St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-06-18
MORE RAILROADS FOR
ST. LANDRY PARISH
Four NoB ID Contemplation, Of Which are
Assured. Among them.
TPE BIG SANTE FE Line
Southern Pacific Extension, 0. Gee Extension,
and The AVgyelIes, Palmetto 3 Gull
ihe others.

Four new railroads are now in pro-
cess Of incubation, with good hatch
ing prospects, for St. Landry parish.
The great trunk line, the G. G. & S.
IT,, known as the .Sante Fe, will CON
tinue its line from 0akdale, where it
is now stopped, on to New Orleans.
1t will go through Vile Platte, and
probably through 0pelousas, on its
way to the big port.
It is given out that the Southern
Pacific will extend its Arnaudville.
branch to Vile Platte, going through
Washington on It's way to the capital
Of Evangeline.
The Texrs & Pacific has a similar
idea the extension Of branch Of its
@. Gee to Vile Platte, there making
connection with the East & West, al
50 owned BY the Texas & Pacific.
The AvoYelles, Palmetto & Gulf, to
run from some point IN st. Landry to
MarksvilIe, and eventually to Natchez,
Miss, will it is certain be built, the
question now being whether Port Bar
re or 0pelousas will be the terminal.
Two of these roads are assured.
About three years ago the sante
Fe stopped the construction Of their
road, which was admittedly destined
Ito go into the port Of New Orleans,
at 0akdale. Calcasieu parish. Rumors
of resumption of construction have
been periodically plentiful, but these
rurlors were not due to any effort Of
/ the road to create them. 1t was
known, however, that the day was
mot far when it would make its way
lon to New Orleans and it appears
that day has arrived. Last week the
people of Vile Platte received d COM
munication from head officials asking
for a conference. telling them that
the Sante Fe wanted to pass through
Vile Platte on its way to New Or
Leans. The conference will be held
in New Orleans OF Baton Rouge at
an early date.
While 0pelousas is on an almost
direct line from 0akdaIe to New Or
leans, and Notwithstanding that it
would seem the logical point to pass
on standpoint of traffic, it is by no
means certain that it will traverse
this city, although it is more than
probable that it will. tt will depend
greatly on the exertions of the citi-
ices of the city, Trunk lines, unlike
branches, are inclined to take
straight shoots" time being their
main object. The building of this
road through 0pelousas would give
I this city the road to the west it has
so long wished for; and our people.Will
doubtless 60 after it" sswith a vim.
The fact that survey Of the route
has been made and rights-of-Way OBJ
tained which could be turned over to
/ the Sante Fe secured by the Opelou-
sas people will doubtless be an
Einducement for it TO pass through
this city.
An officer Of the AFoyelles, Palmet-
Ito & Gull, who has just returned
from New Orleans. where he had
gone to see the people who are to
build the road, reports that there is
no question that the road will be con
structed, and further that some Of
| those who had been sticklers for Port
Barre were now willing to assure the
people of 0peloasas that if a tax was
voted, the road would come to 0pe-
lousas. This is good news, and oul
tpeople should take immediate advan-
tage of it.
i There seems to be a rivalry be-
| tween the Texas & Pacific and The
Southern Pacific as to which roa6
will come to Vile Platte from PORT
Barre, via Washington, or the Schel
eanal. The Texas & Pacific made The
first move in that direction, but i
was quickly followed BY the Southern
/ Pacific, and the latter now seem more
| active and determined in the matter
Verify, all these things sound good
to US.