The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-10-30

elOusas, aOOuC SIX miles further; mar
row. gauge.
6th-Evergreen, four miles; ani
Avoyelles Prairie, about seven mile.
further; narrow-gauSe.
7th-Belle Cheney Sulphur ani
Chalybeate) Springs, six or eigh
miles; narrowguage.
Sth-Alexandria, l6 miles, if the ole
grading be used; probably 10 if new
wide gauge. A road to Homer ani
Fulton, and perhaps Little Rock, il
projected from this point.
9th-Natchitoches and Grand Ecore
about IL to Ia miles; narrow gauge.
l0th-Shreveport branch, at or neal
Mansfield, 80 to IS miles; wide gauge
llth-Marsllall and Jefferson, on the
same line, should have wide gauge
branch, the former IL and the latter
"a miles distant from the trunk, which
should strike the Pacific road some dis
lance west of Marshall.
Logansport, Carthage, Henderson
and other places could be reached by
narrow gauge branches.
If the reader draw on his map a
straight line from New Orleans to a
point on the 32d parallel, just beyond
Henderson, Texas, and then trace the
indicated branches he will have always
on his mind a pictorial impression OF
tile great Louisiana Central Railroad.
Such straight trunk will be without
rivalry or competition, while, if it be
not built by this company, some rival
company will do so, and make the Ver-
millionville branch comparatively
worthless, because straight roads will
always ontvie and supplant crooked
ones; and because the regions of PEG
pie and productiveness lying along
and near the direct route must speedi-
ly have these railroads. The two COM
panies already existing on the line, and
the work they have done, make the
whole argument. But for the war it is
likely the road would have been long
since done. The Baton Rouge, Crosse
Tate and Opelousas Railroad Company
and the Louisiana Central Stem Com
pany are the companies alluded to.
THE VIEW FOR THE COMPANY AND THE
STATE.
Of course the Mobile and Texas Com
paDy wants it's branch to leave at the
best point, and go by the most direct
route ; and it can have no wish to
locate it at Vermillionville, if the other
route be better, and the State make
no objection.
AS to the State, it should not only
consent, but it should make the COM
papy's doing so the condition of it's
being allowed to go on at all, and,
a .fortiori, of further aid. And as to
the State subscription of 3d., ZOO, 900 it
would be we'll to modify the prevalent
for she has that amount Of
stock in the great railroad from Mobile
via New Orleans to the railroad centre
of Texas: and even without the COM
pany's compliance with the condition
Of the subscription, the stock should
be deemed highly valuable and tho
State, having become a leading and
most potent member of the company,
should, in promoting her interests,
guard the whole road from harm; and
in case of foreclosure, bid on it, so as at
least to save herself and her citizens
from loss, if not to get the road. And
instead of talking about repudiating
the bonds, she should hold to and in-
sist on the investment, averring that
she has made full and valid payment.
with valid bonds. Nay, more, she
should let the Vermilliouville, part of
the charter fall to the ground, and the
consummate its virtual repu-
Iliation of it's duty to make the branch
from Vermillionville to Shreveport.
PURCHASE OR ALLIANCE.
Why cannot the M. e. L. Company
get the two above mentioned roads
and consolidate them as branch |
They could probably be bought or OBJ \
aimed as subscriptions of so much |
stock. The company may he sure that /
The prospective Louisiana Central Rail-
'oad will kill all others between the
same termini; and that the Backbone
Dad" will, if it survive, become a
formidable competitor. And, by the |
way, New Orleans should remember
hat the Backbone Company and others
nay, Can or must aim to run that road
Trough Baton Rouge and Ponchatoula
o the great eastern terminus at Mis-
issippi City instead of New Orleans.
Behind Ship Island is a most conven-