New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-13
ca1 Orleans Daily Gfrstent
rnInAY MoRNINa. JulY Is. l8eo.
IFrem tho Touma trerrelouno PARISH Clnara.l

Hippi and there are many evidences that ALL or
nearly all the bayous In this parish were at one
time connected together. The Bayou Black can
BE traced, even now to within few steps of the
gerfe bonnie. at point some two or three miles
sronl Ihiaodaux; the Chacahoula was, evidently, a
cut Cd y of the Black, running across the eoun-
try from q point near the head Of the Black and
eanptying into the same stream near Tiger7ille
the Bayou Dnlsrge begins in the Bayou Black at 8
point about two miles below Houma; the Little
Eail9u still continues to run out of the Terre-
bonne, at about three miles below Houma, and
there appears little doubt that the Grand Gallon,
our present subject, originally headed Gin the Ter
Eehdnne, near Hounla. Atpreseat it is continued
into she PeTrebonpe by common ditch at p9lht
about mile below the village, where we leave
Ehe IelrehonIle turning at right angie, ana taAe
the Grand Gaiilou road, which runs aiFost que
south, along the bank Of the bayou rms bayou
much resembles the Dnlarge and runs nearly par
ailel With it, at distance OF some ulEee or iout
miles. Both bayous are very smah near thelf
heads, being quite dry great pais q sne year
4hev become large and beautiful streams. The
Grand Gallon is naygable for steamboats,, steam
ships and schoeners to within eighteen miles Of
2aouma. a
Gallon and Dalarge, in that they are about the
same size run nearly IN the same direction, and
both empty into the Gulf near the west end of
Last Island, yet there is a great contrast in the
scenery along their banks. On the Dularge we
see q great many small farms /; the houses are al
most within speaking distance of each other, and
&AHre are scarcely any negroes, except on the Two
places near its head-Mr. Gonnelly'S and the Davis
estate. On the Grand Gallon the plantations are
generally of immense extent, and many OF the ne
groes still remain, and are now working for their
4crRler masters.
We no sooner leave the lands Of the TerreboDne
than we pass through one of Mr. r. R. Barrow's
plantations, which is now leased by our neighbor,
Mr. Bernard Myers, and is being successfully cul-
tivated in corn and cotton. AT about four miles
from Houma we approach the immense plantations
Of the Messrs. Gage, extending across from the
LATHE Gallon and down the Grand Gallon, both
sides including the Rancho, the residence of Gap
tain a. G.. Cages the Woodlawn, the old home
stead and Ashland, the residence of the Hon.
ID. s. Cage. These plantations are contiguous,
and extend about seven miles in length, o large
portion OF which was cultivated q mile width.
They were in high state of cultivation before the
war, producing annually over 1900 hhds sugar and
2090 hhls. molasses, and immense quantities of
corn and other produce for home consumption,
Some 500 Slaves were fed and clothed, although
less than half that number were effective hands
the majority being old negroes or children, who
spent most of their time basking in the summer
sun or sitting by the winter fire. Al sad change
hasta1en place since the g bureau " first laid its
whitening hand upon these prineeiy estates, The
H289 bids oil sugar rapidly dwindled Down, until
nGtseR0ugh was made on the whole three planta.5
tons to sweeten o cup Of coffee; and whed the
sMessFs Gage finally succeeded in recovering their
lands, they were almost one wide waste of weeds.
lriars and bushes. They are now being cultivated
5n Gnrn and cotton, with prospect of d fair crop
&i0ns and are said to be working quite as well as
free negroes generally work. But it will require
much time, labor and capital to bring these plan
cations back to anything like their former produc-
Siveness. Our up-c0untry people are said To be
golahead people at home; but here, everything
they touched went backwards
We next approach Mr.. Barrowis Gallon Grove
sDlaafatiHx on the left descending bank; audsCol.
