New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-05-07
LOUISIANA m SLICES.
Parish OF Ascension.

Parish OF Ascension.
sUp the Coaa,- Bayou Lafo1che Donaldson
uiRe--Hs Merchants, Public Buildings. ctc.--
Hint TO Trduelers- Parish Of Ascension Its
Agriculture etc.-THe Hountds Graft--A Rdl.
road Ehte,prise--The Orops-Polisics.
NO. w.
From our Special Travelling Correspondent.I I.,3s
DosAIDsosvnaE Ascension psriss.l !
~ 5.5 April 30, 1850. ! 81
Ed Crescent--I have traced up the snaky wind
ings Of the great river which lays loose about the
country as If it was flung down in a random coil
from the hands Of the Architect Of the Universe,
until have made my grand entrte into the first
own which graces its banks above Jefferson City
being town proper, for 1t ia in
corporated. 1t is the parish seat Of Ascension, one
corner Of which uts to the right bank Of the
river /; the great body of the parish being on the
east, and running back eastward to Lake Maure
pas and the Amite River. On the western cor
ner stands Donaldsonville just at the point where
the river throws of one Of the upper mouths Of its
vast delta-the great Bayou Lafourche, which
leaving the river ct this place, takes its to
the Gulf by navigable channel Of q hundred and
thirty or forty miles to the Gulf Shore in the parish
of Terrebonne-its banks lined, for distance of
seventy miles below Donaldsonyille, with the finest
plantations Of the fertile section through which II
passes. It is crossed here by well constructed
draw-bridge, which lets the steamers out and in,
and the road travellers over.
Donaldsonvle is well-built town of about two
thousand Inhabitants. 1t is laid out with right
angular regularity, and the streets are very pleas
ant, handsome residences being not unfrequent
upon them, and handsome trees everywhere snug
and cosy dwellings, nesting amid flowers and fo-
liage, in way quite Intoxicating to the fancy Of
base denizen of brick. and -mortardoln, affected
with the countryphobia which attacks most city
residents about once year in the same season
that dogs have the hydrophobia. The population
Of Donaldsonvile is almost exclusively Creole,
there being but small proportionate infusion of
the Anglo American breed of bipeds.
1t is an exceedingly quiet place, and but few Of
its people appear to be engaged in any business or
occupation, but live along in quiet. uncaring and
seemingly comfortable way, very aggravating and
very mysterious to the sort of persons who are
always pulling with all their might and main to
make both ends meet and never succeed in bring
ing the perplexing termini quite to satisfactory
junction. The principal business Of the town is
done by N. Maurin, J. r. Fayette and j. Gourdan,
wholesale and retail grocers and dealers in planta-
ton supplies; A. N. Templet, schender & Landry
and B. Mollere general merchandise ; and L. Lion,
Murx & Ellie, L. Kahn and s. Stcrne, dry goods.
There are number of small shops, and full as
sortment of bar-rooms, from the large concerns
which retail at dime drink to the small ones
which wholesale at picayune a dose. thus '.doing
for'' unwary, reckless or suiciday disposed fat
boatmen on theteasiest terms.
structed wharf, the first this side Of New Orleans
on the right bank, and boasts two hotels-Jarry' Is
House, a quiet, well.conducted establishment and
the Planters Hotel, roaring concern if there
ever was was one, with q popular five cent bar, q
popular cockpit in the yard and popular rush Of
all sorts Of populace playing z kino niall day San
day in the bar-room, cock-fght coming off in the
pit at stated intervals Of one hour from morn till
night. There is spacious and handsomely built
market house in the town, two churches and an
institution conducted school by the Sisters ol
Charity, Sister Clara, Directress. The Catholic
Church is large brick building, with two massive
but low towers hanking the front Its interior as
pect, with its vaulted roof heavy pillars and deep
chancel, is rather impressive. Rev. Mr.. Andrew is
the presiding minister. The Protestant Episcopal
Church has small congregation here, and ser
vices are conducted every alternate Sunday in q
small church edifice by Rev. Mr.. Phillips. There
is also an Israelitish congregation, which was in
corporated by q recent Legislature. An U. s. Sur
veyor.G Generals Office is located here.
The Court House building is handsome and mas
syc, and with the mention of the armory and drill
room buildings Of that ancient and excellent com
pany, the Cannoneers of Donaldsonville, we com
plete our list of the public buildings of the town
of which Octave Ferrio, Esq.,. is Mayor, and Mr.
Andrew Gingry, Postmaster, and most admirable
and estmable Postmaster he is
lie Drdpeau de e ascension is published here, il
French, by Mr.. Superveille; and there is another
paper In the parish-The Acadian-a lively sheet
done in English at New River, by Mr.. Philip Win
free. New River Post-ofiee is on the left bank Of
the river, eight miles above DonaldsonvilIe, and
ninety miles from New Orleans. The settlement
| there is a small hamlet. The other post-ofices o.
the parish are Live Oak, in tho country eight mei
east of New River and Tureaud, on the river bank
| and just ON the boundary line between Ascension
| and ST. James, seyenty-fye miles from the city
At New River there is a Presbyterian Church, un-
/ der the pastoral charge Of Rev. Mr.. Mckinney.
| Ascension is one of the largest sugar producing
parishes in the State, there being but three other.
which ordinarily make heavier crops. In the east
ern part of it lay nearly the whole Of the lands GOV
cred by the famous Hounas Land Grant, whic
several persons have heard considerable of befor
now. There are a large number of small farmer
| and poor settlers these lands, which are valua
BILE. The total area of Ascension parish is the es
tent of nearly 125 900 acres of which about So 90
are uncutivated, about 10000 in cane, 1000 il
/ corn, and 400 in cotton. The cotton culture is car
ried on on small scale by small planters, locate,
at distance from the river banks, who canno
/ afford to 60 into the heavier business of sugar
making. The communication of the residents {
the eastern part of the parish with New Orleans
frequently by way Of the lakes, across Lake Maur.
pas through Pass Mauchac, and into Pontchartrair
The assessed value of property in Ascension
nearly s9,000,00o, and it pays State tax of owe
/ $4,000, of which the mill tax for the support
4 public schools constitutes about one third
4 10000. There are eight school districts and twelv
public schools and about 1900 educable children il
the parish. The total population is between four
teen and fifteen thousand, of whom about sever
thousand are slaves. There are four sugar refner
les o large scale, on the plantations of Messrs
Kenner, Mccall, Hewitt and Nine Bringier; and
/ number Of the most magnificent sugar estates il
/ Louisiana are in this parish, chief among which
may be mentioned the great plantations OF Messrs