The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1881-07-09

Editor Lake Charles Echo.

!. Editor Lake Charles Echo:
!. In continuing the subject of wha
Lake Charles might be made, an,
further advocate the building of
narrow gauge road to the pine forests
it is only necessary to say that it cal
! be done with but little outlay of money
by the citizens of the town. If tlire'
or four of the wealthy citizens woult
take the lead in the matter, CORES
pond with men of capital in the Nortl
or West, or with some of the railroad
magnatcs of the East, and induce then
to come or send some one to examine
the pine region, and the country
through which the road would run,
with the probable cost of building, he,
on making his report, if satisfactory,
would find ready and willing hands to
take hold of and do the work; and all
the outlay required of Lake Charles
would be a little time spent in writing,
and few cents worth of paper, ink
and postage stamps. Who will move
in this matter? Quien sobe. There
is new road now building from Vida
liza, Concordia parish, westward through
the pine region to Burr's ferry, on the
Sabine river, there to connect with
Bremond's East Texas Narrow Gauge
road. This road, when completed, will
pass through the center, or nearly SO,
of the pine forests of Western Louis
lana, thereby taking untold millions of
feet of lumber to the far West, leay-
ing Lake Charles to gricve over lost
opportunities.
If this enterprise will not enlist the
people in its behalf, there is another,
if accomplished, would bring business
and wealth to Lake Charles, and that
is road from here west, on or near
the line dividing Orange from Newton
and Jasper counties, running through
Hardin, Liberty, Montgomery and
Grimes counties to Brenlaui, WASH
ington county, Texas, dis'anc of 100
miles on an air line, and tapping the
East Texas pine region, opening up
market where vast quantities of Calca-
sieu lumber would find ready sale.
The routes from here to BRENNAN,
as they now are, cause freights to be
so heavy that many whe would other
wise buy our pine, are not able to do
so. Let us for moment look at the
present routes to that point, by water
and rail. 1t is $50 miles from here to
Galveston by water, and 40 miles by
rail from there to Brenham, making
total of 200 miles from herc-lO0
miles farther than from .llere direct.
Hy all rail it is LA miles TO Houston,
and 80 miles from there to Brenham.
making total of 234 miles, Al miles
father than from here direct. Here
we see the advantage the new road
would have over the present routes, SO
far as distance is concerned. Now, if
this road was built, lumber could be
be placed in BRENNAN at much lower
figures than it can now; farmers of
small means could purchase the lum-
Der they prefer, and not be compelled
TO use an inferior article of Texas pine,
as they now have to do, and Lake
Charles and Caleasicu parish would
reap the benefit; and with both the
above roads, each narrow gauge, they
could defy competition. 1t would
place in the hands of the people, of
the town aud parish, the control of
the lumber trade in Middle Texas to a
great extent.
This Texas road would not only pass
through the pineries of East Texas,
but would pass through the fine rich
farming lands Of Montgomery, Grimes,
and part of Washington counties, as
rich lands ms can be found in Texas,
opening up direct route from Brcn-
ham to New Orleans. Now this Texas
road can be built, or the matter set in
motion as easily as the other, for the
people of Washington county, aud |
those of all the counties through which
the road would pass, would willingly
give helping hand, knowing that it
would give them an outlet for their
produce, and develop the resources of
their country. They would then ship
their cotton and stock to New Orleans,
and on their return stop and buy our
pine lumber for building and fencing
purposes, creating an ever increasing
demand for lumber.
These two objects can be accom-
plished readily if the people will wake
up, and throw off the stupid lethargy
that has been hanging over and on
them for SO long. Other towns in the
State are moving in this matter, and
working for railroad facilities, and if
Lake Charles does not soon wake up,
she will be left in the rear. All towns
at the junction of two or more rail
roads build up rapidly, and the greater
the number of roads centering at one
point the faster will the town build
up, for it attracts attention and draws
business to one center, and the town
must and will grow. More ANON.