The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1904-04-09
E ST. LANDRY. La. APRIL 9. 1904.
A New Railroad.
editor OPEhoUsAs COURIER:

Please find attached to this let
ter description of a railroad that
is proposed to be built from Opel
ousas to Natchez,. Miss, to be
knowP k5s pG;s,t65 as t5og y '0us"s and Nat
is an opportune time to-
cof,mence this road while our
couKtry is in prosperity and there
is So. demand for land and tim
Thse >e would run through the
richese AGtion of the State and
the thiotKst hardwood belt of
timber in tER State. There would
be only abouLtweive miles of the
route that would not be through
dense timber; there would also be
large lakes of cypress timber in
easy reach of the railroad. This
cypress could not be gotten out at
q profit on account Of the high
ridges of hard wood-the cost
would eat up the profit. The only
feasible way to get it out is by
building a railroad aud erecting
saw mills along the route.
This Independent road would
cross and connect with five large
trunk lines of railroad and two
branches; it would give shipping
facilities that could not be equaled
anywhere that know of. Besides
the railroads there would be water
routes-navigable streams, viz:
Bayou Courtableau, near Wash
ington, La, the Atchafalaya river
at Simmsport, Red river at the
bays, and the Mississippi at Vida
liza and Natchez. All of these
hardwood lands could be culti-
vated now if the timber was off,
and all cypress could be, with the
drainage system that is being per-
fected by the levee boards. 1t
would be pity to see these hard
wood lands being robbed by dead
ening the timber for cultivation.
Now is the time to build the
railroad and save the timber.
This line would run through solid
timber land from twenty to sixty
miles in width.
There are plenty Of large tim
ber companies that would jump
at the chance to take stock in said
company and erect mills. There
are large timber companies that
own thousands of acres that it
would just be in their hands to as
sist in the organization of said
company.
Opelousas is the most interested
and should take the initiative.
no doubt, would join
heart and hand in the enterprise,
and so would the people and towns
on the route. The exposition
would be good place to organize
a company. St. Louis would have
all five of these roads connecting
with this independent road.
Opelousas could then be made
manufacturing town. By hav-
ing communication with so many
trunk lines and deep water con-
rections would give us facilities
of shipment to all points of the
world. Was there ever a better
proposition to bring money into
the pockets of the stockholders?
Would it not be a good plan to
call a special meeting for this
purpose to start on foot the car
rying out of the above PROPOSE
tion?
ROUTE AND MILEAGE.
Opelousas to Palmetto, miles. .--...........15 Is
simmsport to Vidafia and Eatchez. As
Total --.,-- -...---..----.---------- rs
This Opelousas and Natchez
Railroad would cross the Texas
Pacific at Palmetto; would cross
the Red River Valley at the Big
Bends; would cross the New Or
leans and Northwestern within six
miles of Vidalia; connect with the
Natchez, Red River and Texas at
Vidalia, and connect with the
Mississippi Valley at Natchez.
This road would cross the Red
river just above the Bays, where
the Red river comes within six
miles of the Mississippi river, and
crossing the Mississippi river al
Natchez.
AS I am about to leave your
town, you will see | still feel ar
interest in your welfare.
Respectfully,
A. D. HARMANsoN.
(Natchez papers please copy.)
The movement in favor of NOR
general consumption of rice b.
reducing the margin of price be
tween producer and consumer il
vigorously supported by miller
and canal men, and it is believe'