The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-08-07
Rail Roads.
From the Rapides GaZctte.1

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The cost Of building Rail Roads is as
we'll established and as easily ascertain
ed, as the cost of levying bridge build
ing or any other mechanical work, and
yet there is a strange misapprehensiOn,
III this community about the Rail Roads.
Mr.. PoOr's recent work on Rail Roads,
places the average cost in the United
States at 100000 per mile. The cost Of
a road through this parish will not be
less than $4,000 per mile. The cost of
building the portion over the old bed Of
the Red River Rail Road, will be notices.
than $4,000 or $20,0O0 per mile as shown
by the following items: Iron $4,000,
Cross Ties $500, laying down track
$4,000, repairing bed $1,000, ballasting
5000, bridges 800, locomotives, rolling
stock and depOts, not less than $4,000.
The entire road through the parish is
about % miles, will cost about 81, 300 5000,
and fully half Of this amount will be eX-
pended among us, for labor and mate
rials. Add to this that wheniti known
that the building of the road from
Shreveport to New Orleans, has begun
at Alexandria, hundreds of visitors will
come to this Eden Valley of the South,
to look for homes or invest their capital.
The amount thus brought will not be
less than the amount expended by the
road, but even if nothing more was
brought than the 5000, 900 expended by
the road, it will produce an effect in this
parish us magical as the discovery of
gold did in California. There will not
be a labOrer or mechanic idle for want
of work. There will not be a team, or
a wagon, on Il horse OF mule, that cannot
find emplOymentat remunerating prices.
There will not be a saw mill that will
be able to I'LL the demands upon it for
lumber. Not IL house or store to rent
that will not be occupied. Nota merch-
amt without an active trade. NOta Ply
stefan without a full practice and cash
patients, and the farmer will not have Il
bushel Of potatoes or a head of cabbage,
or even a pumpkin that will not meet
with a ready sale. There will not be a
hotel without its crowded guests. No
crop eve produced in this parish will
have the stimulating effect, that the en-
penditure of this 100000 willhave upon
the business of this parish. Its fOrlorn
credit will rise from it's ashes, and the
owners of it's rich lands instead of being
the stinted pensioners of commission
merchants, will find themselves in pos
session of Il credit, that will enable them
to improve and cultivate their desolate
fields, and when the road is finished get
more for the products they now throw
away, than they ever realized for their
cotton or sugar. These are the results
Of the building of railroads throughout
the United States, and although there
are owe 10000 miles of railroads, we
defy those who may question the fore
going statements, to point out a single
exception.
Did any enterprise ever have such sure
guarantees for it's adventure? Shall
we, in the depths of our ruin and desc
%lati0n, with nothing in prospect but
more thorough ruin, refuse to embrace
q relief SO sure. And after all what is
the risk? At a cost, upon the present
valuation Of property, of less than $1,000
per annum. The present assessment is
So, 900, 900. The railroad will add ST.
10000, and being one-third Of the entire
assessment will pay one-third of the en-
tire taxes collected. Taking the present
parish tax as u basis, we will have the
following taxation:
Parish Tax Proper ..--.--.--.-.S28,@
Railroad Tax $1,000
Whole mount $4,000
One-tbird of this is S16,333, which the
railroad would have to pay, leaving only
S4, 666 of amount due the railroad, and
&:32 66G D1riSh fay which is only S2 0nO