Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet., 1865-08-31
Clinton and Port Hudson Railroad.

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as would facilitate the transportation o.
freight TO and from Port Hudson, at OIL
early day. This has been done, and from
information derived from one Of the par
ties making the survey, we are pleased &c
learn that the road was found to be in .
much better condition than could possibly
have been anticipated, and that the esti-
mated cost of placing it in running con-
dition, will not amount TO twenty thousand
dollars. tM
| The Importance of having this avenue
Of trade once more opened. must be evil
dent to every planter, and business man
in the parish. That it can DO done at the
amount stated, is also cheering. But 1t
must be by their uid and corporation this
desired end is accomplished. The stock
| holders owning the Road, ire without the
means, and they look TO their fellow -citi-
| zens for the necessary assistance. The
method they propose, IL TO dispose Of stock
shares in the Road, which parties Gun OIL
] ther hold as q sound and permanent in
vestment Of their money, or they will be
! taken up by the company, aa soon MS the
| nett revenue Of the Road will place them
| in financial condition so to do. They
run no risk whatever. for the material Of
the Road will be pledged for the redemp-
| ton of the stock, more than quadruple in
value Of the ameunt which they desire to
be taken.
Of this eum, nearly ten thousand has
been taken, aud ii now depends upon the
public spirit of our citizens to see chat the
remainder be made up 1T as carly a day
as possible, that no delay will be expert
enced in commencing The needfnl repairs,
SO that by fall, direct and speedy commu-
| nication with tho river be once more re-
sumed. II Is q measure Of most vital i'm
portance TO the future prosperity, not only
Of Clinton, but Of the parish at largo. No
doubt or hesita should he shown. Let
those who have The ability come forward
and lend their aid at once. May we be
able to announce In our next number that
the amount necessary hAs beer raised, and
the work in stata of progress.
We copy tho above from onr Cliuton CO.
temporary, the East Fslician Democrat, as
much with view TO Furnish our readers
with an item Of whntls bping dons in our
sister parish relative to measures Of inter-
nal improvement, aa TO avail onrself Of
text for few lines Of comment on that
subject, which we purpose considering in
the light of its reciprocal bearings on the
interests Of our own parish and those Of
East Felicians.
1t has been matter OF surprise here and
elsewhere, for many years, that there never
was railroad constructed TO connect our
city with Clinton. The route between the
two places was long since cut out and
made easily available for the original pur-
pose OF nn iron track, but financial troubles
object. The route wins converted into Il
plank road, the cost of keeping up the
same in aay sort Of practicable condition
amounting TO moro than would have been
required for railroad; and the benefits
nccruing TO each Of the towns and parishes
interested, proving Insignificant in COM
izod Ind the latter style Of road been
adopted.
The route allnded to, is over rich,
even-surfaced country and would have
well compensated the investment Of labor
and means which at ene time bade fair to
accomplish the enterprise. 1t however
failed, and it remains to be seen whether
the future will bnng to bear upon it
auspices sufficiently favorable for its con-
summation. We hope it may; but, in de-
fault of any movement for such q purpose
within fixed or certain time, why cannot
our East Feliciana neighbors and the peo-
pie Of eur own Parish unite TO bring about
diversion of the railroad leading from
Clinton TO Port Hudson so as TO make
Baton Rouge the river terminuss Ger
tainly, the concern could be made to pay
better thereby. The route would be en-
tirely feasible, offering no serious obstruc-
tion in the way Of grading and passing
through u region susceptible Of great de-
voopment from such an enterprise. The
Clinton and Port Hudson Railroad while
State institution proved more u loss than
profit. After it paesed into the hands Of
private Stockholders. IL became more re-
muneratipe, but we doubt If it would have
proved 10 had the Company owning it
been obliged to draw more largely from
thoir dividends to keep it always in com
plete repair. Besides, there IL no good
reason why Port Hudson should continue
TO be made the river terminus Of that road,
but obvious and eogeut reasons why Baton
Rouge should have the preference in that
| respect. The landing at Port Hudson IL
of difficult BcceBB TO steamers, and the high
precipitouB bluff, yenders travel and ship
ments of freight very inconvenieut and
| dissgreesble not to say toilsome and la
| borious. Here, We have at all times, en-
cellsnt landing places, with no steep as
| cents, and withal good markets for the
sale and purchase Of Nil the various COM
modities, and plenty Of storage room and
places Of public entertainment for the
weary and hungry wayfarer. Hardly a
stesmer passes here, upward or downward
bound that does not give our town a call ,