St. Landry democrat., 1881-06-11
Ahe New Orleans Pacific Rail.
road Monopoly.
THE COMING CONFLICT OVER 1T.

THE COMING CONFLICT OVER IT.
NEW ROUTE SUGGESTED TO THE NOR
GAN COMPANY.
NEW ORLEANS, May &c.
Editor City Itcm-In an article on the
supreme Court decision annulling the
monopoly of the Slaughterhouse Com
pany, you say it was based upon the
constitutional clause which abolisles
all monopolistic privileges, except those
granted to the New Orleans Pacific
railroad" Will you kindly crafty a
natural public curiosity by explaining
what this company's monopoly consists
Of?
Article 25s of the new constitution
features in the charter of any corpora
ton now existing in the State, save
such as may be contained in the charter
Of railroad companies, are hereby
abolished" This reservation in favor
OF railroads was expressly designed and
adopted to protect a certain exclusive
privilege conferred upon the New Or
leans Pacific railway, to wit: the right
to construct and operate railroads in
this State north Of the thirty first paral-
lei OF north latitude. SO anxious were
the people to secure railroad connec-
ton with Texas, via Shreveport, that it
was seriously proposed to aid with
bonds the construction of the New Or
leans Pacific, and to protect this loan of
the State credit and to further induce
capitalists to aid the enterprise, COM
petition was designed to he rigidly ex-
cluded.
When Morgan's Louisiana and Texas
railroad was chartered March s, 1879
this monopoly of our territory north of
the thirty first parallel for railroad pur-
poses was affirmed by excluding that
company from building north of Le-
comte, in Rapides parish, the language
of the act being
Third-To locate, construct and build
and to own, manage and use a railroad
with one or more tracks and turnouts,
from any point upon the main line Of
it's railroad, as the same may hereafter
be located, northwesterly on such a
course as the Board of Directors may
deem best, via Opelousas, or Lecomte,
on the Bayou BGuf, parish of Rapides,
Louisiana, sixteen miles more or less
southwest of the town of Alexandria,
there to connect with the New Orleans
Pacific Railway, now in course OF con-
struction north of LecOmte to Shreve-
port, Louisiana, anG Marshall, Texas.
It being hereby specially provided in
the event that the New Orleans Pacific
Rail Railway Company should fail to
complete their road north of Lecomte
to Shreveport and Marshall, and to
make connection at one or the other
points above mentioned within five
years from the passage of this act, or in
less time if the road be completed,
then the Morgan's Louisiana and Texas
Railroad and Steamship Company shall
have the right to extend their line
ENTHUSIASTICALLY in order to connect
with roads in Texas and Ar kansas, now
constructed, or that hereafter may be
constructed"
At the regular session of the Legisla-
ture in 1878 a charter was granted to the
New Orleans, Texas and Colorado rail
road in which this territorial restriction
was accidentally omitted. At the extra
session, Immediately afterward called,
the second act passed bore this pre-
amble:
Whereas, Senate bill No. 1862 of the
regular session of 1878, has passed both
houses of the General Assembly and
has been laid before the Governor for
his approval, and it is deemed desirable
and proper to limit its effect and to
amend it so as to grant to the said COM
pany the right to construct its road only
south of the thirty-frst parallel of
north latitude therefore
Be it enacted, ETC., That section three
of an act entitled can act to incorpo-
rate and facilitate the construction of
the New Orleans and Colorado railway"
be amended and re- enacted as follows:
That said company shall have the right
to construct railway begin
ming at such point on the Mississippi
river opposite New Orleans as may be
selected by said company, and running
thence through the parish Of St. Landry
to such a point on the Sabine river,
south Of the thirty first parallel of
north latitude as said company may
select.
The Item has already noted the fact
that the New Orleans Pacific Company
will strenuously oppose the construction
of the Morgan road north Of Lecomte.
The latter company, however, has is
sued mortgage construction bonds for
the completion of it's line to Alexandria,
and is securing right Of way therefor
through private lands. A great legal
battle is therefore imminent, and may
be precipitated at any moment.