St. Landry democrat., 1880-09-18
Effects Of Railroads OH Cities
and Towns.
New Orleans Country Visitor.


AS the construction of railroads has
taken place within the last half century,
and, so far as the larger portion of even
the civilized world is concerned, must
be considered as yet in it's infancy, it is
not surprising that many erroneous pop
ular ideas should still remain relative
to the effect produced by their existence
Oh cities, towns and villages through
which they pass or may be connected
with.
This has been caused, to a considera-
ble extent, by the overwhelming inter-
est of those who were building the
roads, as they were extremely desirOus
to create the impression that these roads
| were OF paramount importance to every
place in the section of country through
which they were to run. To effect this,
they industriously circulated the state
ment that their railroad when completed,
and in running order, would be the
making of every town and hamlet on
its line of travel, and the people ap-
pear to have very generally accepted
this assertion in it's broadcast sense.
The result of such conviction has been
that no matter how many drawbacks or
disadvantages any of these places might
labor under, railroad was looked upon
as sovereign remedy for all; and, as
a very general thing, the resident pop
ulation made no effort to avail them
selves of the assistance that the in
creased facilities for the transportation
of people and stores to and from their
city or town afforded.
Our attention to this unfortunate
feature of the case has been drawn by
the perusal of two stirring editorials in
the OpelOusas Courier and ST. LANDRY
DEMOCRAT respectively, relative to the
course of action that should be imme-
diately adopted by the residents and
property holders of the town of Ope-
lousas, in consequence of the approach
ing completion of the Morgan Railroad
to that place. Not doubling that the
valuable recommendations OF those
papers will have the desired effect, we
avail ourselves OF the opportunity to
draw general attention to the subject,
in order that other places in Louisiana
similarly situated may be governed ac-
cordingly.
Railroads,.unassisted by other devel-
opments Of human enterprise, cannot be
expected to accomplish much in any
country. They merely constitute one
Of many agencies that are, more or less,
as the case may be, imperiously nee
essary to build up the section through
which they run. 1t is only when the
increased facilities for passenger travel
and freight transportation are duly
counterparted by the cities. towns and
villages on their line that the full benc-
fits of their existence can be realized.
To be little more specific in our
comments, we will briefly suggest, that,
in order to be properly prepared for the
expected benefits that railroads are sup
posed to confer upon towns, ETC., that
they pass through and which, we pre-
sumo would be more or less applicable
to Opelousas, the merchants should so
regulate their business with the planters
and farmers of the surrounding country
that they could retain their custom, and
prevent the agricultural portion of the
population from sending elsewhere for
their supplies. Warehouses should also
be erected to store the country products
awaiting transportation to distant
points. Manufactures suitable to the
locality should be started which would
attract and give employment to numbers
who would be so many substantial con-
tributors to the population and wealth
of the place. Suitable accommodations
for the increased travelling community
should be provided. Every thing that
could be done to add to the attractive
ness Of the place should be attended to,
and the hustle and activity that such
course of action always creates, would
do more towards impressing strangers
with it's desirability as residence than
any thing else.