The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-07-07
RAILROAD Ho!

The darkest hour is just before the
dawn. Rapides Parish his reached
The lowest depth Of depression. Fire
aud Hood, storm and ~hirlrind,
drouth and worms have exhausted
her MISUNDERSTANDING edeverything
except the fertility of her soil and
the pluck of her people. New hope
begins ROW to dawn and that hope is
that the long talked of Railroad is at
last to be commenced.
If it be any satisfaction to queru-
lous people who affect not to want a
Road built by Yankees, we can an
nounce to them that the Company
Just formed and of which E. b.
Wheelock is President is composed
of our own people, mainly New Or
leans merchants, bankers, capitalists,
owners of real estate, etc., whose in
terests are irrevocably and indissolu-
bly, bound with the agriculturists OF
Louisiana, and whose good faith, in
tegrity and honest purpose is placed
beyond question by the high and
honorable consideration in which
they are held by the community OF
which they are members. The ne
cessities of New Orleans doubtless
prompt the movement. She must dc
something to counteract the evident
tendency Of trade to St. Louis and
elsewhere or she must die Of mani.
ton. And her necessities are those
of the whole State. Louisiana car
never recuperate until capital and la
Dor come here, and come to stay
Neither one will come until a Rail
road or system of Roads invite them
and no Road that can be constructed
can for an instant compare in impor
lance to that which shall run through
the Red River Valley.
Right here within the borders o
our own Parish is an immense ares
of land now lying fallow that onc'
Welded millions of revenue. AL
along the route that this Road viii
take are plantations that would moi
now sell for a dollar and = quarter al
acre at public auction for cash. FIT
teen years ago their owners would
have smiled in derisicn at any ont
who should have offered seventy five
dollars an acre. These lands will a
once appreciate when the first spade
has been struck in the earth to lay
the rail track.
The work is to commence here
This Town will be the terminus-th,
lower terminus of the road. Line
of Steamers connect with the Roa;
here, and transport the freight t
New Orleans. Workshops, sheds
car houses, will have to be built here
Labor will be in demand. Laborer
will be needed. Mechanics and Ia
borers will find employment. TIL
storekeepers both of groceries AM
dry goods will be woke up from thei
maps on the counter and to their as
constituent asked what wares the
had to sell. The benefits that thi
Parish and Town will derive canno
be appreciated at a single glance, bu
they will be enough to provoke th
bile of the croakers, whose ominou
grnnts are sure to be heard.
Do not let us deceive ourselve
however. This great work canno
be done-will not be done withou
our help. It is true this help canno
be given by individual subscription
but individuals can afford assistanc
in various ways. One of the way
they cannot help is, by imaginin
that they are to get three prices frol
the Road Company for labor, lumbe
ground, etc, which will inevitabl
postpone the commencement of th
work, and possibly alter the preser
intention of the Directors to site
spade here first and build up the va
ley towards Marshall or Shreveport
| The whistle of the first locomotiy
at Alexandria will be the signal thu
shall resurrect the buried wealth an
reviyify the dormant energies of OF
Parish.
| ->~>~~->~@Ae-~~>>~~~
\ GINGER MACHINES
llD LIBERAL TERN
L At
/ FERGUSON & SCHNACK'S.
-~~~~~-Oe-~~~~~~~~
TIE New Town HALL AT AVER
, This elnuant strnctnrn il now cor