Democratic banner., 1847-06-14
LOUISIANA.

men:s, then we can safely congratulate
Louisiana on its prosperity. Forthis, how
ever. we do not praise the inhabitants. II
has been forced upon them. The salubri,
Gus location of the place, free from the
swamps of the snye-island, so fertile in en-
gendering disease to other river-towns in
its vicinity, gives it a vast advantage in
point of health to the residents. On the
Missouri shore, it is equally fortunate, be-
ing entirely free from those miasmatic maya
zines, which almost monthly send down
their unhealthy deposits of slime, and mud,
and decaying, fostering, vegetable matter,
which emits disease sufficient to infect a
whole district.
Joined to the above causes, the natural
beauty of the location has induced many.
and will induce others to make this place
their home. But we do not point to any or
all of these circumstances, as being the eff
cient cause of its success. Its peculiar
situation upon the Mississippi river, being
the natural shipping point for the trade of
a scope of country that embraces, in a fun
mel shape, almost the whole of four coun-
ties, and a considerable portion of five more,
is the real cause of its business and its
prosperity. Guarded upon the North by
Salt river, and upon the Southeast by a
broken country, that in a name prohibits
transportations elsewhere, nature herself
has made this Town the market for this re-
gion. Here we might lay down our pen,
having done our duty as a journalist in tru-
ly noticing the Town. But another duty
presents itself, an obligation that we owe
to community in general.-it is faithfully
to notice the roads and their condition.
And in connection with the notice of the
roads, we would ask this community what
they have done towards bringing the roads
to their present bad condition? what to-
wards repairing them? what towards extend
ing them? what towards connecting Louis
lana with Illinois, by a good bridge across
the Snye, so that the road leading into the
interior of Illinois may be advantageously
connected with the Louisiana Ferry.2 What
have they done towards the success of the
Ferry itself? As we said, prosperity has
been forced upon this community.
A casual observer, noticing the advanta-
geous position of the place, both as respects
Illinois and Missouri, would naturally sup
pose that the roads leading to and from La.
would be in excellent condition: that citi-
zens Of the county had connected the roads
leading from it, with good roads to the pin
cipal towns in the counties, whose shipping
interests were connected with louisiana:
that the Ferry at least would be SO arranged
as to induce the trade of portions of Hi
nois to centre in La. that as the route lead
ing to La. from Springfield has the best
portion Of that State to run through for a
considerable distance, that a road leading
from Springfield to Jefferson City would at
leas: be talked of. He would be mistaken.
But he could not fail to remark that the ia
cilities for making the roads leading to and
from the Ferry are vastly greater than those
at any place between St. Louis and La
Grange. If he knew the route from Spring
field to Jefferson City, he would see that a
road connecting those points via La. could
be made cheaper than at any other point
And if he were to travel those roads he
would find them in a bad condition. He
might be told that La. had between six and
seven hundred inhabitants; that families|
were compelled to board through the search
ty Of houses; that more mechanics could
find employment in various branches; that
the town carried on a considerable trade
with the interior; a large shipping business
besides, and was in fact in a prosperous and
fourishing condition. To which lie would
fail to reply that this was all true. But,
that, had the citizens of Pike done onlyI
half their duty, that this town, with its To-
and facilities for trade and shipping,
of numbering some seven hundred,
would have numbered as many more than