The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-07-13
mo. s..
The Kansas City, Watkins and
Gulf Railroad.

The Kansas City, Watkins and
Gulf Railroad.
[Timss-Dsmocrst.l
On the 18th instant ground was
broken at Lake Charles, In the
parish of Calcasieu, for the con-
struction of the Kansas City, Wat
kins and Gulf railroad. The con-
tractors, Messrs. Kennedy 4 Stone,
have undertaken to grade fifty
miles of the road by Jan. /, 1890,
and it is believed that within twelve
months the new line will have
reached junction point with the
Texas Pacific.
The Kansas City, Watkins and
Gulf railroad is to be built in q
northeast direction from Lake
Charles through tie best agricul-
tural portion Of Calcasieu parish.
Its course from the terminus of
the fifty miles of grading which
have been let will depend upon the
aid extended by the people of the
several localities interested. The
road, we are assured by those hav-
ing authority to speak, will not go
east of Alexandra nor west of
Shreveport So far only Calcasieu
parish has done anything tangible
for the new line, the police jury
having voted to relieve the road Of
taxation for q considerable period
of years. It may be possible for
the people of Natchitoches by
proper effort to have the Kansas
City, Watkins and Gulf built to q
junction with the Texas Pacific at
Prudhomme station, whore there is
already in existence branch road,
eleven miles in length, to Natchi-
toches. This small road could thus
be made part of a great system,
which, in its progress north, would
bridge Red river at or above Grand
Ecore, and go thence north to GIBBS
land, on the Vicksburg, Shreveport
and Pacific, where it would meet
another branch road to Homer.
| The people of Rapides might
likewise secure the building of the
road to Alexandria, where Il would
cross Red river, and thence take q
northwesterly course toward Kan
sas City.
j And Caddo might secure the road.
Shreveport, the second largest city
in Louisiana, with her large and
growing trade, is a plum which
the projectors of the Kansas City,
Watkins and Gulf would like to
see fall into their lap. It would
require no great detection from a
straight line for the road to go via
Shreveport, and by coming to the
front with the hard cash there il
no reason why Caddo should not
get the line.
/ But we give it with all the au-
thority possible in the premises
that the parish and town in central
and northwestern Louisiana that
gets the road will be that parish
and that town which vote tax of
five mills for ten years in aid Of
the Kansas City, Watkins and Gulf
railroad The English capitalists
who have put their money in this
road are not working for glory, and
as they can go north with equal
ease in several different directions,
it is safe to say that the parish that
gets the railroad will be the parish
that pays for it
The Kansas City, Watkins and
Gulf railroad is one of the most
important lines that can be con-
structed in Louisiana, and a. it
enjoys the distinction of having
been practically begun, We may
look for prompt action by the sec
tons which will be most immedi-
ately interested. The wonderful
wealth of agricultural and timber
lands through which the new road
will run, and the direct connection
it viii give all of Louisiana with
the markets of tho west, combine
to make the construction Of the
Kansas City, Watkins and Gulf
an event Of the greatest possible
import to the State. The road is
going to be built beyond a doubt,
and The Times Democrat bids it q
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