The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-02

lIvm tHHHbINU IsV ieFte DUTpOSS9 10 Dc 010U1YH00
for work perfornwdIn the same manner o other
cla'u agsinst the State arc audited aud paid
the bosFd ACCOUNT ~ to the Legislature znulaiiy
70 the Governor whenever required 10 do 80.
u seems 70 me that with parties no evenly
balanced - they are now, with . large Couser.
BY this IA > most propittoss time TO secure che
appointment Of competent men, not political
p psrs.,, whose high character and un-
tbat the money collected for leves purposes
WIN BE- wi.siy ANA properly, expended I
sensbiiity Of the pubic mind 10 this respect.
The whole leyee system should be lifted ont N
all political influences. Under the present sys-
commissioners. and the three engineers. aud
under the law the ffvee Company can only
bUild levees IN such places and TO snch extent
There is certainly sreatcr facility under the
pagssns ssIem t9 or mss,ns Tie public woras
il j. ny 70 the ss ss plan
done. By the plan have sSosohs he'd out The The
laborers beng mainly c0nvicts deprived OF all
composed, ~ mns. Il wonid Be-. 81 sitinens q
the highest character, not prominently iden-
tilted with any political party. believe greater
cnred. ana greater satisfaction given 20 the tax
payer than by any other method. Until the
General Government comes to our relief. how
ever or until the plan have suggested. or some
other practical plan be adopted. ] am not pre-
pared to recommend the Immediate repeal OF
the charter Of the Levee Company, objectionable
~ II In.
I have discussed this question Mt considerable
length. not only bccause It 10 Of tho gtsatest
Importance to the State, but because Ii IL q
question pressing for solution. trust you viii
give the views presented your careful and
earnest attention.
! regret exceedingly that tho railroad interests
tory condition. The chief reliance Of the state
IN years past for the supplying Of the great de-
sldefatnm of railroad Communication With
formerly known a. the New OrleAus, Mobile aud
Chattanooga Railroad now ~ the New Orleans.
Mobile and Texas Railres1. Ie that COMPANY
Had any earnest { 6evt been made by that cotDs
pany TO carry est IN good faith the promises
i nsa ont e ,as STATE tho people %isht have
the company. BY barring the way to other enter-
prises, has inflicted upon tho State. ard the AZ
he STAT. mi. sss nced SDon oS
credit at home and abroad. While 1t il true that
the general financial stringency prevailing for
iected more or less every railroad enterprise.
this fact 10 entirely insufficient to account for
tho utter failure which the New Orleans. Mos
with any Of its:obliastiOns to the state. A. elss
whore mentioned, most OF the bonds Issued to
the company are contested by tho state. and
deemed II no more than justice TO the tsxpay-
ers Ell the state to put In litigation the validity Of
all the obiisations Issued 70 the company which
stiD1 remained open to contest.
During the summer OF 1875 number OF promi-
Tint II tns ~, parties u rnn s% thee
t~ cen the state and the Mobile and Texas Rail
road Company. which suit IL was stated could 10
which, while pending, retarded the efforts OF
those inter rested In the completion Of the road.
were submitted to the court, 80 that N could be
promptly decided. q company could be formed
In the State itself which would he able to push
the road to completion. Upon the advice Of emf
pent counsel. thoroughly informed on the merits
OF tie case that there were no legal rights pOss
sessed by the State which could m any manner
DO concluded, tho case was submitted on briefs.
A decision was subsequently rendered vestins
holders. and Affirming tho advice given by the
conhseif for the state that the state had rights
Npeotiat,ons are still pending with . view to On
carry resumption Of work upon the road, but ]
am informed that much diftioulty Ia experienced
those controlling the road present. I recon
mend that you authorize an investigation into
Ill matters connected with this railroad. to the
end that the enact status Of tho road may be
known.
The Texas pneiae J.ssa Grant.
when serving tho State in the Uuited States
Senate introduced Senate bill No. CAT. to aid Ia
the construction OF q railroad and telegraph
line from Marshall, Texas. TO San Diego. on the
Pacific Coast. with . branch to New Orleans.
During the following session this bill passed the
Senate: and subsequently, on a, Tsp .,s Of
yidlbR for branch road to New Orleans, and
was approved March 3, 1874 There was At tho
q corporation known a. the New Orleans, Baton
Rouge and vioksburg railroad. This road was
originally intended to be constructed to Vicks-
r0nd from New Orleans 10 shreveport The
company had, In fact. made survey OF q pros
tectsd lipe Of road from New Orleans, via Baton
Rouge and Alexandria, TO Shreveport. This
route being In accord with the projectef col
lateral branch OF the Texas Pacific railroad. that
bill granted TO New Orleans. Baton Ronse and
vicksburg Railroad Company ten sections OF
land on each eide of their projected route,
designated by odd numbers and provided that
ave years from the date Of the passage Of the
act. The lands thus granted, amounting, &C
c0rding to the report Of the Secretary OF tho In
terror, to over 800 900 acres. we're subsequently,
Withdrawn from the market, and still remain
Withdrawn from entry or sale
regret 70 say that. like other companies, tho
company TO whom this grant was accorded-n
grant which. In any Western State. would be
sufficient Of itself to build the whole road-has
remained inactive: Those IN charge OF its AZ
p ,city to utilize the resources placed at their
dspOeal
their road TO Fort Worth, Texas, thus giving an
unn terrupted communication OF over three huns
red miles west from Shreveport, connecting
roads. 1t may safely be assumed that the wants
OF commerce will compel the construction OF sn,s
road. at an early day, ut least TO vi Paso The
question now -, by what means can direct
co mmunication be established by railroad be-
tween New Orleans and some point at or near
tho eastern terminus Of the Texas Pacific road.
The Senator. and meInber OF Congress. from
this State. have recently introduced INTO each
house of Congress, bills which I understand
provided for aid in securing the payment 81
Interest on bonds To 10 issned by the company
70 the amount OF 100000 mile upon the incom-
pIete main line OF the Texas Pacific railroad,
and to the aWount OF e35,O00, per mile FOR the
projected lateral lines. one Of which connects
with New Orleans. The Lower House Of con-
gress appears to be composed OF members.
majority Of whom are. on principle, opposed
to national aid to works Of this nature. IL Is
particularly unfortunate that 1T this 1unctnre.
when the state il beginning to recuperate from
its long prOstration. that there should DO 40
little prospect OF resolving that assistance
which has heretofore been given with a lavish
hand 10 enterprises OF like nature. and which !
think we have the right to ask from the general
both for our railroads ana our
leveea.
existing Western railread connection with
southern Texas will be successful 10 IL incum-
bent upon us In the meatime to use all possible
efforts 10 help ourselves. In my Judgment the
~, INT ha of The city