The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-09-05
OPELOUsAs THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Owing to the vieissitudes and the
mortality of a generation of years, not
many are left to tell us what Opelousas
was thirty years ago. Time has
however spared a few who were then
engaged in the busy scenes of life; and
from them we have learned enough, to
furnish some Retrospective details.
The population of the parish was
then about one third of what it is now.
This population was fixed and stable;
and very few strangers ever obtruded
themselves upon our quietude, except
on certain occasions, in the town of
Opelousas. The planters were pros
porous and happy, lived s~umptuously,
entertained with cordial hospitality
How far have we improved9 How far
have we refrigerated?
We had then no railroads or tele-
graphs. Observation-Disclosures brought
us intelligence from the northern and
Atlantic cities in about fifteen days.
Our letters came without envelopes
which is a modern invention) costing
us twenty-five cents a single sheet.
Our newspapers were Weeklies, nswer
ing The purposes of our present Dailies
and Magazines. The old O~Delousas
Gazette, filled with immense woodcuts,
was our great vehicle of intelligence,
containing generally some three or four
columns Of reading matter. One col
nlnn was devoted to foreign news,
fled with such startling captions as
these. "NeWs by Express.n Thirty
days later from Liverpool -Four
months later by the overland route from
lndia.a These were some of the draw
backs ofthat period. H we have i'm
WroYedithas been because the world has
advanced, and in spite Of ourselves, we
have been carried along with the cur
rent.
iii other respects, the Ope1ousas Of
thirty years ago was more desirable
tllanit is now. Though there were not
so many houses in the town, they were
heater, fresher, and generally nicely
painted. The fences wereWhite-washed.
The streets were kept in order, and
some respect was paid to the leading
sidewalks. Living was comparatively
cheap. Corn was worth from 25 to 30
cents q buslel. Firewood sold at two
dollars and d half d cord. The finest
beef could be procured in tile market
at ) cents q pound, and the best French
bakers sold bread ats eents d loaf. Ven
ison and game could always be had for
special purposes on orders previously
given. There were two excellent Ho-
tells and q fine French Restaurant. Wis
itors To the town never failed to find
convenient accommodations. Merean-
hle houses and shops were not SO
numerous as now; but there were large
establishments of weI-assorted mer-
chandize, which could be purchased on
acredib Of twelve months. There were
several well known money brokers
from whom loans could be made on
reasonable terms. Ample facilities
were also granted by two aoarishina
branch banks, lending on personal Sc.
cuflty OF mortgage, ate or Z per cent
interest payable i'm five years, in annual
eurtailments Of one fifth, with the III.
tHrest accrued. The business opera.
TONS of the parish were generally car.
RED 81 through these banks. There
Was also some enterprise id the matter
OF recreation and improvements. About
three milas south west of the town. Of
smooth elevation III the open prairie
there was h of tho finest race-traekl
III the Southern States. It was well en-.
closed and preserved, and iii the mias
Of II arose large and lofty shady stand
for the numerous spectators who tool
md interest lii the turf. During lii.
week of the races, thirty years ago, Til,
toaan was crowded with gay and wealth,
visitors from the adjoining parishes
and Invent merry asa marriage bell.
We might add more. But We harj
said enough to show the difference be
tween now and then. Have we i'm
proysdq Have re retrogradedq