The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1889-11-23
THE GULF TERMINUS OF THE FORT
SCOTT ROAD.

future course SOulnWlru, as the
next step toward tie accomplish
ment OF the original purpose Cf
costructing the shortest line from
Kansas City to a deep water
harbOr.
This Is one of tho most impor-
tant questions for determination
which las been before the eom-
pauy aud must now be soon el
tied upon.
II is matter too, which viii
largely governed by the intu-
ences which are brought to bear,
to induce the company TO proceed
IN one direction or the other.
There has never been settled
determination to make any enc
point on tue gulf coast a terml-
nus, though 1t seems to have b en-
accepted by the uniformed pu0lic,
that New Orleans was to be the
gulf terminus and if we may be
permitted to judge from the in
difference toward the ROAD mani
Tested in that city, that opinion
has been prevalent there.
Such, however, is altogether
mistake, as the road Is looking
toward other points.
In the event of there beng Of
fered sufficient lnducemrn' by
New Orleans to build the road to
that point, such as terminal facll-
lilies, or subsidies, the syndicate
would have choice of two routes,
one by way of Woodvllle through
Wilkinson county and through
some Of the parishes of Louisiana,
or by taking a more easterly
couis3 Il rough the southwestern
corner Of Franklin county to Lib
erty in Amito coanty, down
through st. II Iona and Living
ston Parishes direct to New Or
leans.
1t seems that the latter route
possesses decided advantages over
the Woodvllle route, because 1t is
the casiest of construction and
would Intersect Il splendid pine
country At the same time biscct-
ing The region lying between the
/. G. and the L., N. O & I. road,
the increased distance being 50
slight (if any that the other ad-
vantages would greatly oyerbal-
ance that objection.
The cost of constructing a road
through Wilkinson county would
be very heavy, as the elevations
would require enormous eXcava-
ton, which we understand thu
company would not undertake un.
less WilkInsoH county offered con
siderable lnducement, so long Il,
the road can be constructed more
economically and through quite
as good country on another
line.
Again. the syndicate, as We
have said, is not committed tc
New Orleans and Is seriously N.
vestigating other routes and other
harbor terminals, notably Mobile
and some point between that anc
New @ leans.
) Should Mobile be selected, the
line would run IN all probability
from Natchez direct TO Hatties
burg, through Meadvllle IN Frank.
lin coun'y. crossing the Illinois
Central in the neIghhorhood ol
Bogue Chitto in Lincoln county
and then almost due e8st Hat
tieshurg, then southeast To SO
bile. A road has already beer
projected to Hattiesburg frou
Mobile, winch possibly might b,
joined in the Fort Scott erter
prise. The route would pene
Irare au unsurpassed farming
and timber country and End al
excellent harbor terminal at Mo
bile.
The other route which the For
Scott road has Ider IONS deraiicr
is an air lInc course from Natchel
to Mississippi City through an ex
cellent farming country, and one
aboundiug in forest of long lea
pine.
There was time when sucl
discussions could have been Sc
down as simple cogltatlon, bu
that time has passed and the dI
rection of this road must soon b.
determined aud when once set
tied upon, is immediately to b.
! pursued.
As for ourselves we have al
ready favored the Mobile route
provided that city would lend it
energies and means to the con
struotIon of the road which woulc
unite US and that this was he