Louisiana capitolian., 1881-09-24
TOO THIN /
The Democrats Objections - the
Mid.LOuisians Batlread.

|hOADiNT 0VN1 NhAAAf VAVAOAA "AC
writer pronounces as not good theI
projected Mid-Louisiana Railroad.
We imagine that we soc the meat Of
|our shrewd contemporary's objec-|
|tions, who, for the first time in our
|recollections, sets himself against the
ola railroad in Louisia-
ina. The Democrat dearly loves New
Orleans; and the CAPIToLIAk dearly
loves New Orleans, the State, and
Baton Rouge as we'll, 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. 1t is q pleasant and progressive
sort of madness, which we hail with
10y and nourish with assiduity, and|
it is one which can hardly go amiss,
I be it ever so violent. But there isl
one later manifestation ofthe prevail
ling passion which strikes us as being
rather more rabid than is consistent
with common sense. We refer to theI
proposed midland Railroad, = to start
from a point on the Sabine river, 900
miles above its mouth, and to rum
due east through Opelousas, 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 5'oison Getre. Why o railroad
should begin at Sabine river, which,
! is not a base OF supply, and run to-
Bay St. Louis, which is not a market
or seaport, is conundrum alto
gether beyond our power of dIvina-
ton. We have read carefully the ar
ticle in the Baton Rouge CAPIToLlAN, j
|eulogistic Of this enticing chimera,
hut we cannot discern therein one
single argument which appeals to our
intelligence. A railroad such az id
described in that article would lack
every essential Of original intentions
and ultimate result. There would
be nothing to Justify, support Or REL
ward it. Even supposing there were
any produce or passenger trafc e,na-
mating from the Sabine river, 200
miles above it's month, there is mo-
earthly reason why it should seek
Bay st. Louis as its objective point.
Four -fifths Of the produce seeking an
outlet from Texas is in want of an
Exporting point, and this would not
be found at Bay St. Louis or at any
point on the line of the projected
Midland Railroad. Travel follows
the legitimate tendencies of freight.
1t does not strike out 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 ip the
way of building such road as the
CAPIToLIAN describes. The utter
absence of reason seems to us q
sufficient veto. The fact is, hewever,
that the expense of this proposed
line would be as conspicuous as it's alb
surdity. From Opelousas to Baton
Rouge, it would run through a vas,
swamp intersected by a hundred
deep and dangerous Aetreams. McsI
of the distance-50' miles would
have to be traversed by a trestle
since the country is under water eve,
ry spring and altogether the cost Of
the road would be as tremendous
as its usefulness is invisible. We
cannot believe that any one Sc
riously contemplated engaging in
this inscrutable enterprise. We
certainly do not believe that any in
telligent capitalist, after carefully
surveying the ground, will hesitate II
abandon it and save his money fo1
q wiser and more promising invest
ment. 1t seems impossible to imag
inc a more forbidding and irrational
scheme than the so-called Louisian;
Midland Railroad.
We are astounded at the argument
which our confrere brings forth il
condemning the Mid-Louisiana ell
terprise.
In the tilst place, it is not expecte'
that the charter of the Mid -Louisian
should cover connections that it vii
make with the railroad system 9
Texas. 1t very properly specific
the eastern and western boundaries Q
Louisiana as terminal points where
|as such will be New Orleans, Mobile
cincinnati, Chicago and the South
ern end of the Atlantic seaboard, ol
the one side. while at the other it
intended to strike Palestine and Da,
las, thereby crossing the Information;
to become the main trunL of tk
Southern Pacific Railroad. from I'll
60 ~ tl,o% - xr;1l l>n ku-r ~., <bcoo h,,,