The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1911-10-14
THE. RAILROAD SHOPS.

IN anOCn0r column We puOll60
clipping from the N. o. Picayun'
which indicates that the Southern
Pacific railroad shops are to be re
moved from Algiers. Whatever
may be the reasons for this c0ursl
on the part OF the railroad com
pAny is of but little concern to US
but If the removal is an establish
ed fact, then that fact should bt
Of the deepest concern to ell New
Iberians.
! As long as there IS rnmOr cur
rent to the effect that there is a
new site to be sought for the 8. P.
shops, or AZ long as there Is an
echo To such rumOr, It behOOves
the best interest Of this people to
heed 1t and take it seri0usly-stMy
with the idea that W. have the
best offer that can be made Ia the
interest Of the railroad and never
miss an opportunity Of presenting
our claims.
New Iberia's location gives her
peculiar advantages should she
seek the prize. A few of these
may be cited, to wit:
The double tracks of the South
ern Pacific psss through this city,
terminating at Cade, 1t would be
an advantage TO the Company to
have the shops located on that
part Of the line employing the dou-
bic tracks.
New IBERIA is the practical head
of navigation on the Teche for
large boats. The So. Pa. employs
. number of boats on the Teche-
has done 10 for many years in the
past and, in all probability, will
continue to do 80 even in greater
numbers for indefinite time to
come The bayou holds peculiar
advantages for the company and
these should not 10 without their
weight IN determining the new site
for the shops.
All the land necessary for thu
site can be obtained here. With
but little trouble il could be 10
shaped as to meet any reasonable
requirement Of the company. A
bayou frontage may also be hac.
New Iberi. il equidistant be
tween New Orleans and Echo, the
extent Of the company's lines 10
Louisiana. From here to New Or.
leans Is l2G miles, and from here
to Echo il 125 niles This locs.
ton would tend to reduce the |
travel Of damaged equipment to
and from the shops for the greater |
part Of the system In Louisiana. |
This feature would afford m eco
nomy in the operating department
Of no inconsiderable proportion.
In the yards here are frequently
found from eight to twenty loco
motives. This shows the impor.
lance Of this place ~ center. |
The F. & A. road comes in here
with it's IS miles Of track; the
Salt Mines road, 10 miles, leads to
the main lines ut this point; the I.
\ v. rosd has ito principal
here--it emuloys . track
81 50 miles. There are, perhaps,
more trains made up here than II
any Louisiana point, not . divi
sio0al point.
With the shops should 60 the
divisional headquarters. This
would allow the consolidation OF
The two inadequate Louisiana
shops into one Of standsred equip.
nent.
AZ divisional point New Ibe-
10 develops no weaknesses. New
Orleans on the east, 126 miles;
echo on the west, 126 miles; Alex.
sndria on the north, 1O4 miles;
Port Barre. 81 miles; Mamou, over
he I. 4 ". rs miles-in fact, [
New Iberia 10 the logical point for
divisional headQuarters-it il the
me central point.
More than this: The 16-h0ur
aw often renders 1t impossible for
he crew starting out with sl<
reight train, In the eastern dlvi. /
hon, to deliver that train ct ito 4
observation-disclosures Of tho length ,
L the run. A second crew has to 1
70 sent out on the line and held In {
eadtness to pick up tho belated !
reight and carry It In. Much az
his double crew service wOald b.
'voided. were the divisional pointI
ocated here. With LAG miles toI
. covered by the eastern dlviaion
rains these troubles AID extra 9
xpenses m0st be endured b. l
he road. The wonder 10 that tue p
hange was not made yesre sgo-ls
I least from and after the sdop !
lon OF the l6-hOur Law. With ?
be increased tra1lc-Or even Q
Maintained traffic Il the roed-it =
~ hardly be hoped to improve q
onditions now existing IN this di 9
lsion. The euro seems to b In Y
10 shifting Of the present divi =
onsI point some 20 miles east
ard. This would balance condi
ons - not ~ would.