The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-02-01
Railroads in Louisiana.

The following is an extract from the mes
sage of Gov. Wickliffe, in relation to railroads
in Louisiana:
The New Orleans, Opelousas and Great
Western Railroad, is completed to Berwick's
| Bay, where it unites with a tri-weekIy line Of
steamers which run from the Bag to Calves
| ton. The Board of Directors have placed a
considerable amount Of additional work under
contract, west of BeFwick's Bay, and have a
we'll matured financial scheme for the COM
pletion of their great enterprise, which termi-
mates at Thompson's Bluffs, on the Sabine
river; after crossing the river the New Or
| leans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad
| unites with the Texas Great Western, and the
Sabine and Rio Grande Railroads the for
mer running northwestwardly and connecting
| with the Southern Pacific Railroad, at its
crossing on the Brazos river and, the latter
southwestwardly. nearly.
shore of the Gulf of V
MO. The pru
of this ca-~
Stat
y
=
is
the ROAD
porting the neA
The construction 0; LIZ
road to its union With-o
Railroad on the Texas So
tracted for by responsible pss5
will be prosecuted as rapide
abilities Of the company vii
true much less work has be,
line Of railroad than On the Z
fore reviewed, but it must -
that the Vicksburg and Shr,st, -
passes through comparatively new al 8
~ settled country, and thalit has not, like
the Great Northern and Great Western
Railroads, received powerful aid in the form
of private and city corporate subscription. As
the road progresses, the valuable donations of
public lands, made by Congress (though i'm
paired by act of Congress of 3rd March, 1850
will become valuable assets for future extern
sion; besides the country is increasing daily
in population and wealth, which additional
resources, taken in connection with the i'm |
mense western travel which will follow the |
completion Of the Southern Railroad from |
Vicksburg towards Montgomery, and the ex- |
tension of the Southern Pacific, westward, |
must at no distant day, insure the completion |
of this great highway, than which none in the
State has been conceived in higher spirit of |
seif-reliant enterprise, or prosecuted with |
more prudence, ability and industry.
The Baton Rouge and Crosse Tete Railroad, |
when regarded in connection with the pro-
posed New Orleans and Baton Rouge Rail-
road, and its present contemplated extension |
towards Alexandria and 0pelousas, rises to a
high position in our railrosd system. The
road has been well managed from the begin
ming, and all its available resources will be
faithfully applied to the extension of the road
beyond the Bayou Crosse Tete The Direc-
tors OF this enterprise have adopted the true
policy, which should govern all our railroad
companies /; they have increased their negro
forces so as to be independent of other labor,
and are now most actively engaged in the pro-
posed extension.
1t is source of qualification to inform you
that, within my knowledge, the State has not
in single instance granted its aid to an I'M
worthy enterprise, or to one which is not at
present entirely solvent, and which will not
realize all the benefits anticipated by the most
sanguine projectors. In due time l will place
before you the various reports of all the Rail-
roads in which the State is stakeholder.