The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-02-23
OMaehita Te1e9raph.
LETTER FROM COL. THOMAS 4
SCOTT.
OFFICE OF THE PRESID DENT,
PHILADELPHIA. February 3. 1873.

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT,
Philadelphia, February 3, 1873.
Col. r. w. Loughery, Editor of the Tri-
Weekly Herald, Marshall, Texas:
Editor Hesald-I have your favor of
January 18th, enclosing an article from
the Austin Statesman, and also your
own editorial commenting thereon.
1t is somewhat difficult to answer
the conflicting statements that are pub
liShed in the Statesman. 1t charges in
one column that no provision is made
! in the Texas and Pacific bill for the ex-
| tensions to New Orleans, Vicksburg,
and Memphis. In the next it admits
! that proper provision has been made
for these extensions, but fears there is
| nothing to compel their construction
| until some indefinite date; whereas the
! bill is perfectly clear on this point, and
requires these extensions to he built in
! three years, or just One-half the time
| named for the completion of the main
line.
1t should not require any argument
| to prove that parties who have invest
ell from twelve to fifteen millions OF
dollars in that portion of the Texas and
Pacific road already built and equip
eli, would naturally do all in their pow
| er to secure to tie line, when construct
ed, the proper connections with the
harbors and railroads of the South. And
any man of railroad experience knows
that the talk about diverting traffic
from the Texas and Pacific road over
the Northern lines is simply absurd.
1 have always been warmly in favor
of the extensions south and east of !he
Texas and Pacific line, so as to give
connections with every Southern har-
Dor and railway, as fully provided for
in the bill, because / believe that the
South has right to them, and that the
national government having helped
the North so largely, should and will
extend this aid to the Southern section
Of the country.
The direct line to which the editor of
the Statesman refers, will be an open
highway with which all roads can con-
nect, and with which the Pennsylvania
Railroad has nothing in the world to
do, and never will have, but Galveston,
New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah
and other Southern ports will have the
shortest possible connection through.
this trunk line to the Pacific. lh,ve
no doubt they will avail themselves o!
its advantages to IL very large extent in
the improvement of their commercial
and other facilities.
The bill gives to Congress the right to
regulate rates, but expressly provides
that nothing in the act contained shall
interfere with the duties or obligations
of the company to the State of Texas.
The bill of which enclose Il copy, is
very clear Oh this point.
If the editor of the Statesman will
read the bill, and the report Of Mr..
Lamar, the chairman OF the committe.
on Pacific railroads, he will find that Il
great many of the evils which he seems
to fear, have no existence, and that the
interests of Texas are us carefully look
ed after in the legislation now sought,
as in any bill that has ever been pres
ented, either to Congress or the Legis-
lature of that State.
1 am obliged to you for calling my
attention to the views set forth in The
Statesman, and you are ut liberty, j.
you so desire, to publish this letter.
Yours very truly,
TIIOS. \. SCOTT,
President Texas and Pacific Railway.