Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-01-08
TEE RAILReAD Gs-BY.
New ORLEANS, Jan. &, 1881.

TEE RAILRsAD Gs-BY.
New ORLEANS, Jan. 6, 1881.
Mr.. Leon Jaszemski Mayor Of Batoa Rouge:
Dear Sir-I had a letter to-day from
q friend in the West, asking me If |
could let him know ii the New Or
leans Pacific Railroad would cross the
river at Baton Rouge.
I called at the Office of the company
and met Mr.. Greene, chief engineer Of
the road, and enquired Of him where
the road would cross the river. He re-
piled he was not prepared to say
where the road would cross, but
the road would not run nearer than
five miles Of Baton Rouge. 4s'a35
said that | did not. know how the
road could run SO near Baton Rouge
and not go there, OF Immediately OPP
posite. He replied, they had their
track. l said, there was the old
Crosse Tete road, butt ran to point
opposite Baton Rouge. He said that
was not their track, and that they
would not come nearer than fivemiles
of Baton Rouge, that they might
strike the river five miles from there,
but where they would cross the river
he could not yet say.
What does this mean? Is it posi-
bic the road from all that interior
country may first reach the river
within five miles of Baton Rouge,
and yet, not make your place it's river
terminus its first river depot. would
regard it a great misfortune to your
city and to the State, Of which Baton
Rouge is to be the future Capital.
Gen. Dodge is here with Major
Greene; he may be gone in a day or
two. Ihope you and the Baton Rouge
people understand the matter. l re-
ally suppose you do; but Mr.. Green
was quite positive in saying the road
would not run nearer than five miles
of your place. Although a stranger
to you, I take the liberty Of writing.
Yours, very respectfully,
w. L. McNEELY.
The opinion expressed by the wri-
ter of the above will be concurred in
by every practical mind. 1t should
be plainly visible to the owners Of
the Pacific Road that when it's engin
GERS recommend that the line be run
five miles below the Capital Of the
State-the natural objective point
of the rich section Of country that the
N. o., Baton Rouge & Vicksburg R.
R. was expected to open to greater
development-the lead them to the
commission of the most glazing and
costly blunder ever made by great
railway corporation. Not only will
the Pacific Road throw into the river
the important traffic that must ere
long find its outlet through the State
Capital, but they will deprive the
people Of almost the entire State Of
the direct communication with their
Capital.
On tue fimsy pretext of shortening
the line somewhat, the Pacific Road
is to lose forever the immense source
of revenue we have named, and in
stead of the freights and tens Of
of thousands of passengers it would
have to transport, the engineers will
cause it to furnish railway accommo-
dations to the alligators who inhabit
the swamps Of West Baton Rouge.
By crossing at Baton Rouge, the
Pacific Road will give accessibility to
the State Capital, Alexandria and
Shreveport, the largest centres Of
population in the State.
Surely, Major Greene, who directed
the erection of the embankment of
the old Backbone Road, leading to
the river at Baton Rouge, cannot
have found that the difficulties for
crossing there are greater now than
they were few years ago.
Mr.. j. Steensen advertises the re-
ception of a large l& of fresh Garden
and Flower Seed.
Near Bancroft, Iowa, the steps Of a
oo. oc x.o..,