Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-10-20
THE MID-LOUIsIANA RAILROAD.
CHarAIeSIgR, Posr OFFICE, /
81. Landry, La, October II, 1881. )
Leon Jastremski, Esq, Editor cArEoLIAs

between the 800 and 80 of Latitude On. J
will pass through upper Plaquemine
ridge, directly to this spot (Chataignier)
| IA miles from 0pelousas, a section Of
country which ships 5000 bales of cot
ton, $50, 900 of rice, eggs, poultry, wool,
etc, annually, by Washington boats and
the Morgan Railroad. This would all
prefer your road. Twenty miles from
OpeIousas, still due west, the road would
strike the Grand Prairie Monmouth
the edge of the great stock country
thence to Bayou Nez Piqne-arrays the
great pine region Virgin yellow pine),
through Prairie Soileau Settlement to
Hickory Flat Settlement, and into the
stock ranges Of Louisiana, until it strikes
the fork of the Calcasien riyer-the
Darbonne and Whskichitto, the centre
Of the pine region--from Opelousas to
| the forks of the Calcasieu, in straight
line, due west, is, | think, about fifty
miles on the Meridian. The road would
then 90 through heavy pine forest, in
tersected by small creeks and dotted by
small settlements, farms and homesteads,
to the Sabine river, about 100 miles from
! Opelousas, in an air line.
THIS road, so projected, would pass
about fifty miles north of the western
division of the Morgan Road and paral-
| lei to it, 1t would take all the freight,
fat cattle, lumber, fat sheep, hogs, rice,
considerable cotton, poultry, eggs, wool,
ETC., from the Louisiana Western for
| twenty-five miles along the route of the
latter and above it, north.
Your road would BIZ in the centre OF
the vast lumber region, whose products
support Lake Charles and fe DIS it's rail
roal-with its large traGe in lumber
to Vermillionyille, st. Martinsyille, New
Iberia, Franklin, Morgan City and New
Orleans and way. Settlers.
An immense lumber trade. not only in
pine, but in cypress, beech, hickory,
oak slaves, hoop poles, ETC., would
quickly spring up along the line Of your
road-and no donbt tina, the resin and
turpentine trade would be added to the
other products Of these virgin forests.
Population would soon precede or follow
the road-a new impetus will be gwen
to the cultivation of rice in the immense
DarbOnne Prairie u little to the South
Give miles)of the road-tor there is good
rice land sufficient along the line above
mentioned to produce 100, 900 barrels Of
rough rice. This is also good sheep
range.
Upon this route own the finest wa
tering place in the State. Eighty springs
OF every varlety-iron, sulphur, alum,
etc, which would 9c a great attraction
to pleasure and health seekers there is
here very large b,ds of the finest kaolin
or porcelain clay, and | am certain a
very extensive deposit OF sulphur, al
most pure, and OF snlphuret OF iron.
These springs have great reputation
for the cure Of skin diseases, sore eyes,
diarrhma, dyspepsia etc, are resorted to
annually by hundreds Of persons for
health and fishing and hunting, as they
are in the centre Of both. They are sit
| uated about thir y-iive miles from Ope-
lousas, near the Bayou Nez Pique, and
due west from Opclousas. The health of
the localities aud the abundance Of wa
ter, would make it . fine spot for tine
depot, railroad hospital and machine
shops.
1t Won were to obtain the right of way
from the State, United States ard from
Observation-Disclosures road would pay It's eX.
peilscS from Dpclousas to this place dur
ing its construction--by It's way traffic.
! Saw mills should be erected along the
proposed route to prepare, in advance,
! the lumber needed for It's construction.
| etp Eaoh u,iIn enc. an all D,;IrnnJ