The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1871-12-07
From Louisiana.
BAYOU GorLA, Nny. %.

A'NA'c NA'tbh, 4NONs 1914.
Dear Post-Don't imagine for mo-
mcnt that you are forgotten, and judge
too harshly our long absence from your
columns, for we were thinking that may
be the reverse Of the proposition might
be more agreeable to yon and your
readers. Iou shall be thought of at
! pay day any way-besides once week.
We are greatly reioiced to see that
good men have at last possession ofyour
State, and trust that the blightin@ iniiu-
ence cast upon her fair name will be
wiped away, while in its stead will be
raised the star of hope, confidence and
integrity. Old Virginia has redeemed
, herself, and will soon retrieve the past
and regain her position as the mother of
States and Statesmen. Mississippi fail
ed to achieve victory, except in large
Conservative gain, taking some twenty
three counties from the Radicals. By
the Presidential election we think she
will wheel into the line where she be-
longs Louisiana is a poor, down-trod-
den. misgovcrned State: she needs svm-
pathy BY the Constitution her debt
was limited to twenty-five million dol
lars. Aud how long was it in reaching
that amount? In two sessions of the
Legislature, In the face of the limit
they shinnied through a bill to aid the
NJ, n. o. a. Texas Railroad. &C., which
has swelled the Indebtedness to upwards
of forty millions. And now the Rail-
p road is about to suspend operations ow-
: ing to difficulty in negotiating the
Bonds. What is the result OF this thiev-
ing game that has been going on with
: ont check: Why this: that now when
money is needed 10 rebuild our lcvees
and protect The richest and most pro-
| ductivc lands in the valley from nuu-
T. ddtiOn. the StGtc cannot advance us one
, cent. Not only have we been forced to
pay road and lcyee taxes, but now We
must work our owa roads and build our
own levecs. The river has been very
low ali the summer and fall, which has
{ caused much caving, and unless some
-, thing is done we will surely be at the
G mercy OF the waters the cospiAg spr;lg.
: Tie corn crop is u poor one, and ma
e ny will have TO commence buying early.
: Cane has deceived Us also: the WELD is
!; not over one-half W hat we expected. in
this Parish the acreage is about 900
e pounds Of sugar per acre, while below
!, we hear Of 500 and GOO pounds as being
>. common. Last year it was double this
c average. Labor is high and hard to
q manage. But there is no finer country
- for working men. One man can work
n eight acres of cane, worth usually from
II slUO 90 $l5O pcv acre, besides five or six
D, acres Of corn. Cotton does rot do we'll
this low down, but still it is raised TO "A
y limited extent. From Baton Rouge up
Is is more OF cotton country, while from
IS there down is almost exclusively sugar,
l. rice and tobacco (the famous Pcriquc
!. tobacco,) Thousands upon thousands
10 of acres Of the finest land in the world
,e are laying idle for the want Of labor.
III We are now in the midst of sugar
-, making and everybody is astir night
,s and day; get up steam after midnight
sc sunday and blow out Saturday night
lc only allow six hours sleep in twenty
four, but pay double wages. This only
lasts tor y couple OF months in the year
r. and then not continuously, as some,
Ia times we get out of cane and then turn
ey all hands into the field, cutting and haul
ne ing only in daylight. The weather ha,
- been very Ni!d this fall and scarcel.
ke frost enough as yet to iujuro the tender
Ill est plants. GRIP.
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