clock in the afternoon, and reach the
city ut seven If it necessary to be in his the
next day, he may answer to his name at ten in the
morning. The reports ofthe proceedings of the Legis
atIe OF to-day, will reach the city at early hour
in the evening, and be spread your desks in the
morning through the city press. If an important
measure is to be considered tomorrow every absentee
in New Orleans may rely with mechanical certainty
on being present at roll-cal The advantages which
would be secured to legislation under such condition
of affairs, would be numerous and important. 1t is not
the purpose OF this report to enumerae them, or to
argne them-bnt to endeavOr to arouse the mind OF
each member of the House to ADMINISTRATION
Other branches of the Government viii be aided by
the construction of this railroad The officers of the
State, residing at Baton Rouge would be enabled tC
transact their business with more ease and dispatch
while all persons having business at the capital from
the sheriff of parish to the simple citizen who visits
the land Office or any other department of State
would reap advantages by the saving of time and
money.
1t is due to the citizens at Baton Rouge that the
question of removing the seat of Government should
be settled especially when many benefits t. the
State at large resultlrom the act The railroad built
and the public mind relieved from constant appre
henson Of legislative injury Baton Rouge would
within ten years, quadrupe its population, aud in
crease tentod in wealth. There is spot in Louisi
ana better suited for the concentration OF the various
institutions which enter a principal element il
modern civilization, and there is no State in ths
Union which requires more than Louisiana, a tow
where citizens retired from the active pursuits o
business may enjoy the repose of mature life, and de
vote both money and experience to fostering arts
sciences and morality-paying to posterity the obi
cations inherited from their fathers, and contributing
in turn their mite towards the progress of mankind.
The railroad has other claims on the Legislature
growing out of the local advantages which its con
struction will confer on the parishes of East Batol
Rouge and Livingston, and the facilities it will aflor
to all the Florida parishes in communicating with tn
seat Of Government.
We beg leave to conclude this report with a fey
remarks on the moral obligations of the Legislator
to grant the aid of the State in the construction Of hi
railroad
In 1853 the Legislature, in obedience to the vel
known wishes of the people, determined to gran
substantial aid to several important railroads whic
had been projected in different sections of the State