New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1902-06-28
WHAT NEW IBERIA NEEDS.

and surroundings OF our Guy, he
cannot help but ask himself the
question, "Why is it that this
town aud community lies dormant,
while all around us is life, pros
perity thrift and Development
We have in this section OF coun'
trv the richest soils and some OF
the finest forests of the State. To
the West Of us we see Il country
adapted to but one crop, that OF
rice, and yet these communities
are highly prosperous, while we
possess land adapted to all agrI.
cultural products, aud yet we heal
general complaint of hard times
and poor business outlook. It
the writer it seems that with prop.
err effort, jndiciously directed, that
this community could be made
highly progressive and then pros
perouS. Then let us look for &
remedy. 1t is but Il few weeks
since when our hopes were carried
skyward by the prospect OF an adj
ditional railroad. bnt in the last
few days our hopes have been
shattered, for we see our much
wished for railroad diverted to
other sections, not so promising
as ours, to gladden. aud benefit
other communities. We know
that New Iberia lies almost in an
air line between Beaumont, Texas,
and New Orleans, while the route
selected by the |. and &. n. must
add very considerably to the dis
lance between those two cities, 1t
is hard to understand why this
longer aud poorer route should
have been chosen. We hear ru-
mors to the effect that the
almighty dollar has been a very
potent factor, aud if this be the
case, it is very probable that favor
able donations and concessions
along the line have completed the
deal. 1t is rumored that the citi-
zens of Opelousas have voted Il tax
on themselves for considerable
sum and it could be easily ascer-
tanned that other towns along the
route have done likewise, though
no rumor to that effect is out.
These matters should be investi,
gated and the reasons made known
why our city has been given the
go-bv, aud it may be that it is not
vet too late to do some effective
work. If there is a fight to be
made for the road this town should
make it, with the avowed intention
of coming out winner, and never
to acknowledge defeat until every
means had been exhausted. Bnt
suppose the |. 4 G. N. railroad is
lost to us, are we then to throw up
our hands and quiti Certainly
not. There is still a better plum
for New Iberia to pluck, if she
will but ask for it, and make rea.
sonable contention for it, especially
if we offer something for it.
refer to the Iron Mountain South.
ern, which extends already tc
Alexandria. Red river has al
ready been bridged at that place
| and the distance from there tt
| this city is but about seventy five
miles over an almost level country
with no bridges of any Importance
to construct. But say some,
"That road has never contemplated
an extension to New Iberia, and
therefore it would be useless tt
ask them to do so. Allow me to
say just here that this is the very
reason New Iberia has but one
road to-day. 1t came here without
the solicitation of anybody and
had its entrance here depended
upon the encouragement of the
citizens of New Iberia, it would
not be here to-day. 1t may be that
the Iron Mountain people have
never heard Of New Iberia and
know nothing of it's Importance, Of
the advantage of having an ex
tension to this place. 1t is the
duty of the business community of
this town and especially of the
Progressive League to make known
all the facts of our case to this
Company and invite their exten
sion to our domain. 1t is fac
that the Iron Mountain extended
their line from Pine Bluff Ark.
to Monroe, La, a distance of one
hundred miles, and then from
Monroe to Alexandria, distance
of another 100 miles, and neither
towns are so large as ours, while
to reach those towns it was neces
sary to bridge the Red River at
great expense. The distance from
Alexandria to this city, as before
stated, is but seventy-five miles,
with no expensive bridging and
but the minimum Of expense fol
grading, then does it not looE
reasonable to suppose they could
be induced to extend their line t1
New Iberia if the facts were prop
erly laid before the management
especially when the great amount
|of traffic that could be done all
along the route wasa6hown up.
Let us look at the possible bene'
fit this road would confer on us
1t would put MS in direct commune
cation with st. Louis, aud ovel
lines which are under the contro
Of one management, with Chicago
st. Paul, Minneapolis, Kansas City
and Omaha. Very we'll, wha,
benefit will this be to New Iberia
The answer is this, that we viii
have opened a new market for most
everything which we produce fol
sale, whereas, at present we have
no market for many of what should
be our most remunerative products
There are probobly no lands better
adapted to the cultivation of vege-
Al klsx cnaftav1