Letter from John W. Young to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; April 1, 1871

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Letter from John W. Young to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; April 1, 1871

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Alcorn, J. L. (James Lusk), 1816-1894 Bowie, A. T.Bowman, Samuel Bowman, William Brighthoupt, Unknown Eustis, William Green, George W.Hewson, H. F.Humphries, Unknown Liddell, Unknown Martin, William T.Mayo, G. Spencer Mayo, O.Mills, Unknown Natchez Trace Page, Unknown Shields, Unknown Spencer, Unknown Young, John W.

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Boards of trade Ferries Louisiana. Legislature Mills Mississippi. Executive Department Newspapers Newspapers--Natchez (Miss.)Tri-weekly Democrat Plantations Plantations--Frogmore Plantation and Gins (Frogmore, La.)Plantations--Holloway Prarie Plantation (East Feliciana Parish, La.)Plantations--Lidell's Plantation (La.)Plantations--Pittsfield Plantation (La.)Railroad Railroad--Southern Railway (U.S.)Railroad--Vidalia, Alexandria and Texas Railroad

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Adams County (Miss.)Alexandria (La.)Big Creek (La.)Black River (La.)Catahoula Lake (La.)Clear Creek (La.)Cocodra River (La.)Cross Bayou (La.)Donohoe's Ferry (La.)Dry Fork Creek (La.)Flagon Creek (La.)French Fork Little River (La.)Haine's Ferry (La.)Harrisonburg (La.)Hooper's Ferry (La.)Hoovey's Bayou (La.)Lacroix's Ferry (La.)Lake Concordia (La.)Lake St. John (La.)Little River (La.)Louisiana Mississippi River Monroe (Miss.)Natchez (Miss.)Red River (La.)Saline Bayou (La.)Sicily Island (La.)Tensas River (La.)Texas Tiger Bayou (La.)Trinity River (Tex.)Turtle Egg Point (La.)Turtle Lake (La.)Vicksburg (Miss.)Vidalia (La.)White Sulphur Springs (La.)

Page 1

CHEZ TRI-WEEKLY DEMOCRAT, SATURDAY, AP

Vidalia, Alexandria & Texas Railroad.

*At a meeting of the Committee for the Vidalia, Alexandria and Texas Railroad, held in the rooms of the Board of Trade in Natchez, on the 29th day of March, 1871, Judge, O. Mayo presi-ding as Chairman, the following proceedings were had.

Capt. Wm Eustis, the engineer selected by the Committee to make a survey of the various routes proposed and indicated in his instructions, submitted the following report, which was ac-companied by a map showing their direction, distances, &c.:

REPORT OF CAPT. WM. EUSTIS.

Dr A T Bowie, Chairman of the Vidalia and Alexandria Railroad Committee:

SIR—In compliance with instructions received from your Committee to "examine and designate the most direct and eligible route for the build-ing of a railroad from Vidalia to Alexandria," I have examined several routes, and have the honor to report as follows:

A glance at the map which accompanies this report shows the least circuitous of the practic-able routes to be by way of Black River, cross-ing below Trinity, and thence by French Fork and the south side of Catahoula Lake to Alex-andria. On this route, commencing at Vidalia and running on an air line to Cocodra, near the fork where the Trinity road crosses, the em-bankment required to raise the road above the highest back—water mark would probab y not exceed six feet in height, until it approaches the Cocodra. Higher ground would be obtained by following the Trinity road on the bank of Lake Concordia, but the difference of level would not justify so great a deviation from an air line.—Crossing the Cocodra and following an air line to Cross Ba ou, near the ferry, we pass through the lowest land on the route between Vidalia and Black River, requiring an average embank-ment of eight feet for about two miles, with suf-ficient trestle work to allow free water way at Cocodra and Turtle Lake. After reaching the Mills place on Turtle Lake, the ground is higher all the way to Cross Bayou. From Cross Bayou the road follows an air line through Frogmore plantation, on high land to Hoovey's Bayou where it leaves the Tensas River, crossing the bend, and strikes Black River opposite the plan-tation of Mr. Liddell. Crossing there, we find an excellent route, on high land, and nearly on an air line, to French Fork, which we follow to Catahoula Lake; thence through the low swamp along the Lake, crossing Saline Bayou, and fol-lowing the general direction of the present road through Holloway's prairie, to Alexandria. From seven to ten miles of high trestle work would be required along the lake. The land is said to be higher some distance from the lake on the old Natchez trace, where is a succession of sloughs and ridges making toward Red River, but there would be no saving of trestle work on that line. as embankments could not be safely made on those narrow ridges.

