The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-26
OUR GARDEN PARISHES.


Aeral features Is bounded: North, by the boz
der line of East Feliciana, running throug
townships 4 south. range and west and l.
and east; south by the Ibcrvlle river o
Manchac bayou; east by the Amite river an
west by the Mississippi.
Settled first by the French, as early as II
1922, 1t became part OF the Spanish colon,
OF West Florida soon after. Then coded for ,
short period, to Great Britain. 1t was recodec
In turn to Spain. meanwhile receiving within
its borders quito u number of British set
tiers, mainly Tory families. 1t became
moreover, the subject Of quite belicose con
tentions after this, between the British ant
Spanish colonial governments, but the scope
of this work will not admit Of our furtho,
study of those deeds, belonging more prop
erly to history.
The population were not content with Span
ish rule, at all events and In 1910 the inhab
ttants of Bayou Sara, In the northwestern
part of the province, resolved at once to throw
off the Spanish yoke; they formed In an or.
gained league and marched on the fort and
town Of Baton Rouge which promptly yield
ed to their forces.
The next step of the victory-enraptured in
surgents was to repenish their ranks with
volunteers from all parts Of the territory, and
rs soon as a tolerable army had been i'm
provised, to declare themselves free from al
tegidnce to SPAN, and ready, as we as anx-
fous, for their admission as an Independent
and sovereign State into the then nascent but
fair-promising republic Of the United States.
Since 1903, when Louisiana had been ceded
to the United States by France, great uncer-
tainty had existed in the minds of every one
as to whether or not the West Florida terri
tory had been included. Continuous negotia-
lions on the subject between Spain, France
and the United States had led to no clew, how
ever. and the population had Acted upon their
own Interpretation of the dilemma and re-
sorted to armed instruction.
James Madison, who was then President
sustained the demands OF the insurgents by
laying down the doctrine that: by the Louis
lana cession treaty Of 1908, West Florida, then
turned over to France, must necessarily be
considered rs part OF the territory ceded by
that country; and that while the occupations
of the territory claimed had not been
effected, yet it had never ceased being held as
part Of the Territory of Orleans, belonging to
the United States.
Neither TaIleyrand's previous evasiveness
on this subject. nor the then apparent re-
ticence on the part of the Spanish and French
governments could delude the American
President nor alter his doctrine, and he forth
with ordered Gov. Claiborne to take posses
sion of West Florida as being part of Orleans
Territory.
This decision was promptly followed by the
advent OF Gov. Claiborne in st. Francisville,
West Feliciana on the seventh day of Decem-
Der. 1910, when, In the name of the United
States, formal possession was taken OF West
Florida, Incorporated thereafter with the Ter
ritory Of Orleans.
The newly acquired province was bounded:
North by 80 north latitude, south by the
rivers Amite and IberviIe and by Lakes
Maurepas and Pontchartrain; east by Pearl
river, and west by the mississippi; the whole
extending over an area of 1850 square miles,
GfnV 1Ir.y ia t,I,<N
Baton Rouge, the Felcianas, st. Helena Liv-
ingston, Tangpahoa, Washington and st.
Iammany.
STATISTICS.
The parish of East Baton Rouge covers an
area of 500 square miles. or Of 100000 acres.
Its population Including 5000 inhabitants of
Baton Rouge city numbers IA, 500.
The division of lands, as near as can be as
certained, Is as follows:
Acres
Unimproved timbercd lands 100000
Tnimproved cleared lands. ...... $4,000
Unreclaimcd swamp lands, ............ 10000
STOCK.
There are in the parish
Horses and mules. ............,......... 1900
Neat cattle Observation-Disclosures. $500
Sheep Observation-Disclosures. ..............., 5000
Swine. Observation-Disclosures. 1000
CROPS.
crops raised in the parish amounts to
Sugar, hOgSheads Observation-Disclosures. $50
MolaSSeS, barrels. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1870
Cotton, bales. Observation-Disclosures. 5000
Cotton Tin seed, pounds ............. 100000
Corn, bushels NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 500 900
Sweet potatoes, bushels. ............ $4,000
Irish potatoes, bushels. ............... 10000
SHIPPING AND COMMUNICATIONS.
The greater part of the shipping for the
produce Of this and neghboring parishes of
the north and east Is done through Baton |
Rouge except for the few settlements along |
the Amite and the lower Iberville, which sec
tions ship their produce via the Amite and |
Hope Villa on the lberville, near the Amite
junction, on steamboats, plying thence to New
Orleans by the lakes and New basin.
Besides having daily mail service to and
from oil points Baton Rouge Is stopping
place for all boats ascending or descending
the Mississippi, and the facilities for shipping
or travelling here are not surpassed by those
of any other port on the great river.
The Crosse Tete railroad starting opposite
Baton Rouge and running to Rosedale near
the Atchafalaya, through the, prosperous
Crosse. Tete region, Is another channel
principally sugar, is brought into Baton
Rouge and thence shipped to New Orleans.
The Baton Rouge and Clinton Railroad will
ere long be completed, and bring another inn
Baton Rouge merchants while the early com
pletion Of the Tangipahoa and Baton Rouge
ink to the New Orleans, st. Louis and Chi
cago Railroad will open all the South Florida
parishes to the enterprise of this centre.
The Southwestern Union Telegraph lines
connect Baton Rouge with all parts of the
States directly, and the New Orleans Pacific
Railroad will have its station on the west
)ank OF the river, fronting the city; this all
to make of Baton Rouge highly
important centre of inland trade. {
BATON ROUGE CITY. {
Baton Rouge, formerly the capital OF Lou
siana, and now the parish seat Of East Baton !
Rouge parish, is thrifty, pleasant and