St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-03-16
The New Orleans Pacific Rail-
way.
EFrom The n. o. Democrat. March 9th

|
now before the Governor, and he will
probably sign it or veto it to-day or
Monday. We will not presume to dis.
cuss the cOnstitutionality OF this bill
with Gov. Nichols. He is himself one
of the first constitutional lawyers in the
State, and will determine that question
himself, or with the aid of other emf
uent legal gentlemen amongst us. There
are, however, many facts and figures,
and many questions outside Of the law
to be considered in determining tho
merits OF this important act, which, in
the multiplicity OF affairs and press of
public business, the Governor may not
nave found time to fully examine. Some
Of these we propose to present to his
attention ana to that Of the people at
large.
Ii, asWe have previously stated, this
bill proposed to add, even temporarily,
| to the burden of taxation, we should Op-
| pose it. But it is clear to our mind that
| it will not do so. Indeed, it seems to us
that it is bound. to largely increase the
assessable value OF the property of the
| city and State, and to so greatly increase
our trade that it will render the weight
of taxation much more endurable.
The road will extend from New Or
| leans to Shreveport, through the whole
| length Of Western Louisiana, cOmpris-
| ing /, large area OF The richest land in
| the Southwest. These lanus are now,
| except in favored Io,dIitics, unsuleabie
for anything like the prices far inferior
| lands are worth on the line of any rail
road we know OF. A careful and ac-
curate estimate OF the area OF the lands
wiIlrh ilt. adjacent to the route Of the
| New Orleans Pacific shows tile nun Der
II arres to be four millions, varying in
quality from the richest aluvial to eX-
tellent nplandS. 1t is estimated that
the completion of the road will enhance
lie value OF these lands five dollars per
acre, increasing the value of the whole
area twenty millions OF dollars. We
| regaid this rs ii low estimate. The con-
>tructon of the jackson road Increased
the Va ue of the wretclledly poor lands
through which it passed from twenty
ilve cents aud fifty cents per acre to five
dollars and eight dollars. But the es-
innate has been made by cautious and
well-infOrmed gentlemen, and we ac-
cept it,
The influence of the road upon the
property Of the city will be even greater
than upon that OF the rural districts.
Its construction, at the lowest calcula-
ton, will increase the value Of city prop
erty twenty millions OF dollars.
The road itself, at Il low estimate, will
be worth five millions. Those who
have opposed it claim that it's value
would be from eight TO ten millions. 1t
asks and will receive no exemption from
taxatioli, and Will be assessed at Ger
taiuly not less than five millions of
dollars.
Now, let Ms see from these estimates
what effect the road, it constructed, will
u.,yn I,,,u,, tl,.. fny.a bt.. r,,nDar;y # th.,
State, and, consequently, upon its rev.
cnues:
Increased valu. 100000 acres land, ST. per
acre, SO 600. .0OD taxed al per cent $500 900
Increased value OF city property $20.000,-
O0O taxed per cent 200 600
Value OF the railroad stock, etc, S5,00o.00o
taxed at per cent. 10000
Total increase OF revenue from increase
OF value Of property ty.--.-....-....--..S4 .S450 900
Thus the city and State would derive
ii direct revenue of at least $3.50 900 per
aullum from the completion of this road, |
which it is asked to aid without incur |
ring any risk. In addition to this, the |
people of this city would, In the item OF |
meat alone, be relieved of a burthen- |
some indirect tax. The cost OF trans |
portation Of cattle from Texas would /
he greatly reduced by its construction
reduced, in fact, at least one cent per |
pound; and as about $4,000 pounds of |
beef are sold per day in the city,. the
people would be relieved OF an indirect |
tax on that article of at least S29a 900 |
per annum.
1t our estimates are correct, and we |
believe they are entirely too low, the !
construction of the New Orleans Pacific
Railroad will increase the revenues of |
the State $450,000 aud relieve the peo-
pie of the city OF an Indirect tax of s292,
600, thus being worth to the pockets of |
the people per aDnum $742,00O.
In this estimate We Say nothing OF the |
reduction in the cost of the transpor-
tatl0n of cotton, sugar, mO!assess grain |
and all the vast merchandise which will
pass over the read nothing of the in
crease of our trade; nothing OF the In |
crease at property through the growth
of the city and of the rural lands through |
new buildings and improvements.
There may be widely varying opinions |
about these.
We give only facts and figures WHICH
impress us as indisputable and AS OBJ
vious TO every man who will examine !
the question.
In another column we print COM
mnlication from Mr.. Archibald Nit
@lsilp IttUShtjS tHC UliI VIC GlC ulSCuSS~
ing. MIR. Mitchell, however, has fallen
the distinguished economists from whom
he quotes are entirely correct. But
they do not apply to such roads as the
New Orleans Pacific. Those gentle
men were protesting against the rail
road mania which swept over England
and subsequently, over the West,
the construction of multi
tudes OF roads in every direction with
out regard to the resources of the cOun
tries they traversed or the tendency of
the currents Of trade. Such roads are
a positive burtlien and curse to any
country the capital INVESTED in them
is absolutely lost to the community,
and they would certainly tend to i'm
poverish any country. But Mr.. Mitchell
is entirely ip error when he classes this
road in their category: The New Or. |
leans Pacific, as We have previously
shown, runs through a rich and pfoduc
tive region, which only needs facilities
and Into Il trade of incalcu-
liable value, the natural tendency of
which is to New Orleans, but which the
of st. Louis has seduced and
the iptllargy of New Orleans has driven
away from us.
Mr.. Mitchell says ~
believe that it is not claimed for
this road by its advocates that it will
yield remuieratiye interest to the
but that, GetWithstand-
ing. it will be an immense advantage to
the community by its collateral and indi- !
rect influence In promoting business.
Our friend is absolutely wrong. The
advocates OF this road claim for it that
it will be one of the most profitable
reads in the Union. Mr.. James G.. Clark,