The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-09-30
Prospects of Chalmette People Build
ing the Lake Providence
Railroad.

I 4
ea;ing ideas expressed By several New
Orleans gentlemen about the proposed
Lake Providence and Western Rail-
road while on the Chalmette las'
week. These gentlemen are very
much In favor of seeing the road built,
aud consider tho enterprise very i'm
portaut ono for New Orleans. They
say that if tho Levee Board would ill.,
crease their donation of $4,000 acres
of land 10 10000 acres, in all proahil-
ity New Orleans would take up the
matter and eudeavor 10 interest capt.
taIists TO build the road. The road
has taken on new lease of life, for
time of leas, :; aud We hope that the
people of East Carroll, aud the Levee
Board also, will do whatever will tend
in any way TO induce New Orleans and
eastern capital TO build the l.. T. ~ w
railroad. Push good thing along:
Tuesday. Sept 10, the Lake Provi-
dence and Western Railway, project
that has been hanging fire for years,
| took on new lease OF life. And 1t all
came about in less than two hours
time. The Chalmette people have
heep interested in the scheme, anu
there is a strong probability that the
same capitalists behind the New Or
P.,.lr
Chalmette properties will take hold OF
the Lake Providence Railroad and
make it one of the strong feeders above
Vicksburg.
This sudden bright turn in the affair;
of the Lake Providence Company was
almost romantic. the steamer Chal
mette came plying up the river tina
morning. after dreary, dismal, fogsy
night on the river. 1t was 1870 O'CLOCK
when Captain Rea's three whistles tolC
that Lake Providence was in sight |
the Mississippi landings had been mad'
during the night, but the passenger
were smarting under the cold, unwar
ranted treatment Of Vicksburg thu
night previous, and every one rushe'
on deck to once more get view OF
good Louisiana town. that was no
. frenzied over quarantine. and Incl
dentally to get some kilograms and lei
tiers ashore. if possible.
Captain Bronson was on shore ant
welcomed everyone. MIR. Dotterer
Manager Parker, of the Hambur
Road; Mr. JAS. T, Hayden, the banker
and the newspapermen went uptown
= where Hon. Jos. 4. Ransdell. K. j
e Hamley. j. S. Millikin and others wer
6 met Mr.. Hamley was for eight veal
the treasurer of East Carroll parish
= and he is the secretary and treasure
of the Lake Providence and Wester
Railway Company. Mr.. Ransdell, III
v new congressman-elect from the FIT
= Congressional district of Louisiana,
y its president. They proposed to taxi
the party for q short drive around Ii
d lake, 70 give them an idea of The kin
O of territory to be covered by the ne
h railroad. Mr.. Hamley accompanie
@ the Orleanians, and pointed out thing
of interest.
w. c. Dotterer, the recelVor and gel
| oral manager of the Chalmette prope
q ties, is greatly interested in this prop
b sition of the Lake Providence peopl
Re and he will lay the matter before h
company. recommending close il
yestigation in the belief that the pr
posed railroad would be a most walt
: able adjunct to the new Chalmet
n service up the river.
II happens that the land gran
> offered the new railroad company b
IT the Fifth Louisiana district levee boar
will expire early III October. less than
month. and unless IN extension
secured this valuable subsidy wi
IT elapse. But with the securing of tn
:, new interest in the scheme it Is believe
the lovee board will extend the option
l. In fact, Mcssrs. Dotterer and Park
o may 90 to Vicksburg to attend Il
!. meeting of the levee board the 1st
October,
This Lake Providence and WEBSTER
Railroad is proposed to extend fro
, Lake Providence. to Mer Rouge, Ii
7" on the Iron Mountain Railroad. II
l. officers are: Hon. Jos. L. Ransde
r president; E. j. Hamley, secretary al
N treasurer. Messrs, Phil Mcclure al
J. S. Millikin. with the above officer
q constitute the board of directors.
t. Lake Providence is the county Sc
If Of East Carroll parish, on lake bea
ing the same name, which is eig
IL miles long and a half mile wide. II
e population of the town is about 12O
lis assessed value is about $210, 900, al
its only transportation facilities are
the Mississippi river packets. Shl
/. ments of cotton amount to about sol
bales and 80, 900 sacks of seed, with
quantity of hides, lumber and ha
u The place has three large cotton gin
N Mer Rouge is in Morehouse pari
N and is thirty eight miles due west fro
Lake Providence, which would repr
~ sent the length of the new railroa
Of The railroad route runs through eig
,e miles of cultivated fields. four mil
through virgin timber to bayou Maco
- which is the boundary between Ea
Is and West Carroll parishes; then pen
trates West Carroll parish to bay'
Boeuf, with .he remaining eleven mil
through Morehouse parish.
c. The timber to be found on the Ii
c. consists of cypress. white oak, red GA