The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1904-11-16
Baton Rouge Road.

The Picayune of Nov. 9 con-
tains the following special from
Baton Rouge, which will be of
great interest to the people OF
LAFAYETTE:
Baton Rouge, La. Nov, SIT is
practically certain that Baton Rouge
is to have another railroad. This
line will run from Lafa yette. La. to
this city. and will no doubt connect
with the Illinois Central at some point
in TangipahOa Parish.
John NJ. Lee, Jr., representing the
Southern Pacific lines. has made ex-
tensive purchases. and while he will
not disclose the plans, it is known
that the foregoing is the object he has
in view.
1t is known that deals have been
contaminated by which General Agent
Lee has acquired titles to all the
property lying between the lines of
the Homestead and Anchorage Planta-
tons, and that for several days u
couple of engineers of the Southern
Pacific have been running lines and
levels in that quarter, with the view
of establishing a camp and approach
to what will soon be a transfer boat
landing.
The riparian rights of all the
property has been secured by the
Company and but few options remain
to be secured TO complete the entire
purchase of the desired site for ter
minal and transfer facilities. The
circumstances existing point to the
certain building of a branch road by
the Southern Pacific from Lafayette,
La. to Baton Rouge via Port Allen.
per the line long ago surveyed and
laid out for that purpose. 1t is also
easy to see that the Southern Pacific
and the Illinois Central Companies.
being SO closely allied in interest,
Will run an extension from Baton
Rouge to Hammond, over the line
surveyed, and for which a special tax
has already been voted, so that the
systems may be connected without
having to go around by way of New
Orleans to transfer through business.
The fact that nearly all the desired
property in West Baton Rouge has
been obtained shows the project to be
a bona fide one and, proves plainly,
to those who are acquainted with rail-
road matters. that the projected
Lafayette line must and will be the
ultimate result of this later develop
ment in railroad building.
Mr.. Lee was seen last night and
stated that he is the General Agent
for the Southern Pacific. He would
not give any information as to the
plans of his Company in the matter
under consideration, and regretted
that the matter had been given pub
licity before its purposes could he
accomplished.
That the news is authentic cannot
be questioned, as deeds of transfer
for the property in West Baton Rouge
have been passed in this city and will
soon be recorded in the real estate
transfers of the Parish of West Baton
Rouge. That the Lafayette line is an
absolute certainty is vouched for by
eminent authorities.
The site was chosen on account of
the stability of the Dank at that point.
and it is probable that the east side
of the. transfer slip will be located
near the present site of the Baton
Rouge Sugar Company's Refinery
and on the DOugherty place above
this city.
It is highly probable that suisse
quent arrangements may he made with
the Frisco Road, in the event that
that road crosses the river al this
point, but SO far, the steps taken
apply only to the interests of the
Southern Pacific, in securing a foot
ing in this section, for the establish
ment of a line east and vest from
Baton Rouge. The coming Of the
Frisco will but add to the railroad
facilities which the next few years
must and will certainly bring to the
aopifa1 ~ n;m-.