The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-03-09
Col. Scott to Build the Southern
Pacific Railroad,
TFrom the New York Bulletin. !

racine ha1IfOaU.
TFrom the New York Bulletin.1
The negotiations pending for some
time past for change in the manage
ment of the new Southern Pacific
Railroad have been finally perfected,
and the anticipations of the Bulletin
have been fully realized by the resig-
nation of Marshal O. Roberts, ESQ.,, as
president of the Texas Pacific (Trans-
ContinentaD railroad company. Col.
Thomas Scott of the Pennsylvania
railroad company has been elected to
take Mr.. Roberts place, and succeed
to all that gentleman's interests in the
various railroads with which he is
connected in Texas and other Southern
States. The retirement of Mr.. Rob-
erts has been occasioned by the con-
dition of his health for some time
past, which disabled him from deyot-
ing to this great work the energy and
attention that it requires. 1t has also
been long apparent that Col. Scott
was " the coming man." and the
various operations which he has re-
Gently assumed, directly and indi-
rectly, to the Southern States, all
pointing to the acquisition of the
Southern Pacific railroad as cardinal
point in his policy.
The acceptance by Col. Scott of the
Presidency of the Southern Pacific,
or more properly, the Texas Pacific
railroad, secures the prosecution of
the work with all possible energy and
dispatch. For some time past little
or nothing has been done on this line.
The Texas Pacific Company succeeded
to Fremont's legacy of blunders, which
it was necessary to rectify. A large
amount of bonds had been placed in
the Paris money market, and there
were also outstanding obligations in
this country that required amicable
settlement. The operations were also
seriously embarrassed by the i'll health
of Mr.. Roberts. The interest of that
gentleman in various Southern rail-
road lines was about 81, SOC, 900, and
it is understood Col. Scott has taken
on himself the payment of that sum.
Whether Col. Scott takes the COLI
troll Of the Texas Pacific railroad on
his own responsibility or ON behalf
the Pennsylvania railroad, or the new
Southern Railroad Security Company,
does not yet appear. The probability
is that he represents all those COM
bined interests, and that the new
trans-continental route will be con-
structed and run in connection with
the great Pennsylvania railway rather
than under his direct control. 1t is
rumored, and with strong appearances
of probability, that Col. Scott will
now retire from any active manage
ment in the other concerns in which
he is interested, and devote his whole
time and energy to the construction of
the new line.
The Texas Pacific (Trans-C Cont
pental) railroad commencing at Mar
shall, near the Texas line, is to run
via Ell Paso, Mexico, to the town of
San Diego, California, about 400 miles
south OF San Francisco. The distance
between the extreme points is 1000.
At San Diego, the Texas Pacific will
connect with the Southern Pacific
railroad. The Southern Pacific, of
Texas, projects from Shreveport, La,
to the Rio Grande del Norte, dis
tance of 800 miles. The Texas Pa
cific railroad is entitled to Congress
sional land grant of l3, 3,440, 600 acres,
and is also entitled to other grants
which it is expected will suffice for the
construction of the road.
1t is said that Col. Scott is in favor
of the construction of the through line
on the narrow gauge. But this state
ment, to say the least, requires con-
| firmation. The economical advan-
tages claimed for the narrow guage
| would probably be more than counter
balanced by the immense inconve-
nience of break of bulk, which would
| practically isolate the new line from
| the net work of roads in the Southern
and Pacific States.
By the acquisition of the Texas Pa
cific and the Southern Pacific railroads.
Col. Scott now controls the longest line
and the most important railway inter
est in the world. He represents a gi-
gantic system of railroad centrallza-
ton. From New York to Philadel.
phia, thence to Charleston, Memphis
Little Rock and Texas, he reaches
the trans continental route to the Pa.
cifc and grasps the trade of cont
nent He represents power that l:
greater than has ever been exercised
by any one apart from military or des
potic sway. There is no power in the
United States equal to this. 1t cal
overawe and control the Supreme
Court, Congress, the State Legisla
lures, and if due caution is not uset
it may even prove superior to the Am
erican people. But in mere business
point of view, We can not but thinl
that this vast Capitalization will Prov
beneficial to commerce. We anticipate
that it will prove beneficial to thi
city, which is destined to be brOugh
into closer communion with new ant
important sources of trade and indus
/ try.