New Orleans daily crescent., 1859-11-17
TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENCE,

/ TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENTS,
distorted abo,a slsseepo,t taa,acte' ete Place
- Fdst People Eabits and Fdiiings ot Me lo,tn-
i tn sSe,n-srhee9 Us. SidcSschea Steamboats,
i sinsurunce Refused on The Former Argument
and Cbnclasion- Land and Niggers Speculd-
aation ii Both .Mo,utiy Of Sh',ecepo,f-- Repre-
4 heasible Conduct The Press and its Representa-
toes Railroads, etc., ETC.
Special 10 Tho Now Orleans cresccnt.l
| SHREVEPORT. Nov. Z, 1859.
| Ed Crescent: This place, which is situated on
the right bank Of Red river, was located about 20
years ago, at which time it was called the Bluffs.
Subsequently gentleman named Shreye bought
property here, and pushed the town so rapidly
that it complimented him by assuming his name,
and thus became Shreveport. 1t has the adyan-
tage Of an elevated site, connecting with rich
back country by a ridge, which relieves travel Of
the swamp which borders Red river from its mouth
to its source. The town is populated by three or
four thousand people, and is the thriftiest place in
the State outside of New Orleans. The buildings
are generally well put up, and the business houses
are Of brick. The trade Of the town is in the hands
Of q tolcrably enterprising people, and is con-
Quoted on liberal principles, considering that it is
|
all done on credit.
There is q great deal Of wealth in this parish,
in the shape Of niggers and cotton crops, but
Fam not persuaded that it is as properly used
as it should be- for the parish lacks all facilities
necessary to place it in immediate connection
with the outside world. The planters seem to
be taken up with the idea that raising cotton is
the only source of profit, and, therefore, they
nd cfa
themselves with allowing their money to rest
idle in the hands Of their New Orleans merchants
instead Of investing it in home improvements 1t is
. matter Of boast with planters that they have no
money about their houses, but all their expendi-
lures are met by drafts on their commission mer-
chants, as though it was creditable to have some
body to take care Of their money for them. Cash
s scarce too and interest high, and yet these men,
who boast Of the independence afforded by farm
er's life, are forced occasionally to pay interest
on their own money, because, when they have
use for few thousand dollars, they have to pay
15 per cent. until they can obtain remittance
from New Orleans. Moreover, q farmer here buys
his stores from Shreveport credit Of six or ten
months, at q considerable advance in cash prices,
large q fund he has in his merchants hands,
The present condition Of the river at this place
is great drawback, and, as if to aggrayate the
matter, the insurance companies have declined
taking risks upon stern-wheel boats which are the
only suitable craft for this stream. ] have not
been able to ascertain the argument which leads
to this conclusion on the part of the under writer's
for most assuredly the losses have been less that
character of boats than on the side-wheel steam
ers. admit that appearances are against stern
wheel boats, and that / much prefer to travel on
the other kind but it is unaccountable, that just
when propellers are coming into favor on the sea,
and just when stern-wheel boats, or propeers, are
needed on the rivers, and when some very excel
lent ones are just out, they should be outlawed
by the New Orleans insurance companies. This
sudden and unexpected result has created quite a
panic here; for there but few side-wheel boats
on the river, and it is impossible to send cotton to
market without some means Of river transporta.
ton In my opinion, there is great inconsistency
in the movement; for welmanaged stern-wheel
boat is just as safe as any other kind of boat,
while, at the same time, it certainly has the ad-
vantage in draught and adaptability to narrow
However, the main sufferer in the long
run must be the New Orleans under writer, for it
is an easy matter to effect insurance in Cincinnati,
st. Louis and Memphis; and while this can be done.
stern-wheel boats will continue to do the principal
part of the freghting business the river in low
water. The principal inconvenience results just
now, and falls most heavily on the farmer.
The peculiar idiosyncraces Of these people are
niggers and land Everybody talks about these
two subjects. occasionally varying the subject mat
ter SO as to include cotton, horses and corn Likely
negro field hands command ready sale, at from
sn0 tn IN Rad rivar and gonna arar m |
higher than these figures. The demand too, is ex-
tensive; for the produce Of good field hand, for |
three years, on Red river, will pay for him. From
ten to twenty-five bales of cotton to hand is the
yearly YIELD and but few fall short of eighteen
bales which, at ten cents per pound nets 5000 per
year. The rise in lands on this river has been and
continues to be- most extravagant, notwithstanding
its reputation for sickness and overfows. Places |
which sold two years ago at seventeen dollars per |
acre, now command forty and fifty dollars, and |
last week a farm sold on the river at seventy-fve
dollars per acre. In my steamboat travel the sole
topic of general conversation seemed to consist in
land for everybody on the steamer, and wherever
landed, ran upon the subject of Red river land.
Men from Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi |
and everywhere else, seemed bent on purchasing
soil on that stream; and you may rest assured, the
banks Of the river white with the dropping cotton
stalks bent down under their bounteous loads, did
not discourage the spirit of speculation.
The Vicksburg and Shreveport railroad is most
encouragingly talked of, and there is but little
doubt that next fall Caddo parish will be inde-
pendent Of steamboat and river insurance. Fifty
miles have been perfected out of ycksburg and
laborers are now actively engaged on the other
sections. 1t is also being prosecuted with energy
towards Marshall, Texas, and next year will wit
ness the final completion of that great link in the
Pacific road from the Mississippi
The Citizens Bank is erecting magnificent
building in this place for branch bank. 1t will
go into operation as soon the structure is fin
ished.
The theater is expected to open here in few
days with a very capable company.
The election excitement is all the talk to-day,
The principal interest centers in the election for
Sheriff, nobody seeming to know or care who is
he next Governor There is no doubt but that
he present Democratic organization is a dead
,ock in the pitt so far as Northern Louisiana is
concerned, for the people are awake to the fact
That they are being used in the matter; and
think the easiest way to disgust good man is to
show him that he is not honestly dealt with.
WANTS OLD Brown HuNG.-Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, who snperintended the rifle meeting in