The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1878-04-06
Let MS have a Rail Road.

Il IbtO $500
a people, of looking upon our
sister State OF Texas As Il land
flowing with milk and honey. and
as ii region where plenty and
prosperity we're the constant at
PENDANTS of her inhabitants. The
public prints inform us that emil
grants are pouring over her Dor
ders by the hundred thousand
annually, and that towns are
springing up where but a short
time ago, the buffalo roa,ned IN
mole>ted, while the towns al
ready founded are developing into
large cities.
Ask those who have visited
Texas whether her sell and re-
sources d be compared with
those of Louisiana, and they will
tell YOU that the palm of superior
i,y must be awarded to Louisiana.
What then, is the Cause of the
rapid development which is going
on in Texas ? The answer is 10 he
found in one VOID railroads. Ac
cordlng TO the most reliable infOr-
nation at hand, there were cOn-
structed, in the United States
during the year 1877, 9OJ4 miles
of rail road, OF which Texas is
credited with one third while
she excels all the other States in
the number of rail roads in pro-
cess of construction.
The moral to be derived from
these facts is this: Ii Texas has
found the rail road to be a most
potent agent for the development
of her resources and the building
up of her towns and cities, why
can not Louisiana, which Pro.i-
dtnce has blessed with superior
climate, and soil and productions.
be benefited 10y the Same agency
1t cannot be that the same causes
will produce different effects. 1t
will not be asserted that what
has contributed so largely to the
benefit OF Texas will be detrimpn-
tai to Louisiana. The idea is re
pugnant t" reason.
Turning now from %generalities
to particulars, We maintain, that
just as the towns and cities OF
Texas and OF the great West have
! prospere! and grown rich through
the inStrumentality of railroads,
SO will ThiOOdaux be quickened
into IA new life and develop in IA
marvellous degree, when "a rail.
road shall have brought it into
, intimate communication with the
rest OF the void. Do we exdg.
gtrate VIII, we say thar Thibo.
danx is annually getting poorer
and poorer, and that its trade is
} fast slipping from the grasp OF
its merchants The only thing
, that can arrest the progress OF
!, the towns decay is to have Il
railroad. An opportunity is now
offered toy which this consnmma
; ton can be attained ut a trit1ins
sacrifice.
J Should there he any hesitation
in a matter of this kind where til,
most vital interests of the towi
, are at stake? What would be
thought of a man afflicted with ;
: dangerous diseaSr,and who would
0 refuse to adopt the only remedy
that could save his life? Now
that this contemplated branch
: road from Terrebonne is the onl,
remedy now az ailable which cal
. save u town from eventual ruil
we think, admits of little doubt
. is it not the part of wisdom, Their,
0 fore, to adopt the only mean
0 which "A infuse new energy ant
vigOr into the decaying body pol
0 illc ?
q The town is not asked to sad
0 die itself with an enormous deb
Q in order to SubSidize a corpora
= ton which may afterwards grin
0 our citizens with extOrtiOnat
charges, nor ia an increase j
y the rate of taxation demande,
Of the taxpayers.
> 1t would undoubtedly, hav
been more gracious in Mr.. Nor
e gan to propose the building o
!, this road at his own expense
But Heaven helps those who hel
e themselves. Mr.. Morgan is wi
o ling to help US if we help our
: selves by lending him a helpin
0 hand. 1t can not be said tina
. blame should attach to him fo
entertaining this opinion. Til
d question il. q the town affor
TO spurn the gift when prOffere,