The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-07-17

The Cairo and Fulton sad, and none other, is the
rival TO be feared iby sew0rleans, and the Great
#8s8jiE3g3iefs Texas, via the ine adopted, wilt be the only
&99NN Alhiish can sucf ssfulIy compete with that road.
S#SRIekkks afoate I'D aceomIDiish this, and if the
\ B I n Ea e ; son r I'D III asessd Y surrender a 4
Nffyy{4aS tfSde and lolnrnerce of s1sxas, =
w6Hf6 advise them to lister
III this very article, makes The fatal
admission, that Sc per ton per mile will have
10 be charged fur freight; and he has kindly
furnished. the distances for his W discoffl-
future. sss1
Jet Us then nse his 4 clubs Y:
/ ton frofn. Hillaboro to Cairo at 80 per
ton from Hllsboro to Galveston BY the
Texas Central Railroad, about $50 nj. same
rate. rs. ia. 4. M. W.. ~. 1855. N an. 7s5o
piasrence. .... Il 4. ii II
And Cairo is right Id the center Of the con
tineut d mere place 0f tranS-shipment for fufthers
inland transportation, and not Of consumption,
while Galveston and NewQrieans are seaports,
as well as places DIT consumption.
Comment is unnecessary. Those who wish
to apply the test TO other places can do SO. ]
rejoice that Mr.. u. has furnished il, Us | in
tended he should.
Again, / state the idea TINT even IT heavy
freight were to come out Of Texas towards N.
@. via Rnrkville, that q branch might be built
from the elbow near Chieotville 70 miles 10
Red hIssUer. and druW of SAID JfeigAt to 60
down by the much cheaper transportation Of
that stream and forspoth Mr. B. sneers at tile
idea Of is turning off and going " 3 miles 10
Alexandria on Red River / made no refer
ence to Alexandria. Ii il about 20 miles from
the Ghiootville elbow to the nearest point on
Red River, and about 300 miles from that to
NeWOfleans and il is nearly 200 miles from
the said elbow by the road. Recolecting that
The cost Of The water carriage would not be
over one cent per mile, any one can make the
Ecalcnlation. allowing what MIR. b. is correct
In, i. q. a difference IN insurance though be
much 0Yerstates IL Ill bis estimate. As to the
cost Of handling, which Mr. b. seems 70 think
l do not consider, / remark, that it is included
in The cost Ut freight.
lie makes an erroneous comparison of the
cost Of carrying freight from 0pelousas to n.
q. by the two routes proposed. but succeeds in
demonstrating what ( have always asserted,
that this freight would mainly I'D BY bouts,
and not by railroad AT all. He calculates the
cost via Berwick's Bay at about 81 per ten,
Bttt MIR. d. forgeis Two or three facts which
are necessary tea just comparison. LIST. The
Great Western road will have cost about twice
as much per mile as the Crosse Tete. I'd. The
expenses 1T the latter mist be less because
among other things 1t owns the force to work
and keep up the road. Sd. | believe the Grea,
Western road has heretofore charged over AZ
per ton per milo (instead Of &c which Mr.. 3
SO willingly comedies must be charged) aud il
probably will be able to lessen the rate bu,
little, unless sold out for q reduced capital. ]
shonld rather think The talk Of pettg rivalry
here instead IF beng z absurd, z ought to b
heeded.
Mr.. 3. says nothing of the suggestion thai
the heavy freight which he thinks will come b,
his road from Texas or western Louisiana t
be shipped abroad, would be likely to sop u
I Berwick's Bay, rather than go $50 miles further
TO ~. Ga much more expensive place d
shipment. This is q question Of much interest
to NeWOrleans.
The truth is, Us / have stated, our roads
should mostly be built without reference tc
heavy freight; the reason for building then
should mainly be passengers, mails, express
matter, exceptional freight etc. etc. Ii ordinar,
freight should be obtained, so much the better
but IT can not be relied on. Mr. BIS ~inattep
ton to these views is the canse Of his thiakinp
me Inconsistent in proposing the La. Contra
road, parallel to navigation. He should re
member that IT the termint are good, q paying
road may be run through a desert sor along lht
best navigation in the world. Many instances
could be givenif necessary.
| r~eitefate that there is no charter from
Burkville to Hiilsboro; and / do not believe
that one can be obtained, with the indispensa
bic addition OF the endowment of lands aud
money which Texas has given 10 her olhet
f~oads-l0240 acres and a loan of $4,000 Il
the mile. ! give ample reasons for this belief
which Mr.. Is. does not notite. | propose, fe,
many reasons that HE Great Western co.
shall get o change of charter There being nt
charter for that purpose to 20 from New
Iberia towards Houston, and Mr.. b. SAYS in
reply"O consistency thou art II Jewell H.
seems disposed in this, us in other points, tt
tritie with serions aud important suggestions
that he can not answer.
He appears to be Inclined To almost peremp.
torily fsrbid Investigation. Discussion h.
should remember is The life Of the republic
and if his position be correct, it will add to i,
strength and perpetuity. AS to mn right &c
discuss, and the interest / feel in these matters
1 Will observe that as a citizen OF Louisiana
which OWNS Lis Of the capital of bis road "a
q eorporator Of New0rleans g%roauinp undet
Tie debt incurred, to take $~l,3oOo00 Of nj
stock and as o taxpayer in st. Landry, sued
by the Company for somewhere near 100000
TO say nothing Of many other considerations
deem il my duty, right, aud privilege, tt
warn my fellow citizens Of The probability tbal
through bad policy, the scheme will be a failure
aid the stock sunk.
Mr., b.. says / have repeatedly asseverated
that the " line via 0peluusas to Texas was
adopted solely by his ADVICE He is mistaken
never said or thought so; bal | think il j,
mainly from his influence and information
tfut IL Is persisted in. IN the same paragranl
he asks, why do not apply my Suggestion
That the people Oh uaVigab { streams do no,
want rallfeads-wate carriage being much
eheaper--to the La. Central Rad, rnnnino
%parnilel With the Mississippi, The Atcha falaya
aud Red River bat ~reiterale What Mr.. ID
kFows ! have most elaboraiely argued, in III,
very articles he promises 10 reply te. and wlai
he knuwS 10 be tue, "a railroad h,n5s he
" bailt only on a faate that Will give ann :
" business t%aeladIng both way an through i,
mail carriage, passengers, express fTsj.yl,r
$ catte etc, etc, 74satbGm aeapg {re5eht. which
is governed by different laws This il y
%sntheieni reply see " the Great Western Rail.
road No, g."