New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-12
The New Orleans Pacific Railroad.


| The following letter to President Vince
lock. from Chief Engineer Greene. of the
New Orleans Pacific Rail way Company-a
sort of report OF progress made-will be
read with great interest by our readers
| We are assured about 1000 men will be put
at work forthwith, and the work will soon
make a handsome showing for itself;
ALEXANDRIA, La, December g. 1915
E. B. Wheelock, Esq. President New Orleans Pa
cite Railway, New Orleans
DEAR SIR am happy to announce that
| the sun has at last reappeared, having been
| for half month eclipsed by clouds,
| surcharged with water, most copiously
showered daily upon our entire line of
work. A day or two more Of sunshine will
| put the ground in the most desirable con.
dition for spadiDg. Not only did it actually
| rain half OF last month, but large part Of
| the time that work was ATTEMPTED had
| to be devoted to draining the surface. pre-
paratory TO spading, go saturated with
water was the entire valley; superadded to
| this, pneumonia prevailed among the hands
| almost in an epidemic form. Notwithstand-
| ing these serious draw backs, the amount of
work already done, and account of which is
forwarded you, was creditable to the con-
tractor and encouraging to us-due in a
large measure TO the skilled labor employed
and the admirable management OF the
contractor With even moderately good
weather, you may look tor large estimate
OF work Tor this month. The recent large
| accession of recruits, and the still greater
acquisition of scrapers and seventy odd
splendid mules to work them, will roll up
the next estimate in the neighborhood of
100000 cubic yards
Now that the swamp intervening between
Bayou Rapides and Red river has been
crossed, and the work ahead being of much
lighter character for some distance, think
can promise that the new year will find
the grading complete to Co.ile.
While the contractor for the grading is
thus pressing forward with constantly in
creaslng force and appliances, q large and
well organized force, attended by q light
draft steamb boat, is engaged in getting out
cypress cross ties. The firm to whom this
contract was awarded are men of large ex-
perience and great energy, and the laborers
employed by them are also skilled in this
line OF work. With US in the field there is
everything to encourage and cheer on the
work. How is it with you in New Orleans!
Pray don't let anything occur to check our
progress, but on the contrary, send orders
soon 20 augment the forces. To New Or
leans we must look for the "sinews of war;
Supply them, and we promise large and
satisfactory results. Only grade and cross
tie your road from here TO the Texas line
and all will be well.
The favorable contracts made for &C
comprising these ends, and the energy and
skill with which they are being pushed
should surely evoke the sympathy and aid
and eliminate the doubts of all classes in
your community, for all are vitality inter-
ested in reaching with the least possible de-
lay the goal your small band has set out for,
have just returned from trip over the
line as far as Mansfield, which point my ad-
vanced party of engineers had reached
with the approximate location" The
same party are returning with q line that
will leave the town of Natchitoches some
ten miles to the east. The lines will CON
verge near the mouth of the Old river, in
the valley OF Cane river. To this point the
range OF choice among available lines was
confined within narrow limits. At this
point, opportunity being offered of q selec-
tion between two routes of distinctly diff.
ferent character, the question of preference
between them has arisen.
In discussion of the claims of rival lines,
there Will enter questions of engineering
considerations of policy based upon general
principles. and occasionally questions of
immediate and peculiar policy. 1t is my
duty rs your professional adviser to illus
trate with what ability l may the force and
bearing OF these. The question of eng ineer-
ing involved here il between Q valley line
crossing Cane river twice by bridges, also
Spanish lake, and longer DETECTING line.
by which we avoid these crossings and ad.
here to the ridge dividing the waters Of the
Red and Sabine rivers. Incidental, of
course, to this comes the comparison of the
grades, and the character of the ground &C.
cupied by the two lines. To these matters
will recur after the lines have been Joined,
when will give you and the board facts
upon which to base your opinions. must
not omit to tell you that found the great
est enthusiasm at Mansfield. The vote on
the parish subscription to our road was had
to-day, and was told would be two to one
for subscription.
The town of Natchitoches, notwith-
standing the impending doubt OF being in
corporated in the location line, was like.
wise all zeal for the railroad, and to-day
the police Jury will pass the ordinance,
submitting the question Of parish subscrip-
ton to the property holders, and we may
expect the same result that is promised for |
De Soto. '777'
Win write you on other subjects next
mail. Very respectfully yours.
----ssB B. H. GREENE, 1
Chief Engineer.
Vyv.k ~ ~