The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-02-22
FROM MONROE 10 DAsTROP IN ONE
.se srs HOUR.

esSSsAsSsSO~A sOs$&Ss
readers ON: the LIST OF February by Mr..
Leon Polk, civil engineer, respecting
the construction and cost Of narrow
guage railroads, generally, and the
feasibility, particularly, Of building
such road from this place to Bastrop,
deserved, and, no doubt, received u
careful perusal from many who saw
that particular issue of our paper. Mr..
Folks experience In Texas with mar
row guage roads, HE conceded integri-.
ty, and his knowledge of the country
through which the proposed road
ests involved In the completion of
work Of suct, admitted utility, made
his communication subject for anx-
ious <leliberation and study. Mr.. Polk
has not supplied us with further infor-
nation, but will probably do so in II
short time.
Several years ago movement was
set on foot to construct railroad from
this place to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and
at intervals since, the subject has been
agitated through the press of both this
State and Arkansas but no practical
results, further than the assembling OF
conventions along the route, have ever
been reached. The idea, however, ha>
always been well received and the inn
Portance Of such a road universally
conceded. The TELEGRAPH has re-
peatedly urged action, as have the
other papers along the line, and the
people have readily responded by reso.
buttons and committees, but no active
move has ever been made In concert to
place the advantages of the road before
capitalists, or even before the property
holders directly interested. And yet
st. Louis, alone, would subscribe
funds sufficient to build one-fourth the
road. But, for the present, there is lit
tie hope of building this road, however
certain we are that 1t will be built be-
fore the lapse of many years. AS u
part of the inside short-line route from
New Orleans to st. Louis, west of the
Mississippi, it's completion, some day
not very far distant, may be set dowr
as a certainty ~
Meanwhile, unable to secure the
whole road, why not construct part,
If this section can be constructed at
such cost AS those interested can
bear? We have not the data just al
hand necessary to show the cost of the.
road, nor are we sufficiently Informed
to say with accuracy what would trI
the expense of operation, or what the,
income of the road; but, from our gen.
eral knowledge of the country and
from what we learn from accounts oi
the building and operation of narrow
guage roads of similar length and. in
countries of similar topography, I'VE an
hesitatingly express our belief that u
narrow.guage road from Bastrop to
Monroe would pay handsomely. And
we further believe that its extension to
the Line, or to Poplar Bluff, would in.
crease its value. We base this belief
upon such statements as that noticed
by us n few days ago to the effect that
| a road of about the same length, some
80 miles, and traversing section OF
country, as is. this, where there was
no grading scarcely, was built and
equipped for $500 per mile. Say
that the cost would be doubled in this
case, and still the funds, about sos, 600,
could very easily be raised, If not di-
rectly in cash, by subscriptions oflands
and mortgages on the road. One-half
this amount ought to be raised inBastrop
and Monroe, and the balance could be
obtained from landowners In the two
parishes. The proposition seems plain
to us that the funds could be raised
and the road built aud In running Or
der inside OF two years.
OF the advantages Of such a road we
need not speak, because they are too
apparent-and because our present pur-
pose is accomplished in what we have
already said. Will the business men
of Bastrop and Monroe and the PLAN
ters interested in this enterprise, take
lit in hand and carry it to success?