The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1881-04-20

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built. All this only leads to the point
which l am endeavoring to reach-the
value Of a railroad to a country
through which it passes. Railroads
will bring business to You here and
are essential to the prosperity and full
development of the resources of your
country. Alexandria is the focus of
natural system of roads. The Morgan
road is seeking this place as a tempo
rary terminus on a road bed of their
own, which will be independent and
entirely separate from the Pacific road.
Their intention is clear. They origi-
nally intended to cross here and 60 on
to Little Rock, but have lost their aim
by the recent purchase by Jay Gould,
which frustrated their plans. They
will now 60 from here to Miami, and
from there to Pine Bluff, Arkansas,
and thence on an independent line to
St. Louis. They are able to paddle
their own canoe and will want but lit.
tie aid. The Pacific road asks for no
assistance.
Now as an old railroad man my ad-
vice to you is to devote all your ener-
gies to the securing of the completion
of the Vidalia and Texas road. Peo-
pie have an idea that a narrow gauge
road is humbug. For myself until
recently was broad gauge man, but
have been converted to the narrow
gauge system. l will give you reci-
tai of few of the facts which induced
this change of opinion. The Denver
road is narrow gauge running 600
miles over mountains and almost I'M
passable barriers, and yet it has been
running for some time and is one Of
the most successful roads in the United
States. The secret of that success lies
in the fact that they can be construct
ed and operated 80 cheaply. Instead
of four inch they use a two inch axle
aud owing to the shortness of the axle
used they carry weight better than the
broad gauge. The iron used is lighter
and the rolling stock lighter-about
one-half lighter. and consequently
cheaper than the broad gauge. The
narrow gauge can be built with half
the material and at half the cost of the
broad gauge. saw small engine on
Colonel Bremond's road weighing if
teen tons and running on . three foot
gauge carrying with ease q train of
thirty eight loaded cars. 1t brought
in side by side with train of the Tex
az Central road more than the latter
could carry away. Col. Bremond is an
old man seventy-tive years of age-if
he lives he will surely build his road.
He can place his bonds at par with
ease and sou may rest assured that he
is coming this way.
I will dwell but q moment on the fer.
tility of your soil and ma ~ other natu-
raj advantages. Your country has not
been properly advertised because you
have been living here on the river
comparatively cut off from communities
ton with the outside world. But few
through passengers have passed by you
and the one-half is not known of the
richness of your soil-the genialty Of
your climate and its healthfulness-the
diversity of your crops and the OPEN
ings that lie around ajar for the favora-
BILE investment of idle capital. l have
been over greater portion of the world
and can truthfully say that I have new
er seen finer lands anywhere than the
Red River lands from Shreveport to
Alexandria. Nature has been lavish in
her gifts to you and has showered bles-
sings upon you with no niggard hand.
! Your Town here is soon to be rail-
road center, and the world will know
how rich your country is in natural re-
sources. You may rely with certainty
upon the fact that the Pacific road will
be built and that very speedily. There
is no doubt that you will soon have also
the Morgan road. Neither of these
roads is asking for any aid, and wish
to impress upon you the necessity Of
encouraging the construction Of the Vi
dalia and Texas road. This road will
pass through your pinewoods and they
will be speedily settled up by thrifty
farmers, and with the aid of fertilizers
can be made to produce well. If they
were in my country as they are, they
would be worth $40 per acre. In your
bottoms you can scrape up such guano
as we pay $50 per ton for. You have
got the finest lands on the globe. When
the railroads are built and people come
in here to buy them they will be worth
as much as the famous blue grass lands
of Kentucky and they will sell for 5000
per acre. I have seen as fine clover
here as grows in Kentucky. am Civ
ing you the benefit of my experience as
an old railroad man. have been en-
gagged in building railroads all my life
and in the old time we had some hard
times. We would perhaps build five
miles at time by subscription. The
crops would sometimes fail and then
we would have to stop and wait or
scratch along as best we could, getting
from the farmers here bushel of meal :,
there a peck of potatoes or perhaps a
days work. Now this is all changed.
They don't build railroads that way
anymore. They have got patent way
now. They build them with bonds
Laughter In order to enable the par
ties in charge to handle their bonds it
is necessary that they should have the
cordial support Of the people and the
press along the line of the road. The
question now with the Vidalia and
Texas road is: where can they get the
most encouragement? If they come
here and do not receive the proper en-
couragement they will say, very we'll I!
we will 60 to Shreveport or elsewhere.
Capital is so abundant that large sums
are seeking opportunities Of profitable
investment. Government bonds have
gone down from seven to three and one
half per cent. interest. Bonds paying a
higher per cent are now much more
sought after than ever before. The old
fellows are getting their money out of
government bonds and are hunting for
new opportunities to have their money
at good interest. All you will have to
do to aid the Vidalia road will be to get
up small subscription to show your
interest in the venture and as an ear
nest that you really desire the road and
that you will foster the enterprise