The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1888-08-31

Take the state Of Kansas, with its an
uuaI visitation of bliEzaris, a perfect
home for the destructive cyclone,
and the gluttenons grasshoPpers.
A state containing all the draw
backs that visit any country, and yet
she has rasbcd rapidly to the front,
and her values compare faVOrably with
many Of the old states of the Union.
All this is largely due to her net work
of railroads which represent hundreds
Of millions Of dollars.
Come a little further south and view
from the church steeple and towering
school buildings the great stale Of
Texas. Only a few years ago We call
TO mind when Texas was considered a
home for criminals, desperate out
laws, Indians and Bexioans; home
for buffalo, deer, wild horses and
cattle.
We have now TO look back only
about fifteen years when the great iron
horse ebeckered this state, both plain
and forest, and with it's thu0derlng
noise frightened the deer from his
hiding place and at the same lime
proclaimed the onward march of civ
ilizalion. Texas to-day, a little world
within itself, is quoted far and wide
as an example Of what can be done for
a country by building railroads. She
has drawn her population largely from
the older states Of the South aud as a
writer has recently expressed it, Lou
isiana has acted the part Of stage
plank in the Transaction We In Lou
lslana have been depending too much
on the song Of the poets as they Trace
their beautiful lines in praise of our
climate and soil. Let US for once
change our base,-thrOw down the
fence Of sel6sbRess, and open wide the
gates Of l:berality. Let US follow the
example Of Kansas and Texas; ask for
railroads and then offer liberal in-
dncements for them to come. The
lax usually proposed is insignificant
when compared TO the actual cost Of
construction. tmereIy conVlDees the
capitalist who invests his money that
the people are in earnest and are ready
to do all in their power to make the
Investment profitable. In the state of
Kansas To-day may be seen pIseards
with something like this :-''Tweuty-
five thousand dollars will be given TO
the fret railroad that builds to this
place." the amount usually varying
according to the size of the town.
What the Illinois Central railroad
is 10 the territory east Of the Missis-
siPpi river the Kansas City, Watkins
and Gulf railway will be TO the terri
tory west Of this river. The products
Of Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas aud
Dakota will swoop down upon us and
end an outing through the gulf TO for
eign points, and the same trains will
return laden with lumber, fruit, vege-
tables, etc. Then will our beautiful
country come to the front as it should.
A friend who has just returned from
a Tisit to Crystal Springs, Miss., says
that town shipped this season. 10 one
day, fourteen cars laden with fruits
vegetables, aud made an average Of
eight cars per day for the season.
Bald the Kansas City, Watkins and
Gulf railway and We may reasonably
expect to see whole trains laden with
fruits and vegetables leave our city
limits daily 10 feed the millions Of
souls locked up in winler's embrace
in the cities Of St. Paul, Omaha and
Kansas City.
Strawberries were shipped by the
cirenltous route Of the Illinois Contra
railroad last spring 70 Kansas City
I
from Hammond, a., and brought the
enormous price Of sl.5O per quart.
A Nov 10 conclusion, we desire tc
Gay we are il favor Of the road, and
will vote for the tax BY reading liz
petition Of tie citizens II win be seer
that % money will be paid nnlesa tht
road il built The proposition i /,
fair one and il well guarded. sbealt
tbe people Of Lake Charles fail 10 Vol,
this tax, and thereby lose the oppor
sa9ity of securing this road, aas
shoald suffer BY It, they will hay,
20 oRe 70 blame bat themselves
The Crowley signql issuod rs im
migFslien edition % the 25th inst.
gixieg 2 fall description and writ
ap If ibe nariah, andseyeral bsaatifa
Y iilasigationao d basiness honses an,
country rcaiaeheea We congfatulal
oag nelghbar % lhe enterprise di,
4 played n lhis iaaae