The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1870-04-16
New Iberia Commercial
Center,

Heretofore, we have written
constantly of the advantages the
Attakapas country offers the ag
riculturist, but have said very
little about the inducements that
are offered commercial men to
locate among us. Since the pros
perity of all countries depends al
most entirely upon agriculture,
we have devoted ourselves to fOs-
tering and promoting this interest;
but as vast numbers, who are un-
acquainted with agricultu, or un
fitted for its pursuit, drsire to To-
cate in the South, if they have
any assurance of success in trade
or mechanics, we have concluded
to speak particularly of New
Iberia as commercial point.
Situated upon Bayou Teche,
only about sixty-fve miles from
Berwick's Bay, the present termi
nus of Mr.. Morgan's railroad, we
have good navigation the year
round and daily communication
with New Orleans. AS there is
a large bend in the bayou, just
above here, there is the terminus
Of the daily line of steamers, and
will be until navigation is imprOv-
eddy deepening the channel above.
And although Vermillion Bayou,
about twenty miles west, running
parallel with the Teche, and emp
ting into the Gulf, is also naviga-
BILE, it needs Improvements, also,
and for a long time to come, as
for many years past, New Iberia
will have the trade of the entire
country fifty miles west and north
west of us, together with the
wealthy region on our bayou be
low; between here and Grand
Lake, on the northeast, distance
of ten miles; and the very pro
ductiye region above, on the bend
Of the bayou, including upwards
of fifty miles of bayou front, which
is being rapidly settled by. a
thrifty class of planters. Through
out this vast area, there is no
waste land, but much is already
improved, and the balance is at.
tracing the attention of emf
grants, so that in a few short
years this whole Attakapas coun-
try will be as thickly populated as
any portion of the great West,
and much more wealthy, for sugar
culture produces at least five
fines as much per acre as any
lands north of Louisiana.
With such a rich country to
support it, New Iberia is destined
to become. great manufacturing
and commercial center, as we will
have all the. materials at hand
TO work on, and not be obliged to
send absoad for them, as does
New England. Now that the
healthfulness of orr climate has
become known, capitalists will
soon see'the advantage of manu-
featuring here, and factories will
surely follow the present tide of
emigration into our country. We
are the more hopeful of this, be-
cause cotton factories have already
been established in many other
portions of the South, paying well
and our country is so productive
that it will Soon need many facto-
rles and sugar refneries.
New Iberia is comparatively a
young town, but to give strangers
an idea of the place, we will emu
merate the number of business
houses, SO faras we can remember,
sitting in our Office, as follows:
Thirty three dry goods, grocery
and general country stores; three
drug stores; three livery stables;
three saw mills, three brick yards;
six shoe shops; six harness shops;
six harness shops; seven saloons;
one restaurant; two millinery
stores; three jewelry stores; one
confectioner; two weekly newspa-
pers, one photograph gallery; two
real estate agents; three dentists;
six practicing physicians; one fire
insurance agency; one life insur-
ance agency; six lawyers; two
hotels; two blacksmith shops; one
cabinet maker; about a dozen car
penters, painters and masons,
while we need at least one hun,
dred; two tailors; six bakeries; two
barber shops; a lodge each of Ma
sons and Odd Fellows; five church,
es-Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist.
colored Baptist and eolored Meth.
odist; two tin shops; three ware
houses; one market house, with
four butcher and two vegetable
stands, always occnnied. ai0ht or