The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1888-10-19
EDUCATIONAL.


an almost unlimited supply OF fish. Whal
prevents trade Of millions2 Simply thai
we have no direct line to a sufficient
market. -.,
2. The great prairies Of the northwesi
surpass the world in the cheap production
Of wheat, corn, oats and pork. We ear
take these by the train load to use in the
development Of our lumber, coal, cotton,
sugar and other industries, There are nc
two sections that more exactly supplement
each other TO be found on the globe,
3. Unfortunately for us all our com
meree is for the present on east and west
lines, and with a people who produce a
surplus Of precisely the same articles we
have to spare. There is no natural eE-
change under the circumstances, and no
outlet for our products, except for a limited
quantity of lumber in some portions of
Texas. Hence lumber must remain our
chief commercial product till new lines Of
commerce are opened.
The inquiry has been frequently made.
II you can furnish fruits and fish in Sbun-
dance, 'wby have not these industries been
developed2 We answer by asking an
other question, We have only an esst and
west road. What would be the profit or
sense in shipping fish to New Orleans,
where the waters produce them in I'm
limited quantitiesf If we ship westward
the same reasoning applies. The entire
coast abounds in fish, and by shipping to
another point on the coast we simply lose
freight, The same is true Of fruits,
With a north and south railroad the con
verse is true, and when our products have
reached Kansas City they have passed
beyond successful competition.
4. The countries with which we now
trade are subject to the same climatic con
ditions as ourselves, SO Try when we have
q partial failure of crops and must depend
more upon our lumber, they also have
only partial crop and cannot afford to
purchase our lumber. A road to Kansas
City would open q section differing widely
in climate and products, thereby insuEing
us . stesdy market.
8. BY this road we shall more than
double our chances Of commercial pros
perity, for we shall have both a noEtheFn
and southern market. While the north.
ern prsiries are blanketed with snew, our
gulf coast is producing fruits and yegeta-
bles in abundance Train loads Of pota,
toes, early vegetables, strawberries, plums,
pears, grapes and oranges would find sale
in the markets Of Kansas, Nebraska, Da-
kota and Iowa The waste places would
bloom, and lands worthless now would
take on value.
8. Il Is necessary to the settlement Of
the country that we have ap Independent
line. At present people come through
Mississippi Of Texas, If anything occurs
to shut of those lines, our outlet Is closed.
Our products also must enter the prairie
belt BY round about way. II immigEa
ton could come to Southwestern Louisiana
BY direct Line from Kansas City, this
whole country would soon be dotted with
towns and villages.
z. A consideration Of great Importance
As the effect Of this road upon the develop.
ment Of our river commerce and the Ina
proyemept Of the bar The report Of the
United States engineers inFsgard 70 making
. good harbor 1T the Calcasisu pass
was exceedingly favorable. We were
thrown out BY the secretary Of var On