The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-05-11

mate, Quality Of the Soil, Etc.
Politics Gradually Giving Way to
Crop Raising.
Special Correspondent of the Cincinnati
Gazette.
"GREEN CASTLE PLANTATIoN,")
NATcnIrocHEs, La, March, 1873. !
A new light has lately been let into
this remote and isolated region. This
old Red River country--so rich in 1e-
sources, bnt much of it 80 inaccessi-
bic and SLOW is now frightened by
a new hope, and an assured conf
'dence in the near future. 1t is at
last to be lifted out of the woods and
wilderness, and to be brought into
close contact with the busy world.
When calling recently on Governor
Nichols, in New Orleans, he had
just signed the New Orleans Pacific
Railroad bill, and l can here appre-
ciate the earnest expression he then
gave of his estimate of Its vast i'm
portance to this section, as we'll as to
the entire State. So highly fa'
vored as this Red River region is in
climate, soil, etc, it would be hard
to overestinate the benefits to he
brought by this railroad enterprise,
at last to be secured after so many
years lost from the general march Of
progress. Probably no part of the
country has suffered so severely from
lack of an ontlet, or been so retarded
in development for want Of inter-
course with the outside world as this.
Certainly none possessing such capa-
bilities has continued 80 long-much
Of it still in it's primitive condition
dragging through the severe disad
vantages and drawbacks of frontier
life. With the causes that have
kept it so, the obstacles which have
prevented progress, l am not fully
familiar. But to an outsider it is
marvellous that this people, in one of
the oldest and finest States in the
Union, should, through several gene
rations, have continued to haul their
cotton and other products with long
OK and mule teams, winding their to
dious way as best they could through
vast forests and over almost impassa
Die roads distances of fifty to 100
miles, making ten to twenty miles a
day, camping at night along the way,
to Red River, where they could find a
market and from which they might
obtain supplies. To a Northerner,
living among railroads running in
every direction, through mountains
and across great chasms, stopping at
no coat, az in the case of "the Cincin.
natl Southern" it is hard to imagine
what hinderances con)d be possible
here where railroads can be built at
$4,000 to SIS, 900 a mile. But these
people are abont to abandon their
pioneer practices. After a hundred
years or 80 of this experiments. they
have decided to try change, and no
doubt they will be pleased with it.
Nature has done her share in provi.
ding Red River. 1t is a good stream.
Of incalcu]able value to Northwestern
Louisiana, Texas, etc., and from it's
wonderful winding and turning seems
to be doing it's best to accommodate
the entire trade Of this country; but
at last it is found that there is room
here. for railroad. By the bill late
~ passed, the Legislature Of Louisi.
ana lends S2,0OO,OOO in bonds in aid
Of the New Orleans Pacific, in ex.
chat &c for $2,500,000 OF the bonds Of
the company, which guarantees the
completion of the road within a year
or fifteen months to Shreveport,
where it strikes the Texas Pacific.
Running through the heart Of this
extensive and fertile region, lying
between the Mississippi, the Red
River and Texas line, it will open to
immigration some of the most invi-
ting country on the continent; Offer
ing to settlers valuable lands at mere
nominal cost, giving them a market
almost at their plantations, and bring.
ing them within a few hours, instead
of several days, of New Orleans, and
within qnick reach Of the Northern
cities. From this poiut to New Or.
leans, instead of 500 miles by river,
taking three or four days, it will be
about 200 miles, taking eight hours.
From New Orleans to Shreveport, in
stead OF 700 miles BY river, and four
to FIVE days, it will be about us
miles, or eleven hours. To New Or
leans, also, this road is Indispensable
for tile recovery ofthe enormous trade
taken from her since the completion
Of the road from St. Louis, tapping
Texas, Northern Louisiana, ETC., ~
we'll az for the development Of this
vast scope Of country tributary to
her, and for the settlement and cnlti-
walton Of this better portion of the
State, much Of whicI, still lies unoc.
cnpied and idle. With the compile
ton Of this road and the opening Of
this region to immigration, there will,
no doubt, be a speedy flow of new
life aud enterprise into this whole
country. Although there is some ap-
prehension that a question may arise
as to the constitutionality of the
States issuing these bonds, yet, since
the people have become aroused "a
to the necessity Of the road aud to a
determination to build it, considera.
bio work having already been done,
it's early completion seems assured in
any event. ="
The climate here an T havo evna.