USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 41
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On March 26 the act of incorporation was amended, authorizing the board of public works to subscribe for 200 shares on behalf of the state. Nothing was done toward the construction of the road, further than to sell stock and float bonds, and on Jan. 11, 1836, the general assembly passed a bill providing that, if the road was not completed within 3 years from that date, the company should pay an annual tax of $10.000 until it was finished, provided, if the road was finished within 5 years the tax was to be refunded. On March 8, 1841, the affairs of the road again came before the legislature. Up to that time the state had issued bonds for the benefit of the company to the amount of $480,000, payable in 10, 20 and 30 years. By the act authorizing the issue of these bonds, the mere failure of the company to pay the principal or interest due at any time, and the payment thereof by the state, was to result in the road becoming the property of the state. The bonds of the state had been sold by the company, and a portion of the first installment of interest being past due and unpaid because of the inability of the company to meet the demand, a resolution was passed by the legislature authorizing the state treasurer to pay all interest on the bonds that might be due and unpaid up to March 10, 1841. The road was declared forfeited to the state, with the provision that the company should have the right to redeem it according to the method set forth in the act of incorporation, but if the revenues of the road should not prove sufficient, over and above the operating expenses, to meet the interest already accrued, or which might acerue, on said bonds, the attorney-general was instructed to pro- cure the foreclosure of all mortgages and to enforce the sale of all property mortgaged to the state by the company. On June 1, 1846, the general assembly authorized the state treasurer to sell the road to C. C. Lathrop & Co., for $45.500, to be paid in three annual installments on Jan. 20, 1848, 1849 and 1850. A liquidator was subsequently appointed and by an act of the legislature, ap- proved March 9. 1858. he was authorized to compromise with all stockholders of the company and all parties holding property pur- chased at any sale of the late commissioners of the company-then mortgaged-by paying 10 per cent. of the stock or original mort- gage. The compromise had not been completed.at the beginning of the Civil war. Similar instances occurred in the cases of other roads that had been given state aid.
Considerable progress was made in the way of railroad construc- tion between the years 1850 and 1860. A general act of the legis- lature, approved March 11, 1852, provided a method for the incor- poration of railroad companies without the necessity for special legislation. Under this act several companies were formed, one of the first being the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern, with a capital of $3.000.000. The company was authorized to build a line of road from New Orleans to Jackson, Miss., a view of mak- ing Nashville. Tenn., the ultimate northern terminus, and to begin operations when $300.000 of the capital stock was subscribed. This project was virtually a revival of the old New Orleans &
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Nashville road, which had been chartered in Jan., 1835. On April 22, 1853, the New Orleans, Opelousas & Great Western was incor- porated under the general act, to construct a road from Algiers (opposite New Orleans) to Thibodaux, Berwick bay and Washing- ton, thence to the Sabine river at the most convenient point for continuing the line to El Paso, Tex., with such branches as might be deemed necessary. The capital was fixed at $3,000,000, which might be increased to $6,000,000, and the company was directed to begin the work of construction whenever $300,000 was subscribed. The stock of this company was to be exempt from taxation, and no taxes were to be levied upon the tangible property of the company until the road had been in operation for 10 years. The Southern Pacific company received a perpetual charter on March 15, 1855, to construct a road "with one or more termini at points on the Mis- sissippi river, between New Orleans and St. Louis," as near as might be defined by the Texas act of Dec. 21. 1853, entitled "An act to provide for the construction of the Mississippi & Pacific railroad." By the provisions of the charter the road was to be com- pleted to El Paso within 10 years and to some point on the Pacific coast or the Gulf of California within 15 years. To accomplish this gigantic enterprise the company was authorized to issue stock to the amount of $100,000,000. A charter was granted on March 20, 1856, to the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Texas railroad company, the line to be known as the "Louisiana stem" of the Mississippi & Pacific, and to run from the Mississippi river below the mouth of the Red river through the parishes of Avoyelles, Rapides, Natchi- toches and De Soto, forming a connection with the road authorized by Texas, but not to interfere with the New Orleans, Opelousas & .Great Western by approaching nearer than 15 miles, in which case the road was to become a part of the New Orleans, Opelousas & Great Western instead of the Mississippi & Pacific.
