The Opelousas courier., 1892-07-30
n Necessary Road.

propriety, and necessity of putting
down a railway, of some kind, running
WESTWARD from Opelousas, was sug-
gested to our merchants Nothing
whatever, was done. The community
has had ample time to reflect upon it,
and many persons have doubtless done
so.
The heavy rice crop of this season,
and the active operation of the Wat
kins. Kansas City Road, should con-
splre TO impress upon our people the
duty of doing something for self preser,
vation
The rice crop has been very mach
increased this year, and everything
points to its continued increase, until
our lands must be all taken up and
brought under cultivation. Our terri
tory stretches out to the west distance
of thirty or forty miles, and the hauling
is too far over, ordinary dirt roads. The
most convenient market place for the
produce of all this area is Opelousas.
Doubtless the producers prefer to
bring it here where they are known and
can feel at home. Our merchants are
accommodating and idle capital is here
and could be made available in han
ding all the crops that can reach here.
But it must be apparent to the mer-
chants and to the planters as well that
proper facilities for transportation must
be supplied, ere this town can hope To
receive and handle the crops made on
the lands lying to the west of us. It is
worth nothing to them to haul them
Afptr roads fhau
are in such condition that it is i'm
practicable if not impossible to do it.
The building of the railway, is there
| fore, a necessity, and one which ad
dresses itself to the planters, with quite
as much force of argument as to our
men of capital in Opelousas. To be
candid, we think these should inaugu-
rate the undertaking, give it a start.
/ The benefits to them are evident, and
it enters into, and should be made to
constitute, part of their business. As
| the road stretches out, the planters will
naturally and readily take up the
work and aid in its extension. 1t is
! idle to think they would prefer to con-
i tinue to wear ont their teams and wa
gens-prefer to lose their time and to
endure the expenses they are now sub
jected to it, if by their own aid, they
can largely avoid it: The merchants
should be on the gui eiue, and up and
doing, because it is now self-evident
| that unless they speedily set to work,
the produce of which we have spoken
! will naturally seek the nearest trans
portatiou, and that is the Watkins
road Once tue trade sets in that di-
rection business relations will be
| formed there, and Opeiousas may bid
it an everlasting farewell. The reali-
1 ty is staring us in the face. And we
warn our business men that unless they
/ go to work and that too with might
and main, the day is close at hand
| when they will see the Watkins &
Kansas City road bleed the country,
which should be and can be kept, trib
utary to Opelousas.
The prevention lies in the means OF
facile transportation. The planters
west of us prefer to come here with
their produce, but will go elsewhere II
they find it pays. Merchants, make
the road It is the only preventative.
In this connection, we take the liberty
of suggesting the expediency of erect
ing a warehouse of suitable dimen
sions at Prnd'homme City Bridge.
Produce may there be deposited until
such time as it may be convenient OF
advisable to forward it to this place,
1 Tie trade of the western portion Of oni
beautiful country once secured, lice
mill here could be made profitable t.
& producers, consumers and capitalists
4 An oil mill could just as well be pat up
and soap and fertilizers supplied at
lowest rates.