Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1866-02-10
THE BATON ROUGE, GkO5SE-TETE
& OPELOUSAs RAILROAD

report made at the present session Of tbe
Legislature. It is a very plain and con.
else document setting forth briefly Tie
conditions and prospects of the road, and
the almost certainty Of its yet proving a
paying investment. The greatest losses
to the company were caused by crevasses
and the freeing of the slaves. By sue
cessive creyasses, tbs cross-ties and the
rails forming the superstTucture have
been swept from the road and deposited
along the track. The empankment is
covered with drift wood and swamp de-
bris. The entire extent of the ironed
track will require reworking, the build.
ings repaired and the rolling stock put
into working condition. The estimated
cost Of putting tue road in running order
will not exceed s25, 900
The State has appointed three Direct.
o,s, and four Directors elected by the
stockholders, allowed by the charter,
forming a permanent Board Of manage
ment, which so soor, as organized, it is
anticipated, will, al once, take energetic
steps 10 repair and put The road in order
for business. THIS, however, depends up.
On he rebuilding of the levees in this
parish.
The President has reason to believe
that tho amount necessary to repair the
road can be cas- " procured. He says
'1he creditors of the company are gen
erous aud well disposed, and although
most OF It's debtors are not in a condition
to promptly meet their liabilities, still
there is every probability that a compa
ny possessing a preponderance of assets
over its liabilities to the amount Of $50,
900 and representing property that has
cost 100000 with the incentive aud the
end which they have in view, must sue.
coed 10 obtaining the required means"
The assets of the company are estinat-
ed at S2I6,sO0 81 the rolling stock is
valued at $35, 900 while the Liabilities
amouat to $ss, 900, showing a large pre-
ponderance of assets over its liabilities |
This is certainly cheering and we hope a
halbiuger of ultimate success.
That the road Promises to be repume-
r~ative, The following reasons are urged by
the President, which he believes are con.
elusive. He says:
"The average annual receipts previous
to the war were over $4,000, while the
running expenses did not exceed $12, 900
per aDnum. 1t is true that labor is an
element that has advanced in cost. and
the loss of that which was attached to
and belonged to he company will be most
severely felt, and it's replacement BY hired
laborers will greatly increase the expen-
%dltures, but we have proof, in the success
that has attended every railroad, steam
boat u every other carrying enterprise.
since the close Of the war to warrant ms
IN our expectations. The travel over this
road VIII greatly exceed that of any pre-
vlous year, the present state Of society
y 1iot CutC& lUS same fe8-
son will operate in a~ugmenting The out
fse'ghts, and although the general pros
per1ty OF The country is clouded in the
doubt that only the solving of the labor
question can dissipate, still there are sec
ions OF thoSouth that are sc superior in
their inducements to enterprise and Ia
Dor to concentrate within them, that even
IN the throes of the great civil and social
revolution that may drag its slow lengths
for years, they will prosper, despite the
adverse circumstances that depress our
people. The section of country to which
this road is the great outlet is one of
those peculiarly favored sections. Its
lands are rich and superior to the river
lands IN the production of ether Of the
great staples, sugar or cotton. They are
tar more easily cleared and cultivated and
less exposed to inundation. In a short
space OF time, although the plantations
OF other portions of the State NAV be
only partially titled, the advantages pre- {
by these lands will attract the at
%tentlon, labor and capital Of tie e~nter-I K
prislDg, and whether OF not, great profits /
the planting community will result. !
yet the bulk of their production will
equal, if not exceed that of fol mer wears. |
and this road will derive the beneftn I