The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-03-10
E0R TIE CLARION.

FOR THE CLARION.
The people of this State are witnessing
with great pleasure the determined action
Of the Legislature in protecting them by
stringent laws against the monopolies, ex
tortions, and uncompensated destruction of
.heir property by railroads. The people of
the seacoast find a hopeful encouragement
in the recent passage by the Senate, Of the
bill to compel the New Orleans and Mo-
bile Railroad Company to fence in their
track, and fence off cattle and stock. Let
me briefly explain the urgent necessity of
.his legislation. This railroad runs about
ninety miles through the State of Mississip-
pi. along the seacoast. The chief, and most
lucrative business of this region is in graz
ing cattle, sheep and horses. The people are
generally poor,and most of them are largely
dependent upon their 1ocks for a support
and existence. Nearly all the railroad
trains pass over this region at night, and at
high speed. The engineers are very Teck-
less Of the destruction of stock, and even III
broad daylight, many of them, when seeing
cattle afar off make no effort to avoid killing
them. The destruction of stock by this
road Is, consequently, large and constant
If this Company would pay promptly, and
even approximately the value of stock
4 killed tie sufferers could buy other cattle
and be partially Unidentified. But | speak
( from personal knowledge of this railroad
company ever since its organization, when
say that it never has paid promptly, fully
or fairly for its destruction of property, and
as q rule it has paid nothing at all A few
days ago, Mr.. Theo. Moran, of this
county told me that this railroad
had killed 1j1 head of his cattle, and had
paid paltry sum for twenty-one of them
and nothing at all for the remaining 13I
head. He, alone, has suffered an uncom-
pensated destruction Of his cattle to the
/ amount Of 81 800. ! have, myself, made
repeated appeals TO the managers of this
road (trOm the head to the tail of them J,
using every argument that ought to reach
men having either honor, honesty, sense or
selfreSpect but all of these have been una
vailing. Then | resorted to the courts, and
always beat them before the courts, and OBJ
tanned Judgment, but when a sheritfor con-
stable gees to levy upon property, they
manage to bully, intimidate, or buy him
MP, and thus audaciousIy and insoently
defy the execution of the laws. / now have
many executions in the hands of sheriffs
and constables, and | propose to try what
virtue there is III the laws of this State, in
such cases But the plaintiffs in execution
are not able to engage in the protracted,
veXatiou5 litigation, by which this concern
seeks to despoi them of their property.
And the same conduct has been exhibited
towards all other local creditors, and from
Mobile to New Orleans the courts are full
of unsatistied judgments against this com
pIny. This road Is doing a very heavy and
lucrative business, and many officials are
'teatheriug their nests" from its income.
Yet under the cover of an old mortgage Of
four millions ofdollars, all other credito'
are swindled-to pay, as is pretended, IT,
foreign bondholder.
And now in behalf of an outra yed people,
/ appeal to the House of Representatives, to
pass the Senate bills, and give our people a
chance to pursue their lawful vocations,
which they cannot now do without heavy
losses. VIII the Legislature of Mississippi
longer permit such an outrage upon her
people and leave their property and their
pursuits to be destroyed by the mere wan
touness of a dangerous, destructive, and ir
responsible organization | hope not, and
when this ana other such bills come up for
voting, let the ayes and noes be called, and
every representative face his constituents
on the record he shall make, that the
people may know their friends on this vital
question.
As an assurance of the good faith in
which these statements are made. | publish
this, over my genuine signature, and | am
ready to furnish the proof to any 'doubt-
ing Thomas"
BEN LANE PosEY.