The next route to be examined is by the north side of Catahoula Lake. Leaving the route al-ready described, at French Fork, it crosses at Hooper's ferry and follows nearly the present road to Haines' ferry, on Dry Fork, a distance of about four miles, over land which is generally high, until it reaches the "Drift," where, for half a mile an embankment of ten or twelve feet is required, running out to high land on the river bank at Haines' ferry. After crossing Dry fork, which becomes dry during the low water season, it is about three-fourths of a mile to the pine woods, through a bottom subject to an average overflow of six feet. Instead of crossing at Haines' ferry it might be found ad-visable to continue up the bank of the river about three-fourths of a mile, and, crossing at Turtle Egg Point, strike the hills at Mr. Bright-houpt's lane.

lake, although a little longer, will be found pre-ferable to one on the south side, which would run for many miles through a swamp subject to deep overflow.

Respectfully submitted,

WM. EUSTIS,
Civil Engineer.

On motion the report was received, and Geo. W. Green, Esq., of the Committee on Expenses, was authorized and requested to collect fifty per cent. of the amounts subscribed, to compensate Capt. Eustis for his services in the premises, and to defray other incidental expenses of the Com-mittee, the remaining fifty per cent. to be re-tained by the subscribers until called for by the Committee. or its authorized agent

Mr. Green then submitted the following reso-lutions, which was unanimous adopted:

WHEREAS, There can be no question but that the most practicable and desirable route for building a Railroad from the Mississippi river across the alluvial bottoms west, to the high lands, is to be found by leaving that stream at Vidalia, thence nearly due west, and

WHEREAS, The report of Capt. Wm. Eustis, Civil Engineer, accompanied with maps and projections of the same, shows that a road can be built over such route, on an embankment ranging from four to ten feet, not probable averaging over six feet, and showing that such route will not require exceeding two miles in the aggregate of trestle work, and this distributed over two or three places, and

WHEREAS, A road built by such route would not exceed thirty-eight miles to reach the high lands, and

WHEREAS, The route from Monroe to Vicks-burg crosses the swamp at a point where it will always be impossible to maintain a road without at least eighteen or twenty miles of trestle work, which will always be endangered in time of high water, and which now, at this time, is said to be impassable—no train having passed over the same for the last twelve or fifteen days; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a committee of four persons be appointed to lay before the Directory of the Southern Pacific Railroad the facts presented by the survey of Capt. Eustis, and to urge upon the Directory of that road the importance of select-ing Vidalia as the most desirable and practicable point at which the great commerce and travel of that road should cross the Mississippi.

On motion the General Committee selected to serve on the Committee provided for by this resolution: Gen. Wm. T. Martin, Hon. Geo. W. Green, Judge O. Mayo, and Dr. J. W. Young. These gentlemen accepting, the appointment was formally made.

On motion of Capt. Spencer, it was

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Commit-tee, based upon the report of Wm. Eustis, En-gineer, the most eligible and direct route from Vidalia to Alexandria, for a railroad, is by a line running west, crossing Black River about two miles below Trinity, thence along the south bank of Little River to Hooper's ferry, thence along the west bank of the Dry Fork or Little River to the highlands near Haine's ferry, thence along the North bank of Catahoula lake to Alexandria.

On motion, the Secretary was requested to procure a copy of the proposed charter for this road, submitted to the Legislature of Louisiana at its last session, for the use of the Committee. It was also made his duty to cause the proceed-ings of this meeting to be published, in full, in the Natchez papers.

There being no further business, the Commit-tee adjourned, subject to the call of its Chair-man.

O. MAYO, Chairman.

G. SPENCER MAYO, Secretary.

Page 2

houpt s lane.

After reaching the hills there are two roads to Alexandria—one near the lake, crossing Little River at Donohoe's ferry, where there is a bot-tom about a mile wide, subject to overflow. The other is by Lacroix's ferry, where the banks are high on both sides.

Of these routes the first is the shortest, and will require the fewest bridges, as it avoids all the branches of Little river; but it passes thro' the low swamps of Catahoula Lake, where there are no settlements, and where a large amount of high and expensive trestle work will be needed.

