Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-09-08
OUR TOWN..ITS BUSINESS.

temporarily, We certainly cannot do a more &C.
ceptable service than inditiug an article erela-
tive to Cur town and its business citizens.
When one is living abroad, at some distant
point from his old place of residence, every
name mentioned or accident however trifing
has a peculiar interest. How much more in~
teresting, then, must it be to hear in what man
ner our tow has changed, whether it has lm~
proved, and if our old citizens are still at their
usual business, and what strange names have
come to live amongst Us. .sst-t
For the last seven years, there have been ma
ny changes in Plaquemine for the better. Its
population has greatly increased; there have
arisen in that time, perhaps double the num-
Der of buildings, and probably its business, OF
every description, has been equally prosperous.
Bank street is now the principal business
t%horougafare, on which there are many fine
brick stores yet, Main street may be said to be
equally prosperous, and both have grown out OF
all recollection of what they were few years
back.
Our suberbs, Jefferson, Trinity and Dutton-
vile. have grown more rapidly than the town
proper. They are now dotted all over with
handsome white cottages; and town lots in that
direction have increased in value more than
four fold within seven years. Being hemmed
in by a plantation on one sids and the Bayou
on the other, it is only in the rear that our
town can grow, which accounts in a measure
for the rapid growth Of our suberbs. The
town actual is about a mile in length and half
| a mile in breadth.
Commencing with our mercantile houses
| of which there are now seven or eight, instead
| of three or four as in 1S4S-RoTH BROTHERS,
on the corner of Main and Bank streets, has
! the honor of being the oldest firm. They oc-
cupy a two story brick building, consisting of
| two large rooms, above and below, in which
| is divided their splendid stock the store was
| built by NJ. ScHLArRE, ST., and from him pur>
chased by the present proprietors; it is slate
rooted and may be termed fre-proof. The
brothers RoTH, we believe, are natives of the
parish. They commenced here their present
business when quite young, probably some
fifteen years since, if not longer; and have
gradually but surely been growing in strength
and Importance as merchants, until they can
now show an establishment, of dry goods,
hardware, &C., equal, without. doubt, to the
largest in the State out Of New Orleans. By
their attention to business, their energy, indus.
try and high integrity, they have the proud sat>
~isfaction Of knowing that they possess the un-
bounded confidence of their fellow citizens at
home, and the confidence also of brother mer.
chants abroad-an honor which should be the
grand aim of all who follow mercantile pur-
suits-and as a matter Of course, they have
reaped their just reward in a pecuniary manner
for their high and honorable conduct as men
and merchants, and which must ever result to
young men starting ont poor, and with the de-
Termination to be just, diligent md upright in
all the affairs of life connected with or apart
from their vocation.
The establishment of HART, AUSTIN & Co.,
on the corner of Bank and PIaquemine streets,
is one of about equal size and importance as
the foregoing; it has the addition, however, of
a grocery store connected with it. The estab.
lishment occupies three large. rooms on the
basement and two rooms above. It commenc>
ed under the firm of BissELL, AUSTIN e. Co.,
about five years since /; the present firm is, we
believe, in its third year. The FIRST named part,
ner 10 an old citizen OF our town, a carpenter
by trade, and for many years a master builder,
not only experimenting, but working vigor-
ously even up to the present day, on all houses
or other jobs which he contracts to build or
repair. Such a course, allied with temperance
and economy, could not fail Of its reward. He
has risen, step by step. into wealth and the res
pect of all who know him. He has ever been
characterized BY his industry and punctuality
in business, by high integrity and a quiet and
unassumipg demeanor. This is no unmerited
tribute ; we have never heard a whisper to the
discredit Of WIN. HART; and his name cannot
fail to give strength to any House with which
it is connected. He has but little to do with
the internal management Of the, concern, pre-
ferring, we imagine. to leave all that to his part
nsrs, who were "bred to the business J. W..
AUSTIN and J. McWnLrAMs are the other two
names Of this firm. The former is, perhaps,
properly speaking, the senior partner ; tho bulk
Of the business seems to DO on his shoulders /;
he makes all the purchases in the dry goods and
hardware department, and We believe, does the
bulk Of the collecting and attends to the mo.
ney matters generally. Tbs latter devotes his
Intention wholly to the grocery department
Both IF these gentlemen are from the land Of
STEADY habits which. blythe BY. has furnished
The South with some of her best citizens
koGA - - #Ia 49,. 4