The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1875-08-07
PROPOSED TELEGRAPH LINE.

PROPOSED TELEGRAPH LINE.
A new feather in DonaldsOnville's
hat! We are soon to be in telegraphic
communication with the metropolis,
beyond reasonable doubt.
A company has been organized in
New Orleans under the name Of the
Louisiana Telegraph Company, which
is about to begin the erection Of Il tel
egraph line from New Orleans to
Shreveport by way Of Westwego,
Donaldsonville, Bayou Goula, Baton
Rouge, Opelousas, Alexandria and
Natchitoches. A cable will be laid
across the river at Westwego, and
from thence the wire will extend
along the track of the New Orleans
& Texas Railroad to Bayou Gonla.
Branch wires will be extended from
Baton Rouge along the right bank Of
the river to the Arkansas boundary,
and from Opelousas to the Sabine
river, on the Texas border.
The incorporators Of this company
effected permanent organization
Thursday evening, electing Col. j. d.
Hill president, G. i. Walker secre-
tary, and johnson Armstrong treas
urer. Of the association and it's i'm
portant work the New Orleans Repub-
lican says: "Thc management of the
company is in the hands of men who
are not apt to fail in enterprises they
undertake. There is nothing, except
railroads, the interior of Louisiana has
needed SO much as Geographic COM
munication. There are seasons of the
year when thickly settled portions of
the Attakapas and Red River country
are more isolated than the most dis
tant settlements OH the frontier of our
country. 1t is the design of this COM
pany to place every important point
in Louisiana in Geographic commune
cation with New Orleans inside of the
next twelve months"
The Republican Pioneer of st. John
the Baptist has given up the struggle
for a profitable livelihood and sus-
pended publication. The Pioneer, if
we remember rightly, was established
by Hon. Mortimer +. Smith in 1867,
when Republican newspapers were
few and far between in Louisiana. In
the early days of its existence it was
an enterprising and well edited jour
nal, but for several years past it has
been little more than medium for
the promulgation Of official advertise
ments, obtaining little if any circula-
ton outside Of its exchange and free
lists. Mr.. Smith was elected to the
State Senate in the Spring Of 1853,
and during his four-year term Of ser
vice his paper enjoyed official patron
age that aggregated many thousands
Of dollars, but being an inprovident
manager in private affairs, us he was
i'll politics, the proprietor of the Pho
necr soon found himself reduced to
comparative poverty and devoid Of
the political influence requisite to OBJ
tain an official position commensurate
with his ambition. He is a conscien-
tious Republican, but arbitrary in his
opinions, unable to brook opposition
to his ideas and plans even from his
best friends. 1t was this unfortunate
trait of character that was chiefly in
strumental in bring about the revers-
es that have overtaken him. A few
months ago the Pioneer was deprived
of the contract as official journal of
St. John parish, and from that time
it was evident its fate was sealed. We
have several times had occasion to
feel aggrieved at unfair treatment
from the Pioneer and its editor, but
in his hour of misfortune and distress
we forget the differences of the mast
and extend our sympathy and COM
miscration.
It is with regret we chronicle the
retirement from the editorial chair of