The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1873-02-26
The New Orleans and Texas Railroad.

AstE WV " NtttsN KS" NAs At"Ah 'ttN
The G5aricls aud Hotc hcy do thea
Work - Statement Of Gel. James on
he SRhjcct.
To the Editor Of the Picayunc:
There having been a great deal said
and written of late, relative 10 nv work
ing ON the Mobile aud Texas Railroad,
as we'll as the "Bayonet legislature
having passed several resolutions to
thoroughly investigate my institution.
l, in response to request on the subject,
state the facts in the case, SO that the
truth may be known te the public, as
follws:
In the first place, l have between
SEQ and 1000 prisoners working
on the road though these numbers vary
somewhat owing TO the fact Of some con-
stantly coming and others again being
discharged, having served their sem
tence. OF these there nave been several
attempts at escape, bat none have ever
been successful, as the peculiar iorma-
tioGs of the country-beiug cut up into
numerous bayous and rivers, such as to
make 1t almost impossible to escape. Be-
sides, Ihave very strong guards, which
have. and can easily preveat any escape
by their vigilance.
With my men | have graded the road
beyond. Grand River to a point two miles
beyond Bayou Pigeon, or say thirteen
miles from Lower Grand River or
Bayou Sorrell. Besides this I have two
camps more working between Big Ten
sas and AtChafalya, each of these
camps containing from $50 to 200 work
ing men
The country between my third camp
and near Bayou Pigeon and the Big
Tensas is subject to overflow only in
case of crevasse, and | consider that
continuing as heretofore working my
men on that portion of the road that is
lowest, aud subject to overflow from or
binary high water in the Mississippi
River, that / can, Notwithstanding the
heavy rise coming down, finish all the
low places so as to place the company
beyond the contingency of having to
stop their work Of laying track from
high water.
The following questions asked BY the
gentlemen Of reiIroad party inquiring
into the case, viii more fully explain
the present working:
Q. How much low ground have you
TO grade yet this side and beyond the
Atchafalaya River to secure this end ! I
A. About two miles. !
@. We see several statements az 70 4
the amount ofwork done and the time
that it will take to complete the remain L
Ger of the work to Vermilionviile. You S
are a civil engineer. What il your +
opinion of the sdbjectq =
A. / am satisfied from evidences that b
Ihavs seen that there are ten miles n
complete bepend Do~nalds0nvilIe, and r.
that with any degree of energy what -
ever the road could be complete and
to Vermilionville by the LIST of A
July next, but not the way the work n
@. What is the difficulty! 81,
A. In the first place, the contractor pj
to be hard up for money; the sub d,
contractors are not paid promptly, as -,
called for by their contracts; they, III
therefore, have to put off their men. as 81
we'll as every one that materials are M
purchased from. This not only dam
pens aud produces a want Of energy
lpon the part of the contractor, but III
prevents him from pushing his men; rng
makes the timber men slack and tardv
n delivering 1t as wanted; and where III
work either as contractors or work. mt
men in doubt of receiving their money W,
10 work viii go on rapidly or
ucoessfully, besides this the materials pi'
UGH as iron, ties, etc., are not delivered of
0 the track layer as fast as wanted. ri
Question'-Is there not excuse for
bis in the fact Of the bridge across La III
not being completed!
AEswer.-No, sir! the track runs with A ,
/ two thousand feet of the Mississippi :,
liver at White Castel. whore IL Is now IiN
lid, and with three or four haurs work COZ
switch could he put in from the road fro
the river, and all materials delivered
Iere, an tho work pushed on to Grand 10
aud completed by the time the adj
10 bridge IL done across the Lafourche. 49,
Q.-You say they do not pay promp- '0'
+, do you propose TO continue work on lar
terms? hor
A.-No sir; / shall leave in a few days nm,
! my camp, IN any event, money or no
oney. They are now seven days be~
with me on the cash payment due Tht
last months work, and rs have bto,
ither the means, credit, nor dispose
n to work and support six hundred carr
without money, propose in case praI
'ney is not forthcoming at once to re. ka,
we my men from their work. No
80 much for the road, now to the rese gra'
ions introduced IN the Bayonet Leg for
The Penotentiary o .bay un- r,,.
my management, | feel glad TO say, uh''
n better condition than it has ever yora
IN and these resolutions are, I pre-. and
andrea ~ aai,ar. H." ~. Ihe uuv o. Mort
my lease as fixture and do not fear sea
The United States courts that
nd be the party to finally decide r.,
question, aud l feel secure In being hIHu
to mike my case, and shall pay no our !
I'M. my aase nothing TO hide and the
rfere with nv contract ar p,iyiiavss per /
this pay the State a large revenue, wintt
she does not even pay me h cent 49,
he care of the institution. "SuSS
pay the State Cor a twenty one wears, on til
s5iSoOOi besides st a low figure deger
'~eenhaoks, Il costs me to maintain
Institution, Sl20.000 per anuur.
h for twpnty.one wears world III lis an
e State, 80 $4,000 making a total sadly
aS35.000 saved the State. 80 -
Zen If she supported the institution ~
leaP as | do, you can be the Judge round
knowing how deprecated her isiana
: l., and particularly, managed by nno,;a
I'd OF commissioners who would BE- fA"iiA
! g haze their share. raiser
d nov, gentlemen, With these facts FER sui
ID Il having been N Ta pbnIia uors rolling
lars, | feel thai they have a right eventg
me relative TO matters Of public imnar,
e, and II Is my duty TO explain. !,
s. T. JAMEs. g
~ mate i
Kansas . blessed with a Repre- skearet
i've named Tough and with a Sen. suffer