Louisiana capitolian., 1881-09-20
roo THIN,


Our readers will be astounded toI
read the following article, from the
IN. o. Democrat, entitled ''RAIL-|
|RoADING GONE CRAzY," wherein the
writer pronounces as not good Che|
projected MIDI Louisiana Railroad
We imagine that We see the meat of
our shrewd contemporary's objec-|
tions, who, for the first time 10 our
recollections, sets himself against the
construction ola railroad in LOnisia-
na. The Democrat dearly loves New
Orleans; and the CAPr-oLIAN dearly
loves New Orleans, the State, and
Baton Rouge as wsll, which latter
would become to New Orleans what
Houston is to Galveston, that's all.
Says the Democrat:
a mania for building railroads
seems to have possessed our capital
lists. It isa pleasant and progressive
sort of madness, which we hail with
Joy and nourish with assiduity, aud
it is one which can hardly go amiss,
be it ever so violent. But there is
one later manifestation Ofthe prevail
ling passion which strikes us as being
rather more rsbid than is consistent
with common sense. We refer to the
proposed "Midland Railroad" to start
from point on the Sabine river, 200
miles above it's mouth, and to run
due east through Opelousss, Baton
Rouge and Ponchatoula to Bay St.
Louis. In other words it is a road
which will begin and end nowhere.
1t will be without termini and devoid
of a ya;so~ S'ssre. Why a railroad
should begin at Sabine river, which
is not a base OF supply, and run to
Bay St. Louis, which is not . market
or q seaport, is a conundrum afto-
gether beyond our power of dlvina-
Btion. We have read carefully the ar
ticle in the Baton Rouge CAPIroLIAN,
eulogistic Of this enticing chimera,
but we cannot discern therein one
single argument which appeals to cur
intelligence. A railroad such 10 il
described in that article would lack
every essential of original intentions
Saud ultimate result. There would
be nothing to justify, support or re-
ward it. Even supposing there we're
ANY produce or passenger tra6c e.na-
mating from the Sabine river, zoo
miles above its month, there is M
earthly reason Why it should seek
Bay St. Louis as its objective point
Four-ffths Of the produce seeking an
outlet from Texas ia in want Of an
exporting point, and this would moi
he found at Bay St. Louis or at any
point on the line Of the projected
Midland Railroad. Travel foliowa
the legitimate tendencies Of freight
It does not strike ont new and aim
less routes for itself and the Midland
road, if ever constructed, would find
itself as destitute of patronage in one
respect as in another.
We do not refer to the formidable,
almost insuperable difficulties in tn,
way of building such a road as tn,
CAPIrOLxAN describes. The utte,
absence OF reason seems to as {
sufficient veto. The fact ia, hewever
that the expense of this proposed
line would be as conspicuous as it's alb
surdity. From Opelousas to Batol
Rouge, it would run through q vas
swamp intersected by hundre.
deep and dangerous streams. Mos
Of the distance-50 woul,
have to be traversed by q trestle
since the country is under water eve
ry spring; and altogether the coat o
the road would be az tremendou
as it's usefulness is invisible. w,
cannot believe that any one sc
riously contemplated engaging il
this inscrutable enterprise. W.
certainly do not believe that any in
trlligent capitalist, after careful.
surveying the ground, will hesitate t
abandon it and save his money fo
u wiser and more promising invest
ment. 1t seems impossible to inag
inc more forbidding and ,rrationa
scheme than the se-called Louisian
Midland Railroad.
We are astounded atthe argument
which our confrere brings forth i
condemning the Nid-Louisiana on
terprise.
In the first place, it is not cxpecte
that the charter Of tho Mid -Louisisn
should cover connections that it wi
!: make with the railroad system 6
Texas. 1t very properly specific
the eastern and western boundaries 4
Louisiana as terminal peints; where
|as such will be New Orleans, Mobils
Cincinnati, Chicago and the Soutt
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