The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-02-08
The Postal Service.

I
think it hard time to begin work III
that important matter. Just cast a
glance at our happy fix, before the war,
in the way of mails. Daily line OF
splendid four horse coaches from the
Mouth of Red River to Shreveport, !
Alexandria being the Distributing
Office and diyerging point. -Four
horse coach line from Alexandria to
Nacogdoches, Texas, tri-weekly. ~
tri-weekly Line to Harlisonburg, one
TO Homer, one to Huntsville Texas
one to opelousas; one to Marksvi'le
and a weekly mail to Huddleston
Now what have we? How arc we Oil
Any body, every body can answer
ricn dutout. A move, a stir, a general
concert of action, and certainly, we
can but be bettered. Aprropos OF this
important matter we close with the
following sensible and well timed ar
ticle from the n. o. Republican
We clip from the Price sCurrent OF
the twenty fifth instant, the following
sensible article upon ''our mails" trust
ing it may awaken a more active inter
est in our behalf at Washington. New
Orleans, as the great commercial centre
of Louisiana, and the market in which
is sold millions of produce, grown
within the borders of this and the al
ijaccnt States, has, perhaps more
defective and imperfect system of mail
communication with her country dis
tricts than any city of like Importance
upon the continent. Frequent and
reliable communication between the
factor and farmer is. Indispensable to
satisfactory or profitable cooperation,
and when not enjoyed is fruitful
source of trouble, loss and discomfort.
The Easte or Florida p .risI e. are
more remote, postally speaking, than
Washington City, and the same as te
the rich planting distriue lying be-
tween Red River Landing, Moreauville
Evergreen, Cheneyvillc, Alexandria
Cotilc and Cloutierville, not to men
ton the great lumber and sulphur and
, coal oil districts of Lake Charles
Mermentau and Calcasieu. These
; sections are more difficult of acces;
than Salt Lake or the Red River Of the
Nortil-weekly and semi weekly mai
5 communication with mule or ii Creol,
d tackle to pack ii, and seven days Il
/ make the trip. Alas! for a country
, without mails. The Western wild
. were treaded first by the pioneerstage
coach, which carried the adventurou
traveller to search out a new home ant
made him content in it by fuTnisllI;
him frequent and easy communication
with friends behind, who regarie,
the post coach and the daily mail bG;
Il ready messenger to bear tidings am
. greetings between the friends left an,
the new home found. Louisiana ha
= suffered more from the want OF increas
Z ed mail facilities than any part of th
u Union. In commerce and wealth sh
' stands in the front rank, and to he
I prosperity, in measure, depends TIN
: postal receipts not of her local office
4 alone, but of postotfices Throughout
t the Union. The justice of our claim
| obi RI hnn n ,,,l+
h to follow, if properly presented to TIL
|, Postmaster General would doubles
secure us redress. We shonld be n
ard doing, as the mistake and evil ca
be remedled now by our Legislature
, instructing the Senators and Reprrsen
g tativeS in Congress to call the attentiO
of the Postmaster General TO the fact
named, as well as to the fact that I'm
der the advertisement of the thirtict
. of September 1870, for proposals 70
I mail service in Louisiana, for the ell
i suing four years from July next. tina
: he has failed to invite proposals fo
Il mail service commensurate with TIL
l. wants and necessities of the State an
people. An earnest appeal upon til
part of the entire newspaper press {
the State should lie made for more an
greater mail facilities. Light, know
Il edge and business prosperity penetrat
{ the highways ard by-places throug
S the agency of the mail bag. The nor
q frequent the visits, the more wide
h awake and thrifty become the benef
i Charles Of its blessings. Let. MS hay
Q at least II daily mail communicate
between New Orleans and each paris
court house in the State.
t Give rs mails and population, an
t. enterprise viii follow. Louisiana ha
i thousands of acres of public land
- which would speedily pass into til
!, hands of the wide-awake farmer an
mechanic of the North and Yves
y furnishing an element of thrift am
u prosperity which would soon make o,
wild wastes blossom like ros
Without increased mail commune;
y ton, the intelligent class referred
will never come among us. 1t is sho