The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-12-02
- R1ELRoaD6.

THB RAILROADS.
Ii Inst weeks Ecao we gave an
Instance AZ azhoraitanl freight charges
b. tie two roads il which We are most
interested and We reproduce il tins
week " illustrate state Il affairs which
exit ins this parish and town, which is
worthy of more than a passing notice
and RbioL i calealatsd to Affsct largely
onr future prosperity. We said last
weak
gentleman who lives On the line OF X
C., 81. 4 g. Ray.. complains o. what ne
deems Extgftsonate rates II what be says Is
true, and we have no reagon 90 dgubt hiu, u
would seem that his complaint Is Just For
hauling ear Of nee twenty miles TIE =. T.,
w q a. charged him Ssi55s and the Southern
Pacific, for switching the car, y distance Of
two and Oue4half miles, 822.eg, lnckisg only
Sc eents Of hsing 500 for a distance Of less
than p miles. II there are any misstate-
meuta IA lhe shove or any gEtBnnating cir
cumsfances that either Of these railroad com
ponies wish 70 nutieei the columns OF the
Echo arc open % them.
Tho cost Of car Of rice 20, 900
pounds) from Lake Charles 10 New
Orleans is $40 and enc chsrgs forswitch-
ing q car, distance Of two and one
half miles, is more than oBe-half Of that
sum, towit. SO &c. The object Of this
unjust discrimination Is 10 force the
shipments Of all products Of this country
to Now Orleans and TINS 1iR Lake
Charles. What adds to the enormity of
the outrage mentioned above is the fact
that this was car belonging 10 the
Sunset route, which was simply being
returned, after having been credited
with its mileage on the x. O., w. 4 G.
and placed u position 30 be reloaded.
The planters Of this parish and the
business men Of Lake Charles should
omit no opportunity Of seeing that the
laws now in vogue are promptly en-
forced and made 10 serve the purpose,
as far as they go, Of checking the greed
and rapaeity of this grsatand unserupn-
Ions corporation and we now serve
notice on onr Representatives In the
state legislation to use their best en-
dsayors to have passed additional laws
which shRil curb in some degree this
arrogant and tyranical company whose
proud boast 1t is that they are powerful
enough and rich enough to purchase
such legislation rs they desire and pre-
vent the passage Of any laws tending t"
compel them to deal fairly with the
people. We say to these representa-
tiVts that theit course will be marked
with the keeBest interest.
There are doubtless some new roads
building in spareely settled sections
that will need the fostering care Of the
state, in order that our transportation
facilities may be increased, until such
time as the country shall become more
populous and thepHoduets for shipment
greater; bat the Southern Pacific road
is not Of this number. 1t has grown
and fattened by extortion and Oppres-
sion until it has actually become men
ace to free institutions aud trusts by its
accumulated wealth and power, to he
able te debauch Legislatures and over
ride the laws of the land and the rights
Of the people. If there are any who
doubt the correctness of our statement
IN the matter Of charges for switching
the car as set forth above, We refer
them to Mr.. T. i. Carr who will pro
duee the freight bill.
While on this subject we call atten-
lion to clipping from the Jennings
Times, which will be found On the
fourth page Of this paper, which is
another instance of the total disregard
hy this company Of the rights OF the
people. IfCol. Harris has the law on
his side, his neighbors should aid him
II bringing the company to justice in
the event that they refuse 10 pay His
loss, the result Of its carelessness. The
usual course Of the company is by inter
posing pleas for delay aud resorting to
other subtifuges to make the law so ex-
pensive that the ordinary citizen cannot
avail himself Of it. tits for this reason
that We say the neighbors and friends
should come to the assistance of Mr..
Harris and not compel him 10 make the
unequal contest single handed.
We give notice now that this subject
will be continued and that we have
sspoused the cause of the people against
their 0ppTessor aud cannot ba csialed
by hattery nor intiuidated by threats
The writer has q personal knowledge of
the manner in which such corporations
are brought to time in the north aud
trusts that an application Of the same
methods here will be Tesorted 10.