The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-07-23
Cotton Factories,
AreaArALAYA, July 18th, Isl

frugal ana INDUSTRIOUS planter OF IafIae
Before the war all the nett proceeds, an
in many instances, all of the credit
planters, was exhausted in purchasin
negroes to make more cotton or sugar, a
the case might be, Or perhaps to buy NOR
land to addto bis already extensive domain
and thus all the available capital of til
country was swallowed up: and instead c
.being the richest as we should have Beer
we were actually the poorest people i
lapailable resources in c~hristendom :; fn
when the day of trial came, our. wvalt
proved to be like the apples of Sodon, dus
and ashes. But now the case is quite dt
ferent, all old settlers have land s~ufficen
for their own use, and c'en to spare nev
settlers q, home and all our most profitabl
railroad. routes are granted to Northern
capitalists, who are farseeing and far,reacfl
ing enough to. secure a monopoly of all on
mostproftable Investments. And they ar
not content with securing the monopoly
merely, but they secure all the State, Par
ish and city aid they can as a 6oaus Or gra
tuity; and it will be found that these fran
chises, privileges and donations will, in th'
end, be sufficient to build the roads : aat
that they are making a large profit OF
Southern credit properly manipulated, with
out expanding a dollar of Northern capital
except Tor champagne dinners for the pur
pose of producing a glamour on the visua'
organs Of our sage legislators. 7 have nc
objection to Northern capitalists building
our railroads, if they will. do it with their
own capital and credit ) but L do protest
against their doing so on Southern credit
and deriving all the profits OF it. Let US
then devote our surplus capital to- building
up manufactures for the purpose Of fitting
our for market; for it is essentially as
much a part Of the process as ginning is,
which is merely the initial step. Before
the invention, Of the gin by Whitney, all
the cotton.shippedt to Europe was sent in the
seed. What would be the thought of such
a procedure at the present day? And yet
the day is not far distant when; our present
system will appear equally as absurd. 1t
is within the recollection of the writer, when
the cotton of South Carolina and Georgia,
two of the Oldest cotton growing States in
the Union, was packed in round cotton bags
and pressed in by the feet of the operator.
Let every planter and farmer then, who
has the interest Of himself or his country
in view, invest every dollar Of his surplus
If it is but enc hundred dollars an
This sunr will in the aggregate be
sufficient to build a factory in every cotton
parish in this State. And in a few
years capital will flow like a golden stream
,o,our shores population will increase !, ev-
Try branch Of industry will flourish real
will advance in value; schools, col
eyes and churches will bestud like jewels.
he crown of our glory aud our country
with prosperity will rise to her
rue position in the niche Of our national
A few words in regard to the advantages
md eligibility Of a site on the Atchafalaya,
md [ have done.
First. It is accessible both by river and
or viii be when the latter is com
'leted, from all parts of the country. It is
the Galfand as accessible to the
argest class of steamers as New Orleans.
)uring the business season there is a line
I steamers running from Louisville to Bra
hear City, The regular New Orleans and
,pelousas steamers pass each twice a week,
nd the regular Big Cane packet makes
trips o week to connect with. these.
nd in due time we will have the Vicks-
urg, Baton Rouge and Shreveport Railroad,
,hich will connect with the Southern Pa
ifc Railroad at Marshall, Texas. Thus
wing us the choice of river or railroad
'ansportation to any part Of the country.
Second. There is an ample supply o
mber for building purposes, and an mex
austible supply of ash for fael. Suitable
ill can be found for making brick. The
I'll is also well adapted to raising every
ind of garden vegetables, both for summer
ID winter use, and being a light rich allu-
al ran,,;rps n~rrusanrra
Third. There Being no spring or well
alter compels the necessity Of eistern wa
+ for family purposes, which is the purest
id healthiest water in any country.
Fourth. The healthfulness of the location
ear the bank of the river is unsurpassed
any part Of the South. The writer Of
lis has resided and practiced medicine for
lirty-seyell years in every State from Ten.
sssee to Texas, on upland and bottom
nd, and he afirms that there is less sick
sss. and less fatality attending the cases
lat do occur, than in any place he has ev-
lived. There may have been, and no
,ubt was, more sickness when the coun.
Y was first settling, and the land being
cared, but at presentit enjoys ar esemp.
from diseases that is remarkable. Eel
lev were as exempt from taxation as they !
Q from doctors bills, the people would be
ell off. will venture to affirm that there !
not a family which owns real estate on
. left bank Of the Atchafalaya, from the ,
of the G~eustableaa to simmsport, {
no has paid as much in three years for
bills as they have IN one year for )
xes. In fact, there is no practicing ply !,
10 that scope. nor could q make a 4
pport at il alone.
The temperature is moderated BY the !