An act of Congress of June 3, 1856, granted to the New Orleans, Opelousas & Great Western alternative sections of land for 6 miles on either side of the line, and on the same day the president ap- proved an act giving certain lands to the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Texas road. John Wood was appointed commissioner to ascertain - and report to the Louisiana house of representatives the location and extent of said lands. He reported a total of 420,924 acres. and on March 11, 1857, the general assembly of Louisiana accepted the grants for the railroad companies under the conditions imposed by Congress.
A charter was granted by the Texas legislature on Sept. 1, 1856, to the Sabine & Galveston Bay railroad and lumber company to build a line of railroad from Houston to Madison (now Orange), directly opposite Jefferson, La., the object being to establish con- nection with New Orleans. On March 17. 1859, the general assem- bly of Louisiana, learning that the road was almost complete. granted a right of way through the state for the "Louisiana divi- sion," which was to run from opposite the town of Madison to New Iberia, "or any point nearer the Sabine where a junction might be
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formed with the New Orleans, Opelousas & Great Western. On March 16, 1857, the Baton Rouge & Clinton railroad company was incorporated with a capital stock of $500,000, and authorized to begin the construction of the road between these two points when $200.000 of the stock was subscribed. Three days later the New Orleans, Shreveport & Kansas company received a perpetual char- ter to construct a road from New Orleans to Kansas City, Mo., with such branches as might be considered expedient. The capital of the company was fixed at $20,000,000, with the right to receive grants, donations, etc., in addition. Work was to begin when $1,000,000 of the stock was subscribed, and the road was to be completed within 13 years.
On March 19, 1861, the general assembly granted a charter to the New Orleans & Mobile railroad company, which was capitalized at $2,500,000, the stock to be exempt from taxation during the 50 years' life of the charter, and all buildings, shops, etc., to be exempt for 20 years. No charter was to be granted to a parallel road for 20 years. Nothing was done by the Sabine & Galveston Bay com- pany toward the construction of the line from Jefferson to New Iberia, for which a right of way had been granted by the legisla- ture of 1859, and on Jan. 23, 1862, a company was incorporated to build a road from New Iberia to the Sabine river, "so as to com- plete the channel of communication between New Orleans and Houston, Tex.," with the understanding that the road was to be used for military purposes during the pending war. The capital stock was $2,500,000 and the charter was to be perpetual, provided the road was completed within 5 years.
During the war nothing was done in the way of railroad building, except a few lines for military use, and some of the roads already in operation were destroyed. Then came the era of reconstruction, during which but little real progress was made toward the rehabili- tation of old lines or the construction of new ones. Several rail- road and transportation companies were chartered by reconstruc- tion legislatures, but they were largely in the nature of speculative schemes-intended to furnish an excuse for the issue of state bonds, rather than the building of the roads. The New Orleans & North- eastern, the New Orleans, Metairie & Lake, the Louisiana & Ar- kansas, the New Orleans, Baton Rouge & Vicksburg, the Alexan- dria, Homer & Fulton, the Arkansas & Delta, and the Right Bank railroad and freight transferring company, all of which received state aid, had done nothing up to 1872, when the governor, in his message to the legislature recommended the passage of an act ordering the companies to begin work within 6 months or forfeit their charters. In 1879 a subcommittee of the general assembly recommended that $6,830,000 of the bonds issued to aid in building railroads, upon which no work had ever been performed, be de- clared void. (See Finances, State.)
In 1871 the interests of the New Orleans, Mobile & Texas and the Louisiana & Texas (the former running from New Orleans to Houston and the latter from New Orleans to Shreveport) were
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consolidated and both lines were pushed rapidly forward to com- pletion. Experience had taught the state authorities that some restrictions were necessary in granting charters to railroad compa- nies, in order to insure the construction of the road, and since 1870 nearly every charter contained a provision that work must be com- menced within a certain time or the charter would be of no value. In 1877 Morgan's Louisiana & Texas railroad and steamship com- pany was incorporated "to expedite the extension, construction and maintenance of a railroad to the State of Texas, and to north Lon- isiana and Arkansas. These lines were completed in 1880. On April 30, 1877, an act was passed repealing the charter of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge & Vicksburg railroad company, and all acts connected therewith. At the same session a concurrent resolution was adopted asking the general government to promote the con- struction of the Texas & Pacific railroad.
