The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-09-29
THE RAILROAD.

the whole indebtedness of cur Parish
was under twenty -four thousand dol
lars, and that that sum was due to
the Parish by Sic delinquents-and
now we re-endorse this strong mean
ing fact and choose to take it as a
text for q few remarks concerning
our last grab for home salvation, the
building, or aiding to build, the New
Orleans Pacific Railway. OF course
we are plainly outspoken in this mat
ter, and do not wish to be misunder-
stood or misconstrued, and if we 60
over some Of our already oft repeat
ed words in behalf of our aims and
their fruition, we only desire fol
them in that light to be considered
clinchers.
We shall not waste good words tc
state the benefits in all respects, and
in every particular, which must most
surely accrue from the building Of
the Road, nor shall we halt to argue
with the futtering and wounded
croakers, but come at once to the
milk in our cocoanut, our Railroad
cocoanut, and assert that the Parish
of Rapides must take stock in the
Road and subscribe to at least two
thousand shares. The Police Jury
meet in regular session in few days,
and they will most assuredly take
the bull by the horns and master the
situation with the least possible Gle.
lay. In this, their duty is both
plain and important, and our word
for it, they will not dodge the mat.
ter, but be men, the elected and ser.
wing representatives Of q constitnen.
cy of men, and face the most impor.
tant music, Parochial authorities ev.
er had played for them. In less
than ninety days the Parish can and
will be clear of debt, which debt
should be more than honored by the
long standing delinquent list, and
haye her present Tax Roll, now in
full course of collection, as fresh
reserve to come to Railroad time
and the first two years can meet
their Railroad subscription, without
an extra tax on the property Of the
Parish.
With these plain financial facts
and figures, which we assert are not
the fancy touches of the Editor OF
the Democrat, but plain and stub
born ones, how can our people fail to
acknowledge the correctness of our
premises, writing by the card as we
now do, and fall in with those who
are yet willing to make q bold and
decisive stroke from the death spell.
which seems yet to coil itself around
the energies Of most Of orr people?
Most assuredly they must pause, and
study with us some action in their
own behalf. The road we have
blazed is plain one and must at
once be worked out and completed.
A few weeks since we received q
letter from Mr.. Wheelock, the Presi-
dent Of the Road, and to close, we
believe the publication of that letter
now, though late, can but help US in
the objects of this article, and with
out further excuse finish it up with it.:
New ORLEANS, La, I
Sept. s, 1875. !
E. r. Biossat, Esq, Alexandria, La:
My DEAR SRI read, as did our Direc-
tors, with great pleasure, your editorial
on the New Orleans Pacific Railway. in
your issue of the 1st inst, and your Sharp
and judicious apprehension Of these who
are making most unjust and unfair charges
against Major James. The latter seem
not to be aware that without the contract
with the Major, the period when the road
could have been commenced with any
hope OF early completion must have been
distant and uncertain The reason why
this should have been so, every one here,
and in Rapides also, ought to be aware
Our Fall business, when every able bodied
iaborer is in reqnisition, is now opening,
when it We're perfectly useless for us to
seek workme1 OF the laboring class here
and it would have been worse than alb
surb to have tried to procure able field
hands when yonr crops were to be gath
cred. Our contract with Major James
was, therefore, strictly speaking, road or
~ lod'tt anu we NtHb luI IL GOdu, anu VIII
with Parish cooperation man
fully extended. the first section between
and Natehitoches for the early
Spring trade. 1t may be your Police Jnry
cannot be made to see the necessity of.
speedy and friendly aid to an enterprise
that cannot fail to make Alexandria a
first class inland town, and in three years
more than donble the value of every acre
of arabic land in your Parish Many eth
zens may share their opinions, which we
should greatly regret, although the loss
would be that of your own people; for we
should then be compelled to seek another
location for our Machine shops, and when
our road is completed it could not be
of us if we considered Parishes
which gave us timely and valuable assist
ance as more deserving of our consdera.
tiou than Others which did little or moth
ing, and that grudgingly. / will not be-
ieve Rapides will be found wanting, aud
[ am strengthened in my opinion by your
lble and convincing appeal, of which |