New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-06
THE RAILROAD ROUTE TO TEXAS,

| which is destined to connect New Orleans
| with Houston and the heart of Texas has
| been completed. Cars can now run be-
tween here add Donaldsonville, distance
of sixty-three miles, and probably one
fourth of the way to Houston. An excur-
sion train, including two passenger cars,
went out Sunday morning, carrying select
party of fifty or sixty gentlemen, nearly all
business men or prominent officers OF the
road. A ride of four hours from Company
canal, opposite Greenville, and the party
was in Donaldsonville.
| On each side of the track is an almost
continuous, narrow strip of cultivated land,
mainly devoted to sugar cane. There is
| some corn, field or two of cotton, and in
| one place we saw a few tobacco plants.
Some attention has also been paid to rice.
| The recent heavy rains have precipitated
heavy volume of water throughout the
region traversed by the road. For great
| distance on either side of the track the
water yet remains, and as a consequence
cane and corn begin to turn yellow, and
show signs of having been damaged. And
while in a few places, where the ground is
high, corn looks strong and healthy, and OF
dark green color, the crops for the most
of the way appear to be very backward.
Cotton and cane are not much more than
out of the ground, when we expected to
find both high enough to shade the ground,
and thus aid in keeping down the weeds
and grass.
| The road, as our readers are aware, was
| constructed and is owned and controlled by
the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas Rail
road Company From the energy and de
termination heretofore displayed by this
company in building the road to Mobile in
the face of grave difficulties, and the com
pletion of the track on the west bank as far
as Donaldsonville, we may indulge the most
sanguine hopes that the whole of the great
work will be completed to Houston within
the next sixteen or eighteen months. The
same indomitable man-James A. Raynor,
is at the head of the company. G. w. X.
Bayley, the Chief Engineer, is thoroughly
familiar with the swamps of West LouIsi-
ana, and brings to the discharge of his
duties the experience of many years service
as chief engineer of the Opelousas railroad.
Our old friend Major j. j. Williamson is
the general agent of the company, and is
perfectly familiar with every possible duty
pertaining 10 his position.
As business man, whose duty it is to see
to the proper delivery and landing Of rail
road iron, he can not be excelled. He can
regulate grade, direct the repairs to break
in the track, run an engine. and prepare a
lunch, without making a mistake; which is
more than can be said of any other man of
our acquaintance.
All the employees of the comp any have
been selected for their peculiar fitness for
their ostions. Many of those employed
in the Office at the depot were on the ex-
cursion train. Among them we noticed G.
G. Simms, purchasing agent, who, though
by no means an old man, is an old and ex-
perienced railroader. F. P. Killeen is
cashier, and L. NJ. Sullivan conductor. He
I'VE believe that was his name) informed us
that he had been conductor for seventeen
years, during which time he has never
tasted of glass of liquor, had an accident
of any kind or lost an hour by day.
hours time was taken up, chiefly on account
of hot box on one of the new cars. This
defect was regulated, however, and Engi-
neer Mitchell brought us back easily in two
hours and half.
Besides the officers of the company men
toned above, there were a number of capi-
talists and officials, including j. G. Gaines,
| &c 10 pop opA raoiAant
director of the road; also his son, James b.
Gaines, w. C. Tompkins, George H. Jonas,
John Chaffe, j. A. Blanc, H. c. Dibble, j..
F. Casey, P. F. Herwig S. B. Packard, John
Lynch. c. w. Lowell, George E. BOvee,
Lafayette Folger, Thomas H. Hunt, W. h.
Seymour, j. L. Ganney, Felix Larue, j..
Armstrong, George w. Squires, Ed. For
STALL Henry Shepherd, Jr., Napoleon I'm
derwood, several newspaper editors and re-
porters and number of other well dressed
business like men whom we do not know.
Chief State Engineer NJ jeff Thompson
was also one of the party. Not the least in
value, so far as comfort to passengers is
concerned, was our indefatigable friend, c.
C. Haley, the champion newsdealer of Com
mercldl place. lie anu MS ASSISTANTS sup
piled everybody with copies Of the city pa
pers, and plenty of ice water, and later,
when the lunch baskets were opened and
the champagne corks began to pop, he was
so intent on seeing that everybody was
helped to the good cheer, that we doubt
whether he had time to take glass himself.
But although this was the pleasantest
part, it was OF the least Importance when
compared with the other great objects asso-
ciated with the road. Standing on the shore
of the Mississippi, opposite this city, the
New Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad
Company reaches out helping hand to the
people of Texas. AS yet the latter can only
respond with their best wishes for want of
more material aid; but when once the road
shall strike the borders of that State there
will be herds of cattle, piles of freight, and
multitude OF people waiting for transpOr-
tation.
A bridge across Bayou Lafourche, at Don
aldsonville, has been partially built, and the
work of track making now extends twenty
one miles beyond it. Every day from now
to the end will show palpable advances
westward, and we feel nearly sure that the
whole will be completed about the time
mentioned in the law which grants the
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