On March 29, 1878, the Red River & Mississippi railroad com- pany, which had been incorporated under the general act of March 11, 1852, was granted a new charter giving the company the right of way and the privilege of using timber on lands belonging to the state for a distance of + miles on either side of the line. This road was completed in 1881, and is now known as the Vicksburg. Shreveport & Pacific, which is operated by the Queen & Crescent system. The Lake Charles & Orange company was incorporated by the act of March 29, 1878, with a capital stock of $500,000, to build a railroad from Lake Charles to Orange, Tex., the charter to last for 25 years provided work was commenced within one year and the road was completed within 3 years. The following day a charter was granted to the Lonisiana Western, to build a road from Vermilionville to the state line somewhere in Calcasieu par- ish, the directors being given the authority to determine the amount of the capital stock. The road from New Orleans to Mobile via Mississippi sound, a charter for which had been obtained in March, 1861, passed into the hands of the Louisville & Nashville company in 1880, thus giving Louisiana connection with the North through the states of Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. The succeeding year a road connecting New Orleans with the Southern Pacific at Marshall. Tex., was completed, and on Dec. 1. 1881, at Blanco Peak, about 90 miles cast of El Paso, was driven the last spike connecting New Orleans with the Pacific coast. The Texas Pacific began at Fort Worth and united with the Southern Pacific at Blanco Junction, or Sierra Blanca. 521 miles of the road being built in as many days.
Many of the original railroads in the state have been leased to or consolidated with other lines, thus forming great railway systems. According to a recent report of the Louisiana railroad commission, the number of miles of steam railroad in operation in the state on Jan. 1, 1907, was 4,631.58. Following is a list of the principal lines, with the number of miles operated by each.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (70 miles). operates the line 'known as the Jasper & Eastern, running from Kirbyville, Tex., to
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Oakdale in the northeast corner of Calcasieu parish, where it con- nects with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern.
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific ( 152 miles) enters the state near the northwest corner of Union parish and runs south to Eunice, in the southern part of St. Landry parish, where it forms a junction with the Colorado Southern.
Colorado Southern (159 miles) runs from Port Allen, opposite Baton Rouge, on the Mississippi river, to De Quincy in Calcasieu parish, where it connects with the Kansas City Southern. This line is also known as the New Orleans & Pacific.
Illinois Central (265 miles), lessees of the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans and the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley, has two lines centering at New Orleans. The first runs along the western shore of Lake Pontchartrain, thence north and crosses the state line near Osyka, Miss. The other-the Y. & M. V .- runs farther west through the parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. James, Ascension, East Baton Rouge, and East Feliciana, leaving the state not far from Whitaker, Miss.
Kansas City Southern (249 miles) enters the state near the north- west corner and runs south by the way of Shreveport and Mansfield to Leesville, where it divides. one branch running to Lake Charles and the other southeast until it forms a junction with the Texas & Pacific in St. James parish. At De Quincy a branch leaves the western division and runs westward into Texas.
Louisiana Railway & Navigation company (346 miles) formerly the Shreveport & Red River Valley, runs from Shreveport south- east via Colfax and Alexandria to the mouth of the Red river, where it crosses the Mississippi and then follows the same general direction through Baton Rouge to New Orleans, with branches from Aloha to Winnfield and from Alexandria to Jena.
Louisiana & Arkansas (140 miles) enters the state from Arkansas near the western boundary of Webster parish and runs southeast via Minden, Chestnut, Winnfield and Georgetown to Jena, where it connects with the Natchez & Western.
Louisville & Nashville (38 miles) runs eastward from New Or- leans between Lake Borgne and Lake Pontchartrain, crosses the Rigolets and leaves the state near the mouth of the Pearl river. Although this system has but very few miles in operation in Louisiana, its connections in other states make it one of the most important lines entering the city of New Orleans.
New Orleans Great Northern (139 miles) forms a junction with the New Orleans & Northeastern at Slidell and operates a num- ber of short lines through the parishes of St. Tammany and Wash- ington.
