Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-06-12
of the Yorkville Enquirer
LETTER FROM LOUISIANA.
SHREVEPORT La, June 9th, Is

correspondence VI inc 1OIhVlHt EuquIIcIs
LETTER FROM LOUISIANA.
SHREVEPORT La, June 9th, 1873.
Here is your travel-tired Memo, in the ut
termost north western parish of the tempest
tossed State of Louisiana. I came here from
Texas by way of the great Southern Pacific
Railroad, now in course Of construction.
Shreveport is the eastern terminus of this
road, and from this point it stretches away
toward the Pacific coast. About one hundred
and fifty miles of the road is completed, and
the work is now going on with tremendous en-
ergy. Over six thousand laborers are en-
ployed, and construction is carried ahead at
four different points on the road. 1t is the
greatest work of this decade. Within four
years, unless all the signs fail, the Southern
Pacific will be an accomplished fact. 1t is
needed to play its part in the destiny of this
growing country. 1t will supply want-6ll
vacuum. The traveller can then journey
from the Atlantic to the Pacific by rail at any
season of the year without fear that he will
be blockaded by snow or pinched by cold.
Thomas A. Scott, the railroad king of Penn
sylvania, is President and chief controller Of
the Southern Pacific company. He was here
just one year ago looking over the field, pre-
paratory to a vigorous opening of the cam
paign along the whole line. He told the citi-
zens of Shreveport in the very room 1 now
write, that the Southern Pacific was the great
work of his life-the crowning jewel in his
cap. He said he was determined the work
should 60 through forthwith, and by his glow
ing picturings of the future, he so worked up
the enthusiasm Of the Shreveport citizens that
they presented the company with two hundred
thousand dollars worth of river front, as a
slight token of their good will.
The Southern Pacific company is perhaps
the strongestin the Union. They are backed
by enough money to build road to the moon,
if the intervening space would hold up cross
ties. They have heavy land grant from
Texas, and one from the United States, amount
ing in all to near thirty-fve millions acres of
land, or tract about twice the size of the en-
tire State of South Carolina, if my memory
as to the dimensions of your State serves me
right.
The United States own no public land in
Texas, although this is contrary to the gener
al belief Texas never was territory of the
United States, but came in as "sovereign
State" and owns her lands in her own name
The amount of State lands in Texas believe
is about fifty millions of acres, so she can af:
ford to give few millions to the great roads
that are to assist in her development. She
gives the Southern Pacific about ten millions
of acres, while the United States give them
about twenty-five millions.
The road so far as built is good, and does
fine business The labor employed in con-
struction is mostly colored. They receive one
dollar and seventy-6ve cents day, which is
good wages for black man. If he will let
whisky alone and keep out of bad company,
he can soon save enough to buy small farm
in that great State of cheap farms.
have been led into saying this much about
the Southern Pacific as it is matter of vital
Importance to all the people, and especially
those of the Southern States. And compara-
lively little is known of it. Until visiting up
per Texas and this section, I confess 1 knew
nothing of the Southern Pacific, its route, aims
and progress. Before we realize it, reader,
the iron horse will be careering over the south
ern plains, bringing southern California and
South Carolina within six days of each other.
have to close this letter without saying
much of Shreveport where now am, but in
a future communication hope to elaborate
little on this quaint Red river town.
MEMO.
BUILD THE RA1LRoADs.-The railroad in
terests of the up-country arc progressing in
way most gratifying to the people of the en-
tire State The Chester ard Lenoir and
the Chester and Cheraw railroads are both
fixed facts The counties of Chester and
York, under act Of the Legislature, have SUBJ
scribed 100000 each to the former road,
while the enthusiasm in Lancaster and ad-
joining counties on the success of the latter
enterprise is among the most cheering signs
of the times.
The large trade which these roads will
open up with the western counties Of North
Carolina, and with the whole up-country Sec
tion, which has been so long closed to the
railroad advantages Of the rest of the State,
will increase at once the value of all kinds of
real estate, as we'll as enhance the marketable
value of all kinds of produce.
The people of the up country are live and
energetic, going to work to build up their
material interests, and making their waste
places "bloom and blossom as rose." This
is the kind of spirit which, more than any
thing else, has built up the great West, and
every dollar spent in railroad improvements
ond n,onuf Ga otnrinr ;ntnrnsts ia we'll and wiae.