Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-06-23
CORRESPONDENCE of the Democrat.

!. p A. Roy. Eso.-Deur Sr:-In compliance
with your request, l address you a few lines IN
relation TO the Baton Rouge, Crosse Tctc and
Opclousas Railroad. its present condition., future
prospects,. etc. also enclose you an extract
from a letter which | addressed to the Hon. o.
y. Ogden sometime in the fall of SO. The per
son alluded to as being strongly in favor of the
Simmsport route. was Judge Boyce. who, am
happv to learn, is now encrgetically at work
raising the means for the speedy continuation Of
the road to Shreveport.
1t is needless to repeat in these few hasty
lines the views entertained and expressed in the
letter alluded to; [ can only add that the road
as now chartered, will serve the people of Shreve-
port and upper Red River even better than the
Vicksburg road, as it gives a more direct and
speedy communication with New Orleans than
would be obtained by that route.
1t requires no stretch of inauguration to fore
see that this is destined to he the most import
ant road ever projected in the South and Lou
isiana can indeed claim it as her road, travcrs-
ing as it will the very heart of her most fertile
lands through almost the entire length of the
State. New Orleans has more direct interest in
the completion Of this road than any other. The
crisis of 81 is Of too recent date to have been
forgotten by many Of its merchants; for if the
suspension of the navigation of Red River was
not the cause, it certainly aggravated the dis
tress, from the impossibility of getting the large
amounts of cotton out of that section of country
depending upon it for transportation to market.
Now. sir, what can Pointe Coupce do to aid
in this great enterprise: Is is not clearly her
interest to give some substantial aid? | have
no doubt that, from the fact of our taxes being
already high, many persons would at first OPP
pose the project; but. sir, that is the very reason
why l, as a citizen. would advocate our parish
becoming a stock holder. Iou are familiar
enough with the section it passes through, to
know that vast bodies of the most valuablc land
in the parish will at once be brought into
market. and lands that now pay little or no tax
would be at once brought into active %cultiya-
ton. 1t is the population and products of a
country that make its wealth. Your lands may
be ever so fertile, yet they are worthless unless
settled. The parish will realize enough by the
increase Of her taxes to pay a handsome sub
scription. and the stock ought certainly to pay
equal, if not better, than any road stock in the
country. All the travel from Western Arkan-
sas, all Eastern Texas, (and why not. in the
course of time, all the great Northwest to the
Pacific p will be its patrons. Every road built
from the West will be a contributor to this-it.
can never have a competitor.
The road is now graded to within four miles
of Livonia. and will be completed to the Atcha-
falaya by October, 81. if things move on as
smoothly as now. The Company have about
scveI.y-iyc hands.and sufficicntmeans in money.
notes, and State bonds to complete the work in
that time. There is now a daily train from
Baton Rouge to the Bayou Crosse Tete. and it
pays handsomely: what will it do when it takes
in all the fine country of the Bayous Crosse
Tcte, Maransouin, and Fordoche, and taps the
Atchafalaya, thence through the fine lands of
St. Landry and Avoyelles. and into Rapides-
already one of the wealthicst parishes of the
State In a word, if you would see the future
Of the Crosse Tete road, lay down the map, not
of Louisiana alone, but the United States; (for
WHO can say that this road will not be one day
a portion of the Southern branch of the Pacific
Railroad y take the grand centre of commerce,
New Orleans, as your starting point; draw an
air line to Shreveport. and thence through all
the great West apd Northwest territory, and see
in everJ valley, in every village, contributor!
DOUGLAS NoMINA rED BY THE BALTIMORE
CoNvENrfoN.-As we were going to press
We received the following note from
Col. Il. L. Claiborne:
FRIDAY MORNING.
PA. Roy, Ew:-Capt. White; of the
steamer Vicksburg, informed me this
morning that the telegraph brought the
news last evening to New Orleans, that
Dougfas was nominated by acciamatiou
on the first ballot. The platform was
slightly modified. The Donaldsonville
delegation admitted. The old delega-
ton from Mississippi IN the Convention.
Three States not represented.
Capt. White assures me the above is
correct. Yours, &c,
+. l.. CLAIBORNE.
HgrTfle Acadian Of Ascension says:
Another man, supposed to have been a
peddler, was found on last Wednesday,
murdered in nearly the same place, and