New Orleans & Northwestern (115 miles) runs from Vidalia, opposite Natchez, Miss., northward through Winnsboro, Rayville and Bastrop, and crosses the state line near the northwest corner of Morehouse parish. This line is controlled by the Missouri Pacific company.
Queen & Crescent system (214 miles) operates the New Orleans
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& Northeastern and the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific. The former runs northeast from New Orleans across the eastern part of Lake Pontchartrain and leaves the state near the village of Benton, St. Tammany parish. The latter runs from Vicksburg, Miss., almost due west via Tallulah, Rayville, Monroe, Ruston and Arcadia to Shreveport.
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern (416 miles), operating the St. Louis, Watkins & Gulf, crosses the state line near the north- east corner of Union parish and runs southward through Monroe, Columbia, Georgetown, Alexandria and Kinder to Lake Charles. A short branch leaves the main line at Litroe and runs southwest to Farmerville. These lines are controlled by the Missouri Pacific.
Southern Pacific (661 miles) operates the Louisiana Western, the Houston & Shreveport, the Iberia & Vermilion, and the lines of Morgan's Louisiana & Texas railroad & steamship company. The main line runs westward from New Orleans via Morgan City, Jeanerette and New Iberia to Lafayette, where it divides. one branch running west through Crowley, Jennings and Lake Charles to the state line, and the other northwest through Opelousas and Washington to Alexandria. Branches of this system run to Lock- port, Houma, Thibodaux and Napoleonville, South Bend, Weeks, Salt Mine, Port Barre, Mamou, Gueydan, and from Lafayette to Grosse Tete.
Texas & Pacific (685 miles) runs from New Orleans in a north- westerly direction, the main line or branches passing through the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. James, Lafourche. Assumption, Ascension, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupée, Concordia, St. Landry, Avoyelles, Rapides, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, De Soto and Caddo. From the "cut-off" just south of Shreveport one branch runs westward and crosses the state line near Waskom; the other runs north through Shreveport and enters the State of Arkansas near the village of Ida.
These trunk lines and systems control 3,650 miles, or about three- fourths of the total mileage of the state, the remaining one-fourth being made up of short lines operated by independent companies, logging roads, etc. By a constitutional amendment, adopted in 1904, Louisiana exempts from taxation the property of all rail- roads built between Jan. 1. 1905, and Jan. 1, 1909. This has proved a great stimulus to railroad construction, as each year since the adoption of the amendment has shown substantial increase in rail- road mileage, and new lines are under process of construction or being contemplated. In his message, May 12, 1908, Gov. Blanchard said : "Louisiana has been one of the leading states in recent years in mileage of railroads constructed. In the years 1904. 1905. 1906 and 1907 there were constructed in the state 1,320.58 miles of railroad. This does not include the logging and sugar roads re- ferred to (about 500 miles)." On July 10, 1890, Gov. Nicholls approved an act requiring railroad companies to provide separate coaches, of equal comfort and convenience, for white and colored passengers. Any passenger of either color who insisted riding in
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the coach set apart for the other race was to be fined not exceed- ing $25, to which might be added imprisonment for 20 days. Failure on the part of the railroad company to provide the separate accom- modations according to law was punishable by a fine of from $100 to $500 for each offense. By the act of July 7, 1894, this principle was carried farther and the companies were required to furnish separate waiting rooms for the races at all stations, and station agents were required to see that the law was enforced.
Rambin, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of De Soto parish, is about 6 miles east of Oxford, the most convenient railroad sta- tion, and 15 miles southeast of Mansfield, the parish seat.
Ramos, a money order post-town in the northeastern part of St. Mary parish, is a station on the Southern Pacific R. R., 24 miles east of Franklin, the parish seat. It has an express office and tele- graph station, is the center of trade for the rich sugar district, by which it is surrounded, and in 1900 had a population of 220.
Ramsay, a postoffice and station in the western part of St. Tam- many parish, is situated on the New Orleans Great Northern R. R., 4 miles northwest of Covington, the parish seat, in the great pinery of the parish, and has lumber industries.
