The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1885-11-14
The Railroad to A5beviHe.

The Railroad to AbbeviIle.
THE MERIDIoNAL of the 7th has
an article under the caption Of Look
ing to Their Own Interests" written
Will. much candor anu kindliness of
feeling IN which The subject OF a con-
nec,lon by rail with New Iberia or
LAFAYETTE is discussed as to the rela-
tive merits Of the M or the other
route in its bearings upon the future
of Abbeyille and the people Of Fermi-
lion parish. The MERlD1oNAL Of
course, is light when it takes the
ground that every people shon d
consult their Own interests and well
tfe,pg first, as charity always begins
at home. If Abbevil.e and the good
people tributary to it feel convinced
that q connection with Lafayette Will
be more conducive to their interests
than one with New Iberia, they ought
by all means to work for such a
result, but with all due Difference TO
the reasons assigned by our co%nfrere
for ~preferring the Lafayette connec-
ton, we must cay that we think he
is in error, in the conclusions he has
arrived at. In the FIRST place, the
route to New Orleans-the Mecca
;. Of every Louisianian pilgrimage
will be Is miles nearer by way OF
New Iberia and the Morgan Rail.
road, than through Lafayette by way
Of Baton Rouge.
In the next place both roads belong
to and will be controlled by the
same syndicate. They are part aud
fparcel of the Huntington system, and
so far as the monopoly is concerned
it would be more folly to think
there would be any difference be
tween the itching of the palms of 6
,greedy mans hands. The right ane
left would each be ready to rake il
all they could find within reach
As to the matter OF ovcrhows Their,
will be quite as much danger by tl'
r upper route as the lower one. |
the people Of AbbeyIi!e proposc II
cut loose from New Orleans and shit
I to the West, seeking nev marke'
and expect to find there ::.e ottei
needed financial facilities they ra1
be forced 70 seek, then Iafs s:.t
S route would be The better one II.
3 troubles about The handling of 6 Ito.
and the ohjectioaable charges hay
been the subjec. OF uaeh disehss.o.
and no doubt a satisfactory solutio.
will ere long na reached. Sew d
leans canno ford &c 'ose her CO.
ton trade and aust fan INTO line a
re gards charges in manIpniatin
that staple and sugar ana rice q
well. The few evils complained I
are not only remarkable, but W
have every reason to believe wi
o soon be a thing OF the past. But
bad selection in regard to the IA
u connection of Ahbevilie will enta
drawbacks to the comfort and pr
gress of the people most directl
interested which in all probabilii
IT will not be removed for man
o.. decades. New Orleans is the gre:
a cotton, sugar and rice mart of Louis
ana, and from her merchants a.
banks come all or nearly all Il
u funds required to carry on agricult
raj pursuits, where the parties al
m forced to borrow for the purpos
xtThe route by way of New Iberia
the nearest that can be %travell,
and the lumber 80 much needed
OF Vermilion will be Is miles near
to her people, going direct fro
nd this place than by the circuitio
=. route of Lafayette, and we a
decidedly Of the opinion that t
true interests Of Abbeville is to Sc
De a rail connection with this town
he preference to Lafayette. We N
wv be wrong, but such is u cand
opinion uninAuenced by merely
terested considerations. Should h
people, however, prefer the 9th
bis connection as in their opinion b.
lly calculated to further their intere
an we can only wish them the fruit
Of their hopes and expectations.
the mean time, we believe N
no Ibcria will make some decided eff,
the to secure the building Of a railro
,ur through the territory between h
:. and Abbeville.- New Iberia Emf
:. prise.