The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1909-07-17
WATCHING PROCEEDINGS.

"Ilow dlil,ren, to day from what Il
would have been live yeats ago, -
mark cd an lheripn recently while
talking over the railroad n,inaiinn
To-day, men. high IN railroad circle
contractors md other oiie alp. come
and go, aud New iberia ruraucs the
even tenor Of it's way with barely q
ripple on tho purlaoo. Five yeats arn
how different it would hive been
Mana meetings would have been ~ OF
der; reception committees would have
been aatir. hnnqucts ana exeurpionH
on the river aud through the county,
would have been ,,opsihle features.
enthuaiaam and high hopes would
have been awakened in the hroaata oi
all our people,
There In a rcaaon.
Five yeara ago there wan the need
for greater carrying Notwithstanding the
hatveat scaaonp, iuet an there IL need
today, hut the acquisition ot nuch inc,l
it,cs aeemed ao remote that when the
promoter knocked nt Our door We
seemed to- teel IN al we couia not he too
demonHtrntive IN hin reception aud
enterta,n mcnt Aud the people were
sincere.
After Il grca, deal vi experience.
4
people have come to look upon our
promoters in "a cold husinean way.
lie in juat m welcome m he would
have been five years ago. lie will he
denied nothing in reason. Our latch
string sttil hanga outaiic 10 him aye.
better. he will find that our people
will Themselves open their doors to
every opportunity, but now il In nj,
business. devoid of enthusiasm or on
tcntation.
II IN barely possible that the enthu-
siaan In being ptored for the occasion
when some promoter will make
good" when there will he n mighty OK
plosion and pent UP feelings will he
given full sway In general rejoicing.
Mr.. Beardsly, Of the Louisiana x
Northwestern Railroad. was n vieitor
here some years ago. on n prospecting
trip. Our people felt disappointed
when he re fused To he tac ccipicnt OF
all the courtesics they desired to be
stow. M
Later this section WINS visited by
number Of T. Il +. Ry. Co. officials
promoting the establishment of line
Of boats between Techc points and In.
dian Village. This was tried, but
soon abandoned.
Gen'l Mylcs started the building of a
trolley line Nv the setting of a lew
trolley poles on lower Main street and
then---thc dream lost its thread of
continuity.
AuHur. Ooncry and Fine followed
with trolley propositions. The dispo
sition Of the people. from giving
everything freely. demanded a
guarantee that the trolley would be
built. One company forfeited as
much ~ 5000 In cold cash to this
city, being unable to make good on i,a
privileges. Several extensions of time
were granted, and rails aud spikes
were unloaded hete for the building
operations, but 1berians stll walk.
The Central came. and the people
generously voted a bonus of 800, 900.
with saving clauses. several miles Of
grading WAS done In this vicinity.
The ath Of July. lp0s. halt was called
In all building operations while tho
surveyors located n 10 per cent grade
at the western junction II waa an
nounccd later that the grade had been
found, but II has not vet been made
use Of.
The N. O., Crowley & Wn. ran lines.
passing through this city, and were
voted bonus OF $5o, 900, provided the
road was built IN time. All but the
memory Of the proposition passed
away.
Twice bonus was voted by the pen
pie TO the N. L.. st. NJ. Il N. X. X. Co,
and II Ia now enjoying new lease Of
life.
Thus, We may with reason boast
that We have never closed the door IN
the face Of even promised opportu.
nifty. And there Ia n reason for our
drifting into The frame Of mind Of the
average Missourian and not turning
our enthusiasm loose at the first call.