Randall, a post-village of Pointe Coupée parish, is about 15 miles northwest of New Roads, the parish seat, and 3 miles west of Lacour, which is the nearest railroad station. It is a trading center for a rich agricultural district and in 1900 had a population of 250.
Randolph, a post-village and station in the northwest corner of Union parish, is situated at the junction of the Arkansas South- eastern and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroads, about 20 miles northwest of Farmerville, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph station and express office, and is the shipping and supply depot for the timber and farming district of the northwestern part of the parish.
Randsdell, Joseph Eugene, lawyer and member of Congress, was born at Alexandria, La., Oct. 17, 1858. His early education was acquired in the public schools of his native city, after which he graduated at Union college, Schenectady, N. Y., in 1882. The following year he was admitted to the bar and in 1884 was elected district attorney for the 8th judicial district, which office he held by reelections for 12 years. He was a member of the constitu- tional convention of 1898, and was for years a member of the 5th district levee board, which position he resigned on Aug. 29, 1899, owing to the fact that he had been elected to the 56th Congress in Nov., 1898, from the 5th Louisiana district, on the Democratic ticket. He has been reelected to each succeeding Congress since that date.
Rapides is an old river town in the northern part of the parish of the same name, situated on the Red river and the Texas & Pacific R. R., 8 miles northwest of Alexandria. It was settled in the early part of the 18th century, when the great cotton industry of the Red river valley was started; a landing on the river and the export
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depot for many hundred bales of cotton ; is the supply town for the rich agricultural country by which it is surrounded ; has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and in 1900 had a population of 75.
Rapides Parish, one of the districts of Louisiana while it was held by the French, received its name from the rapids in the Red river. 'It was one of the 12 counties created in 1804, and became one of the 19 parishes of the territory when the counties were abolished by the territorial legislature in 1807, during the administration of Gov. Claiborne. The parish is situated in the central part of the state in the Red river valley, and as originally laid out embraced within its bounds the southern part of Grant parish. It is now bounded on the north by Grant and Natchitoches parishes, on the east by Catahoula and Avoyelles parishes, on the south by St. Landry and Calcasieu parishes, and on the west by Vernon parish. Settlers began to come into the country under grants of the West- ern company in 1718, and after the province passed under Spanish rule, Gov. O'Reilly made large grants to colonists who received government aid in the way of supplies, cattle and farming imple- ments. These first settlers devoted almost their entire attention to cattle raising and "cattle were exported by the thousand," Gov. O'Reilly wrote. Martin, in his History of Louisiana, says, "The settlement of Rapides is a valley of rich alluvial soil, surrounded by pine hills, extending to the east toward Washita and in the opposite direction to the Sabine. The pine hills come down to the river." Between 1770 and 1796 the country was settled up and the foundations of the great cotton plantations of the Red river were made. Cæsar Archinaud was the commandant at Rapides post in 1796 and Valentine Layssard was surveyor. Many of the Indian tribes sold their lands to the whites. Some of the first to claim land were James and Sarah Jeune, who claimed 800 arpents on Bayou Rapides under an original Spanish grant; John Hebrard claimed 3.200 arpents under a Spanish claim ; Gabriel Martin located on Bayou Rapides, and there were many claims located on the Red river. The old town of Alexandria was platted by Alexander Fulton and given his baptismal name. It is now the parish seat and one of the principal cities of central Louisiana. Some of the most important towns and villages of Rapides parish are Ball, Boyce, Buckeye, Cheneyville, Echo, Elmer. Forrest Hill, Glenmora. Lamourie, Holloway, Hineston, Lamothe. Lecompte. Longleaf, Lena Station, Loyd. Melder, Moorland, Pineville, Poland, Quadrate. Rapides. Richland. Tioga. Sycamore, Welchton. Woodworth, Weil and Zimmerman. The principal water courses of the parish are the Red and Calcasieu rivers and the Bayous Saline, Rapides, Boeuf. Falcon and Cocodrie. Rapides parish has an area of 1,370 square miles. It lies in the western longleaf pine district and the land com- prises pine hills, pine flats, oak uplands, prairie and alluvial or Red river bottom land. The soil in the pine districts and uplands is light but reasonably good and productive, while the bottom land of the Red river valley, which crosses the parish from northwest to
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