J. B Robns0n's, on the right. The former of
these is an old plantation, and produced from zoo
TO 400 hhds. Of sugar year, butthe blessings Of
emancipation have annihilafed the sugar CROP
2hs year the place is leased by MIR. Chapman, 4
who, we learn, is likely to make a fair crop of
sr0rn and cotton. Col. Robinson's plantation at
she outbreak of the war was quite new place,
H0ut was being rapidly developed, and in 1860 it
produced some $50 hhds. Of sugar. We have only
90 say that it has passed through the bureau, and
Ita story ia told. The land is very fresh and mar
yVei0usly productive. The present crop Of corn
and cotton is said to be quite promising.
we next approach the plantation of Mr.. R. 3.
sHafler This is an old sugar plantation, extending
about two miles on both sides of the bayou. 1t
formerly produced from 400 to 500 hhds. year
hut like everything else that passed through the
Eareau, its course has been fearfnlly retrograde
u uving the closing years Of the war. At present,
Az, Butler has adopted the only practical plan of
gpltiYating large plantations with free labor-he
has leased IL ont to- industrious parties, in small
lots, for portion OF the crop. who have planted
sit in and cotton and have fair prospect for
crops Those planters who have 50 persistentiy |
struggled TO keep up their large plantations by |
hired labor, have, in most cases, lost immense |
sums and must eventually give it up and divide |
their lands to lessees as has been done for ages
past IN the old world.
on the left descending bank, and those of the Pre-
vost family on the opposite side. These are fresh
lands and were Just beginning to be remuneratiYe
when the war broke out. Mr.. Ellis, who had been |
previously planting cotton, had just built new |
sugarhouse and got his place well set in cane.
He went into the army his plantation went-into |
She bureau; and his cane went-0ut. This year he |
4
cotton The Provost places have always been
1Ianted il corn and cotton, and having escaped
The bureau, have been successfully cultivated dur
Ing the whole war.
fions-Mf. J. N. Pelton's on the left descending
hack and Measrs. Blanchard & Ranson's, and the
sQuitman plantation, on the right Messrs Blan-
. ohax5 * Ransom were improving their plantation
very fast when the war broke out and although
not large place, were making some two hundred
h0gsheads of sugar. Since the emancipation of
their slaves, they have mot done much In the way
of making crops. The Quitman plantation is an
old place, producing formerly from two hundred
"a three hundred h0gsheads Of sugar, of q very
excellent quality, 1t passed into the hands Of the
3buFean during the war, We happened to be
Tain vivid recollection of the whole affair There
was large amount of silver and other valuable
ware, and much valuable and costly clothing and
furHitare. Sometime, when we have space and
leisure, we may give our readers sketch of that
delicate proceeding. We understand the planta-
ten has been leased to Mr.. Pelton, who has it
planted in cotton and corn.
The Dulac plantation the residence Of Mr.. j.
H. Peltan, directly opposite Qnitmanis, extends
ffam Mr. ElIis's, down the Grand CailIou some six
miles. This plantation possesses some pecu-
iaEsties and Is, beyond doubt the most profitable
sugar plantation in the State. 1t requires neither
fences nor bitches, which saves q world Of labor
Hf ne remember correctly, Duiac has produced
as high as o0hogsheads of sugar year, from the
9hbor OF forty hands. We regret that our limited
space eompels US to leave much unsaid concerning
TIE peculiarities Of this very valuable and sngu-
Harly situated plantation. Most Of Mr.. Peltonss
negroes have remained at home, and are much less
sdemoralized than those on other plantations. They
eEork almost as well as in old times and seem to
be quite contented to continue under the same
gnles and regulations as of old. The crop looks
very promising this year and will probably reach
400 hogsheads ofsugar, with large quantity of
corn and other produce for home consumption.
q Passing on down the Grand Gallon, we find
quite settlement springing up of small farmers.
Alost o. these mem owing TO their peculiar lOca-
ton, were tempted to engage, more or less, in
blockade running during the war, butt seems that
after al they did not succeed in making their for
s9uncs This result, however, should be recon-
Hnendaton to them, for we cannot bot think that
with all the advantages they possessed If they had
been dishonest men they could have made much
4noney.
We have given our opinion g Free gratis, for
nothing, concerning the manners, customs and