The Black Republican., 1865-05-13
Important Home News.
The Reappearance Of the Army Worm.
PORTION OF THE OPELOUsAS RAILROAD
TRACK WASHED AWAY.

Each Of the annexed paragraphs contain
matter OF Importance to the community al
large:
The Army Worm.
This dread scourge, it seems, is again to
affiict our impoverished community, and
destroy the hopes Of our citizens for pros
perity during the coming year. We are in
formed by Mr.. Thos. ". Conway, Superin'
tendent of Negro Labor, that the worm has
made its appearance on several of the Gov
ernment plantations, and that on the Ross
estate considerable devastation has already
been committed, a number of rows of plants
being completely stripped. Should this
evil assume the dimensions that it did last
year, it will be terrible calamity for
Louisiana.
The OpelOusas Road.
The present high stage Of water in the
Mississippi river, threatens incalculable in
jury to our planting community. large
portion of the Lafourche district is already
submerged, and the waters are constantly
spreading. On Wednesday night about one
hundred feet of the Opelousas Railroad track
was washed up, and trains yesterday ran as
far as Thibodaux only. Nothing can be done
in the way Of repairing until the water sub
sides.
The jackson Road.
This great thoroughfare will soon be open
to the public. We learn that Capt. Z. A.
Morse is rapidly repairing the destroyed
| bridges ut Manchac, the South Pass bridge,
| 1900 feet long, being already completed and
| the one at the North Pass, 600 feet in length,
will be finished in few days. There are
also about two miles of trestlc work to bc
constructed, but after this is completed
there viii be nothing to do but repair the
track on solid ground, which will be very
| rapidly done. We may expect within aweek
| or ten days to hear that the road is in run
| ming order at least to Jackson.
| The St. Joseph Street Railroad and the
Shell Road.
We have heard number Of complaints Of
the supposed indifference displayed by the
military authorities in regard to the favorite
shell road, which was cut up by the st. Joseph
street railroad. It was promised our citi
| zens some time ago that the road should be
| repaired, and because the promise has not
| been carried out, much unjust abuse has
been heaped upon Capt. E. !. Morse But
we have excellent reasons for believing that
| the cause Of the non-fulfllment of the
promise made was beyond the power OF
| Capt. Morse to remedy, and was simply his
inability to procure shells. He advertised
for a supply, but was unable to procure
them. He has, however, at last made a
contract for 100, 900 barrels, to be furnished
| from Lake Labrador, and he expects the
| first installment very soon; and he also has
the promise of 10000 barrels from another
source, which will arrive this week. Every
| effort will be made to put this popular drive
| in good order at the earliest practicable
| moment.
Kirby Smith to Fight On.
A gentleman who recently left Alexandra
says that Kirby Smith was at that point
providing for the reorganization of his
forces, and making arrangements to con.
tinue the war in his department. 1t is pos
sible that this is ruse for delaying the
march Of our troops to force Lis surrender,
| and to give him time to get his "plunder =
ont of the country.
Lines DOwn-Lines Up.
The storm of Thursday night did much in.
jury to the telegraph lines. The wires are
down between this place and Bonnet Carre,
so that we are cut OFT from communication
with Baton Rouge, and the connection be.
tween New Orleans and Southwest Pass is
also broken. The overflow which washed
away q portion of the Opelousas Railroad
track also destroyed the telegraph line at
the same place and cut off communication
with Brashear City. The linemen have gone
out on the different lines, and they will soon
be restored to working order.
The new line ordered to be built by Gen.
Candy along the coast, connecting Mobile
and New Orleans, is making rapid progress
under the efficient management of Mr.. C. B.
Smith, Manager Of the line. The telegraph
is already working to Pascagoula, the
terminus of Mr. Smiths district.
A Ride Through the Country.
There are no Confederate soldiers or even
bushwhackers in arms on the lake shore. A
body of $50 Union cavalry rode without in
terruption to Pascagoula, from whence 100
proceeded to Biloxi and $50 to Pass Chris
tian, securing the country most thoroughly,
but without encountering a Single enemy.
Union flags were raised upon many Of the
houses, and the people say that they VIII
not permit guerrilla operations il that sec
ton.
Schooner Line to Mobile.
We learn that our enterprising fellow-citi-
zen, Mr.. Joseph Kelly, of No. l27 Gravier
street, contemplates starting a line of
schooners to ply regularly between New Or
leans and Mobile, providing the proper
authority can be obtained. Some private
communication of this kind is greatly
needed, owing to the difficulty of shipping
per quartermaster's steamers. We wish Mr.
Kelly's enterprise every success.
Cole Saunders & Co.
This enterprising news firm yesterday
shipped large consignment of stationery
books and various other articles OF necessity
for the soldiers to Mobile, and we learn that
they intend opening agencies in Selma and
-hoHtSoIASIJ h1AALeNAGACls. LUIS HkLI LAS
won the esteem and goodwill Of the entire
army by their untiring efforts to supply the
wants of the soldiers in the field. They de-
serve and win meet with prosperity.
Arrived.
Among the arrivals in the city yesterday
was our old felloW-citizen, Col McClusky,
Of Gen. Taylor's staff. The Colonel is doubt