On the other side of the lake the road would run through forests of long leafed pine, which are well supplied with water power sufficient to run saw mills, giving a value to thousands of acres of land now almost worthless, and affords an outlet to the crops raised on the numerous creek bottoms, where the settlements are rapidly in-creasing. The route by Donohoe's ferry is about three miles shorter than by Lacroix's and avoids Big Creek, which enters Little river above it. The bottom land subject to overflow, at the ferry, is about a mi e wide, but it is probable that a better crossing may be found. After leaving Little River the route would follow the general direction of the public road to Alexan-dria, through pine woods, where no very heavy grading would be necessary, and crosses only two streams—Clear Creek and Flagon.

The road from Lacroix’s ferry would branch off from this last route soon after striking the hills, and running nearly due west and intersect-ing the road from Harrisonburg to Alexandria, a little south of the Sulphur Springs, would cross Little river at or near the ferry, where the banks are high on both sides. From this point it would follow the general direction of the pub-lic road to Alexandria, as laid down on my map, crossing three streams—Big Creek, Clear Creek and Flagon.

In addition to the written instructions receiv- from your committee, I was verbally directed to designate the highest route to Harrisonburg, by way of Sicily Island. Having been prevented by high water from making a personal examin-ation of a portion of the route, I have obtained the necessary data from several persons familiar with the country, and whose statements may be received with perfect confidence.

Branching off from the first railroad route at Minorca plantation, we follow the public road around Lake Concordia to Pittsfield plantation, thence to near Lake St. John, and up Buckner's Bayou to Fletcher's Lake and Little Tensas to Tensas River. Crossing the Tensas at this point the route runs up the river to the planta-tion of Mr. Samuel Bowman, thence to the plan-tation of the late Wm. Bowman, on Tiger Bayou, and on a ridge through Lovelace's deadening to Sicily Island, after which it follows the general direction of the public road to Harrisonburg. From Harrisonburg there is a good route along the edge of the overflow, to intersect the road by Haine's ferry, where it strikes the hills.—about a mile of trestle work, which cannot be avoided by any other route, would be required near Sicily Island, to cross the overflow, the depth of which is said to be twelve feet from the Island, diminishing gradually to two feet at Tiger Bayou, a distance of five miles. This route is on high land until it approaches Sicily Island, but it is very circuitous. It can be shortened several miles by running a portion of it on lower land, leaving Lake Concordia at the road between the plantations of Mr. Shields and Dr. Page, and following the general direction of that road to Tensas River.

The shortest route to Harrisonburg is by the old Doty road, which Gen. Humphrey's survey of the Mississippi shows to be entirely too low for a railroad.

The road from Trinity to Harrisonburg is also objectionable, being subject to a deep overflow with a rapid current

The distance from Vidalia to Alexandria, on an air line, is sixty-two mi es. By the proposed railroad route, it is nearly as follows:

By the south side of Catahoula lake, sixty eight miles By the north side of Catahoula lake and Donohoe's ferry, seventy-two miles. By the north side of Catahoula lake and Lacroix's ferry, seventy-five miles. By Sicily Island and Buckner's Bayou, one hundred miles. From Vidalia to the pine hills, near Haine's ferry, it is about thirty-eight miles.

I have endeavored to lay before you, as suc-cintly as possible, sufficient data to enable you to form a general idea of the merits of the different routes. The facts which I have stated are based on personal observation, and on infor-mation derived from old residents of the par-ishes through which the road passes, who are perfectly familiar with the different routes. From a mere reconnoissance, I am unable "to designate the most direct and eligible route." A careful survey might bring to light many facts where are now unknown and, until that be made, it would be presumptuous to decide positively in favor of any one of the proposed routes. My impression is, however, that a road on firm ground, on the north side of Catahoula

Page 3

Natchez Miss
Apr 1^st 1871

His Ex. Gov. J. L. Alcorn

D^r. Sir,

I am requested by Gen^l. Martin & others composing a com^tee refered to in the inclosed R R proceedings to Address you seeing you are one of the Incorportators of the S. P. R R. and ask you to do us the favor to give us the names and Address of the Directors of the S. P. R R. so as to enable us to carry out the instr-uctions to said Com^tee,,

Hoping to hear from you soon I remain your Humble
Serv^t

Jn^o,, W. Young
Natchez
Miss

Page 4

PRECIS.
[gap]

No'.

Executive Office,
State of Mississippi,
County of Adams

From Jno W. Young
Address Natchez
Dated April 1st 1871
Received [gap]
Answered [gap]

Wishes the names and address of the Directors of the S. P. R R

encloses resolutions adopted by the committee appointed

JAMES L. ALCORN,
Governor.

H. F. HEWSON,
Private Secretary.