The Opelousas courier., 1905-11-11
Interesting Railroad Items.

One Of the greatest railroad battles
for the trade of one OF the richest sec
lions in the United States seems to be
imminent between the .Yoakum and
Hartman interests in west Louisiana
and eastern Texas. Neither side will
make a statement in regard to the mat
ter, but it is known that the uDaitera-
BILE policy of Mr.. Yoakum is to go after
new territory aud to fight for its bust
ness. In this instance he vs. invading
territory which has been almost the
personal property Of the Southern
Pacific for years past. In the opinion
of old railroadmen, the fight is bound
to come, and nee opened, will con
tinue until such a time as both interests
will see fit to make peace.
BY Jan. / the Frisco, or Yoakum in
t~erests, will begin tho construction of "a
railroad acros west Louisiana from
Baton Rouge to DeQuincy, where con
n@ection will be made with other lines to
the West over which Mr.. Hartman and
Mr.. Y0akum exercise fatlierly inter
est. and which, if present plans are car
ried out, will take the Frisco system to
the Pacific Coast.
By Jan. 1 the Southern Pacific will
begin the construction of "a branch from
Baton Rouge to Lafayette, where con
n~ection will be made with the main
line. From Lafayette the Colorado
Southern, New Orleans and Pacific and
Southern Pacific will II across Louisi-
ana within twenty or twenty-five miles
of each other through country which
for natural richness cannot he equaled
anywhere in this country. Over in
Texas the deadly parallel is continued
by the Frisco under different names
The Frisco enters over one o another
of its branches every n of the towns
and cities which have been the field Of
the Southern P~acitic-IIouston, Calves
ton, Fort Worth, and SO ON across the
State.
The new line Of the Yoakum people,
the Colorado Southern, etc, will be
built in a bee line across the State.
Westward from Baton Rouge the first
objective point will he Opelousas.
Here is where the line begins to par
allel the Southern Pacific. From there
on the line will run straight across,
passing through Eunice and on to De-
Quincy. The principal connection with
the Southern Pacific will be at Eunice,
which is the center of a great freight
producing country.
The Southern Pacific has secured all
the right of way from Lafayette to
Baton Rouge, with the exception of a
part of that in West Baton Rouge Par
ish. The official announcement was
made that this line would be begun by
jan at the latest.
The Frisco, or Colorado Southern,
etc, has secured all the right of way
from DeQuincy to Baton Rouge, with
the exception of "a few small stretches.
1t can be stated that the surveying
parties of each road have been traced
by the representatives of the other. and
that not a move of either has escaped
the other.
The officials of the Southern Pacific
will make but one statement: that they
intend to hold for the Southern Pacific
the trade of the territory which they
say the Southern Pacific has built up.
On the other hand the Frisco officials
claim that the business in this territory
has grown to an extent where two roads
will be profitable.
The other persons to be dealt with,
the people along the two lines which
are SO soon to be rivals, have given
rights Of way aud voted taxes because
they say they wish competition. Both
sides have admitted freely to these peo-
pie that the building of the two lines
will in all probability make no change
in rates, as these are almost a fixed
quantity; but both have also admitted
to the people that it is possible, if not
probable, that as a result OF having two
roads they will receive bet
ter service than if there was but one.
1t will probably be a year before eth
er of the roads will be completed, and
until that time both roads will plan and
will work to hold OF to gain the bust
ness Of the section through which both
are to pass.