The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-05-04
Nat..n;toches. E. & w. Railroad.

r.. a. W.
Capt. C. H. Teal, second vice pres'-
dent of the Big Pine Lumber Compa
nv writes from Colfax to the MANU-
faeturers' Record concerning the pro-
nosed railway from Natchitoches "
rolfax and saying that the line VIII
no about 40 miles long and Will oe
tnown ms the Natchitoches East q
west Railroad. The officers areC. II.
Teal, president; L. Caspar'e' wee
nros;dent. J. H. Williams. treasurer;
and John A. Barlow, secretary
Among his many interesting sta'e-
ments, Capt. Teal writes as follows:
.sNatchitoches, the Oldest town ID
the State, and probably founded
,,hont the date of st. Augustine, ria.'
stands on several beautiful hills, once
overlooking the waters OF Red river,
but the great food of 1s49 caused
the stream to break away from 'ts
original channel at Grand Ecore,
some four miles above the town, ana
follow the meanderings OF severai
b.vons that bore to the east and
north. coming back to it's original
bed again at the place where Co''ax
now stands, thus making an ISLAND
; Z miles in width, and by river some
) go miles long. This island Is as r'cn
$ as the valley Of the Nile, often making
I one and hall bales OF cotton per
acre. fine crops of corn and ALFALFA I'd
t saw nothing of the berries and fruits
: that grow well with the least care.
t II is owned principally by big land
u owners. and each bank Of the river IL
N a cultivated plantation on both sides
r for it's entire length. This old r've'
d since 1S49 has been known locally al
t Cane river. Its environing SOIL IL
n. sandy loan, and is free from ievees
We being entirely above overflow.
= This road will connect at Natchl
:" toches with the Texas 4 Pacific Raj
Dr. wav and also with the Beardsle
~ road 1t is owned by the Lincol
Sc Trust Company, OF st. Louis, Mo-,
VI believe, and runs to point oppos''
ed Colfax. 1t will be when complete
'rt one link in a road that proposes
sh- connect the lines eastuf the Mlsslssll
~ nj with the roads leading into We'
'ut Texas, which will be done in this wa
he There is a lumber road started OF
tai from the Kansas City Southern
ig- Many and coming in the direction
ac- Natchitoches. We propose to Ia
by over this road, and with Bird
ing across Red river at Colfax, we "
the RIM east six miles to the end Of ROT
md built by Big Creek Lumber Compan
ant of Pollock. l understand that Il
on 7O-pound rail and roadbed can
ons bought from MIR. Gould. This 70
ion crosses the Louisiana & Arkansas
lay Ruchanan-Frisco road, about
miles east of Colfax, and goes to r
lock. % miles away. 1t also cross
-" the Louisiana Railway < Naylgatl
,.ns road at Colfax. The idea is then
. l. make traffic arrangements with
,ose Iron Mouutuin to a point nortn
1 l.
son. Little river, whence we will Du
nan track Is miles to Jena, where we
re take over the White Sulphur Lum
and Company road, thatis building
zach Harrisonburg. At this point
hat cross the Ouachita river, and bu
,.nt to Vicksburg, where we will conn
rod with the Illinois Central. When
" # ed about this road tell them it l
and it will connect Birmingham, A
How with Beaumont, Texas. The dista
orth we ask for trackage on the l
have Mountain is Is miles.