New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-04

oooVuut 1OT inc uCCeE 16llNf0 Whic
New Orleans, Mobile and Texas ra
has made to comply with any Of it's q
tions to the State. As elsewhere menti
most Of the bonds issued to the con
are contested BY the State, and are nc
fore the courts awaiting decision. dc
it no more than justice to the taxpsy,
the State to put in litigation the valid
all the obligations issued to the con
which still remained open to contest.
During the summer of 1875 numb
prominent citizens of New Orleans ,
sented to me that if the parties in in,
in q suit then pending in the United s
Circuit Court between the State an,
Mobile and Texas Railroad Com
which suit it was stated could in no
inure to the benefit of the State,
which, while pending, retarded the e
OF those interested in the completion q
road, were submitted to the court. sc
it could be promptly decided, a com
could be formed in the State itself '
would be able to push the road to
pletion. Upon the advice of eminent
sci thoroughly informed on the mer
the case that there were no legal right;
sessed by the State which could in
manner be concluded, the case was
mitted on briefs. A decision was q
quently rendered vest;ng the title te
road in the first mortgage bondholden
affirming the advice given by the c
for the State, that the State had no
which could have been enforced d
suit. Negotiations are still pending
view to an early resumption of worll
the road, but am informed that mrl
dculty is experienced by reason of
practicable demands which those G,
ing the road present. 1 recommen
you authorize an investigation into {
ters connected with this railroad,'
end that the exact status OF the roi
be known.
THE TEXAS PACIFIC LAND GRAN
When serving the State in thei
States Senate introduced Senate ).
647, to aid in the construction of ad
and telegraph line from Marshalls,
to San Diego, on the Pacific coasta
branch to New Orleans. Durlng,l-
lowing session this bill passed thte,
and subsequently on q report of sit-
tee Of conference passed the Hoo
viding for Q branch road to NEWS,
and was approved March 3, lS7ere
was at that time in apparently acAst-
ence in the State Q corporation , as
the New Orleans, Baton Rouge fks-
burg railroad. This road was ally
intended to be constructed to urg,
but the charter authorized the " OF
. road from New Orleans to Hort
The company had, in fact, made ~ OF |
q projected line of road from Means,
via Baten Ronge and dAlexandriareve-
port. This route being in accoh the
projected collateral branch ofrexas
Pacific railroad, that bill granted New
Orleane, Baton Rouge and VicI Rail
road Company ten sections of u each
side of their projected route, dfed by
odd numbers, and provided th CON-
pany should complete their roslin five
years from the date of the pc OF the
set. Tho lands thus grantedntlng,
according to the report Of thetary ct
the Interior, to over l,500,00ts, were
subsequently withdrawn fromnarket,
and still remain withdrawn entry OF
sale.
Iregret to cay that, like othnpanles, ,
the company to whom this was &C.
corded-s grant which, in western
State, would be sufficient of to build
the whole rOad-has remainactive.
Those in charge of its affairs not had
the ability or the financial cay to util-
ize the resources placed at thsposal.
The Texas Pacific Compaave COM
pleted their road to Fort b, Texas,
thus giving an uninterruptemmunica'
tion Of over 300 miles wesn Shreve !
port, connecting with the int of Te1a
by other lateral railroads. L safely o<
assumed that the wants Of nerce vii
compel the construction ofroad, at a
early day, at least to Ell P,The ques''
ton now is, by what mean direc'"'
communication be establisby railroad
between New Orleans and tpoint at OF
near the eastern terminus q Texas Pa
cific road.
The Senator, and a memf Congress-
from this State, have rect introduced
into each house of Cong, bills which
I understand provide for in securing
tho payment of interest onds to be IL
sued by the company to amount
$4,000 q mile upon the nplete mals
line of the Texas PacifcrOad, and cio
the amount of 5000 pep for the pro
jected lateral lines, one which COM
meets with New Orles The lo"e'
house Of Congress appea,be composed
of members, a majority vhom are, OIL
principle, opposed to matte aid to works
of this nature. 1t is pa1arly unfortu
nate that at this juncture, IN the State
beginning to recuperate fhts long pro'
tration, that there shouldo little prof
pect of receiving that asmce which ha
heretofore been given widavish hand t
enterprises of like natrand which
think We have the righ ask from tn
general government, botr our railroad
and our levees.
While hoping that thicrts in behal
Of the existing Westerrilroad connec
ton with Southern Texasl be successful
it is incumbent upon us le meantime q
use all possible efforts ,elp ourselves
In my judgment the moital connection
in the interests of the Gland of the en-
tire State is that by tkay OF bato,