The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-09-03
ST.NISsISSIPPI-ST. LOUIS AMI
NEW ORLEANS RAILROAD LINE.
A MAGNIFICENT OPENING FOR RAIL-
ROAD CAPITALISTS.


uated between those two cities, west of
the Mississippi river, will in very
few years be an accomplished fact,
however Indifferent capitalists and the
people directly interested in such a re-
suit may now be TO the bare possibility
established. The country through
which a road or roads connecting these
two cities must pass, is far above an
average producing country, and though
in its greatest length not much above
700 miles, is, nevertheless, a country
Astounding with the greatest variety of
agricultural and mineral productions,
the exchange of which along the line
of such railroad, would alone yield
enormous profits.
If We take any portion of territory
included in the thickly settled States of
the North or West, which is not pos
sessed of even half the natural attrac-
lions and resources as that about which
we are writing, we will find that in
stead of one main trunk line, it has
not less than two or three, over which
mail, express and accommodation
trains are running almost hourly.
What has been done there, will be
done here.
But the connection here contem-
plated is not the building of a road
from New Orleans to st. Louis. Local
enterprise and local trade has already,
at both ends, commenced the work of
uniting these two cities with iron
bands. st. Louis, over the Iron Noun
rail with Camden via. Gordon, and
with Pine Bluff by Little Rock. New
Orleans, by April next, will be receiv-
ing cotton and shipping merchandise
to Alexandria, over the Morgan rail-
road via. Opelousas.
Here, then, are two gaps, the one
from Camden and the other from Pine
Bluff, to Alexandria, both unoccupied,
and either or both would prove paying
roads. The Pine Bluff route having
been hitherto the more thoroughly dis
cusseed and Investigated, we shall, for
the present, notice that only and but
briefly.
By consulting the map we shall find
that the roads built and those building
cover two-thirds of the distance be-
tween st. Louis and New Orleans, and
that one of the unoccupied gaps, as we
have stated, between these cities,
is that between Pine Bluff and Alex
andria, a distance of about two hun
bred miles. And this gap, from the
topography and relative fertility of the
country through which it lies, is that
part of the route from st. Louis to
Now Orleans, upon any practical, COM
mon sense survey, which could not
be avoided in connecting the two cities
A map before us, issued in 1916, has
this Identical gap travcrsed by a pro-
posed railroad, and it cannot appear
otherwise to any rejecting, observant
mind than that whenever the cities OF
st. Louis and New Orleans arc con-
nected by rail on this side of the Mis-
sissippi, one section of the route will
be that embraced between Alexandria
and Pine Bluff.
OF the practicability of building and
profits in operating this proposed road,
there can he no doubt whatever, II
railroads are practicable and profitable
anywhere in the Trans. Mississippi
country. Those who are familiar with
the country which would be tributary
to this road-to say nothing of what
would be derived from through freights
and trnvel-need not be argued with
to be convinced that the road would
pay handsomely.
And the construction of the road
could readily be provided for. The
people directly interested would sub
scribe literally to the enterprise, while
tho wealthy commercial marts of st.
Louis and New Orleans would be zeal
ously enlisted in its behalf.
We regret to see any opposition to
Hon Il John Ellis in his district. We