The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-18
PINE LANDS IN LOUISIANA,


ann and other Southern States. Mr.. HeiJer-
hoif displays such thorough familiarity with
The practical details Of the subjeet-matte 81
this letter that we ate surprised ut hia appn'
rent Ignorance Of most important fact IN
this connection, namely that the homestead
law " 1906. the fruitful source of the great
evils against which he invelghs, was repealed
by the last Congress. This subject Ia Ut great
interest al this moment, because of the con
troversy which Inns recently arisen between
The agents Of the United States government
and the log linen u Cnlcaseu parish, and we
cannot explain the matter better than by
reproducing The following portions of the
long letter referred to:
From Northwestern Texas n belt of yellow
pine forest extends through Louisiana, South
Mississippi, South Alabama and North Elpr-
d. that can supply The requirements Of the
world for ages to come. The soil Of this I'm
mense forest Ia too poor and light for profit
able cultivation, but may, IN the course OF
time, he utilized for walks, and for this
purpose II cannot be surpassed by any ooun-
try In the world
before. the late war, when land could be
bought for III ~ per acre. settlements IN the
plney woods were few and far between, and
when, after the war, II was decided 10 tliseon
tlnue the sale " all public domain In the Gulf
States, but 10 give lts broad acres away to
actual SETTLERS, the tremendous rush for
".homesieada." that was confidently looked
for, was not forthcoming. True, u large Mum
ber. Of claims were entered ~ 1867 and 1863
under the "homestead net but when tho
poor quality Of the land became known
among the intending settlers. very few VI the
elaine, were actually taken IN hand and I'm
proved.
Farming IL seldom thought Of after the first
year, and the i,lnin II moi The only depend
enee Ia longing Tor The saw MILLS. True,
there iuhy be some few exceptions. but I
am certain that the officials at the different
land Offices will bear me out III saying That
nine tehtbs Of the entries were made for the
purpose Of lhgaliSlng the quitting Of all trees
UT for aaw-logs by PARTIES acting In the III
terest uf SAW mills, and that when this object
was accomplished tho entry was allowed to
lapse.
Some two years ago the department Mt
Washington found out the abuses committed
under the color Of homestead entries and
gave strict orders that no homestead settler
should be- allowed to cut o single tree on his
land Tint was not actually used In The con
atr1etton Of bis homestead, and this tegula-
zion has IN a few Instances been enforced with
such severity that 1t has well nigh put com
plete stop to the whole business OF settling.
The homestead law was intended to benefit
the poor tnnil, The man who has not money
enough to buy farm at private sale In some
eligible loeality Imagine this poor. man,
whose earthly riches consist Of a wife and
some children, n rifle, an axe. u spade and hoe,
some cooking utensils and few sweet pota-
toes for seed. locating IN the midst Of ali TIM
broken pine forest 81, bis homestead claim NJ
eighty or ono hundred aud sixty acres. and
erecting with Infinite toll and bitter ptivn-
tioDs, d rough log cabin where those depend
Ing on him can find at least shelter from the
pelting rain aud blazing Gun.
Meanwhile his wife, his tt,isty helpmate,
has been epading M a little patch Of ground
near the cabin, and planted the few seeds that
hard life. but they look forward with hopes
tu tho future. They look forward 10 the time
when they can have ten or twenty acre field
enclosed and cultivated; a flock Of sheep and
10 their fatm from the land Office In their
pocket, All this, they sny, can be done in
about five years l3ut to make this possible,
he must find some immediate means Of lv-
ing, some way Of getting meat and corn adj
vanced TO him, until he can make hls first
crop uf potatoes, and that help he can only
got nj Tho nearest sawmill.
Ita owner on his merchant IN the nearest
town is willing 10 give him Hour, bacon, eof
Foe, salt, calico and shoes for those fine yell
low pine logs that stand on his homestead.
and chat cucumber the very ground where he
wants to locate his future field He is but too
happy 10 make the bargain, aud with lusty
arm lay low the mighty .monarcls Of tho for
eat. 80 that they may be hauled by the patient
steer TO the nearest landing, and hence RATED
to the neighboring mill, where they will be
cut into those precious boards that the good
folks IN far4ofr Brazil. Mexico, Cuba and Hon
duras must have. But, 10 and behold At
this very moment, the critical and alf-mport-
ant moment for our settler. the benecent
arm of unclo Sam Ia stretched between him
and happiness, and he Ia told:
Touch but u single tree on your farm. OK
cept the few small logs you need to build your
cabin, with, and to iail you ~ for ak
months This Ia no fancy sketch.
But pardon me- Mr.. Editor. If seem to
wander from my subject. wished to speak
Of tho Calcasieu troubles and point out that
that hugo fraud, the homestead act, is the
Louisiana could DO purchased FOR n dollar
and n quarter per acre, M they were before
the war, a splendid business In lumber and
square timber would grow UP around Lake
Charles and the Calcasieu river. which would
lend to large influx of population. and the
Of acres. A rigid enforcement OF
the ill-advised homestead law will ruin that
country. as well as the lumber settlements on
Pearl and Paseagonla rivers, on the Perdido,
and farther east, Tor every mill on all these
streams would have to close and shut up II
their supply OF logs were to be restricted
hereafter to those cut on private lands only.
A large portion of our merchant marine
would become Idle ana useless, foreign ton
mayo ard the money they leave here would
be driven away, and desolation and distress
would prevail where peace and plenty ought
TO reign.
Tho above cmbodios n truo and graphic
statement of the hardships resulting from
the strict enforcement of tho act of Congress
of June 81. 1866. That act, the offspring of IA
sentimental and quixotic sentiment on tho
part of tho Republican leaders of the North,
provided that the disposal Of the public lands
in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas
and Florida should be restricted to homestead
settlements. Tho idea which prompted tho
of this law was that the colorcd peo-
pie of those States would thereby DO induced
to sottle in the country and benefit both them
selves and tho States by entering upon and
cultivating tho land thus gratuitously offered
to them. But so far from this idea having
been realized, these colorcd people have
shown themselves to be too thriftless
to avail themselves of this bounty OF
Al md tbo nj, ia,j