New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-14
NEW ORLEANS, TUESDAY, APRIL Il 1874

~he, J.'DOyle, Alph. WalZ, Judges HaW
kins and Dibble, COloneIs Field, Fairta
and family, and DeKlyae and family, Dl
Hire, General L. Sewell, Major D. Urba
and family, and Jonas Pickles and wife, o
New Orleans.
Mr.. Anderson and family represented st
James parish, and Judge Morris Marks ap
peared tor Donaldsony,lle
Judge Flagg, Colonel f. B. Earhart, Maj
Morgans, and Messrs. Newman and Kelly
represented st. Charles parish.
The participants will certainly ever re
member this event as one of the most de
lightfu! episodes in their lives.
At distance Of about half mile from
the river the cultivation of rice appears
The land is divided off into squares, each
containing a given area. The cultivators
have the use OF as much as they can work
respectively. AS rule, a plot of about five
or six acres is taken by one man, the whole
being under the immediate direction and
control of wise old patriarch, who has
been clothed by Governor Hahn with great
powers Of arbitration. He is a sort of chief
among the people; settles their disputes,
assigns to each his little field, and carries on
very firm and equitable rule among the
people, with just hand and level head.
Occasionally there is an appeal to the Gov
ernor. who is the admitted tribunal of last
resort in Hahnville upon nearly all mat
ters, when the proceedings assume proper
degree Of solemnity. But there has never
been any protracted litigation, as there is
not so much of acquaintance with the books
among the people as there is of the "sense
they were born with" and the decisions
heretofore rendered, though not reported
and published, are deemed models of Justice
and fairness by the whole population.
About 300 acres have been planted with
rice. The river is high, promising abund-
ance OF water when the proper time comes
for the irrigation. For this purpose a
deep channel has been cut from the levee
to the rear. and is now securely closed by a
lock, which will be opened when the water
is wanted. We learn there are some old
and experienced rice growers on the place,
who know all about the mysteries of the
amphi5ious crop. The acreage is more
than four times greater than that of last
year, and the season is very promising As
the railroad from Donaldsonville to the city
runs across the rear of the place; and the
river in front of it, there is no want of
facilities for transportation.
In addition to the agricultural and natu-
raj advantages, the arts also flourish. The
carpenter and shoemaker have hung out
their signs, while the saddle and harness
maker occupies very conspicuous place.
The clear ring OF the blacksmith's anvil
may be heard by the busy baker as he pre-
pares his mish loaves for steady market.
Our old friend Ferd Earhart attends to the
notary and law business at reasonable rates,
while his accomplished wife, native of
New Orleans, looks after one of the most
delightful little homes it was ever the good
fortune Of deserving little lady to ask
friend to lay off her bonnet in.
We suspect our friend Hahn has, without
exactly intending it. established a little
barony in St. Charles, something after the
order of his old German ancestors on the
shores Of the classic Rhine. His authority
appears to be as unquestioned as though he
had castle full of dungeons to confne the
in, though the truth is, we
learn. that the worst punishment ne has ever
been known to infict upon any of his bur-
gesses was to refuse to speak to them for
length of time proportioned to the offense-
say from half an hour to half day. The
good people can't stand that, and SO they
behave. But however this may be, he has
succeeded in giving great number of peo-
DE happy little homes, and he rules them
very strictly and easily by the power of
kindness alone.
To Captain McElroy and his officers the
passengers are greatly indebted for every
e4uired attention. His manner of hand
ing steamboat proves him to be reliable
iver man, and the excursionists often men
ioned him in kind words.