The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1881-04-23

BIC WooDg, CALoAsrEU PARISH,
La, April il6, 1881. 4

BIC WOODS, CALcAsfEU PARISH,
La, April i16, 1881. 4
Editor Echo, Lake Charles:
Having been alpstron to your vain
able paper from lis first introduction
j cannot believe it an intrusion WheI
ask a small space in Its columns TO
ar article devoted mainly to local in
] tsrests. There is, perhaps, no ssiibjee
Of greater interest 10 your numeron,
readers of Oalcasieu, scattered over 81
large a territory, than to read occa
sionalIy a short report from SOHO
Il of your correspondents. residing in
different sections ofSthe parish.
/ think that our winter Is aboni
over. 1t has been loBg-at times ut
tcrly cold for this latitude. The health
however, Of this community has been
unusually good throughout the entire
winter Ithas been damaging to the
stock interest, especially cattle and
sheep. The loss has been heavy, not
altogether from poverty or scantiness
of food, but many have died Of dis
ease resembling epizootic or distemper,
common among horses, bat seldom
ever seen here among cattle. After
all, ] do not think we have any reason
TO believe that there has been any dis
elimination against us, in this respect.
We see occasionally in the public
journals reports from abroad showing
the loss in the stock regions elsewhere,
much greater than that in our own
section, especially in the great regions
Of the northwest; in Kansas, Nebraska,
and tie territories, the casualties have
been great. When we take into CON
sideration the immense loss in stock
Of all kinds, the steady increase in the
population of the South and West,
the expectation not only Of beef, bnt
-ot the producing stock to other couB-
ffics, together with tie gradual dimin-
lsiiing Of the area of pasture or graz
ing lands annually taken up for farm
ing purposes, j am, not surprised at
The probable rise in beef throughout
the entire stock regions. The great
principle of supply and demand that
regulates all trade, and establishes a
healthy equilibrium between producer
and consumer, lies at the bottom Of
the whole. Already it appears that
these influences are beginning to affect
the price Of beef in the parish. We
hear Of marsh beeyes ranging from
eighteen 10 twenty dollars, and it is
thought by msuy that beeves on the
prairies will not 20 off this season be-
low sixteen dollars.
The farmers of this section arr well
advanced with theirtcrops, and in fine
spirits. March having been rather
coldtfor early planted crops to grow
OH, yet being unusually dry, itafforded
splendid opportunity to our farmers
TO break up and put their lands in
good order before planting. In the
END, we still hope 10 have furnished
seed TO the sower, and bread to HE
eater. Some@of our farmers intend
this season TO test the value Of Com
mereial Fertilizers, especially the Cot
ton seed meal. | learn, Fthat E. a. Per-
kins, at Sulphur mine station, has
shipped in small cargo which doubt
less will be applied 10 the Varieties of
soil adjacent. Quite ali increasing in
terest is mapifestin9 itself in the south
western portionaof the parish, amongst
our farmers. ] think the completion
of the Louisiana Western Railroad, |
opening up at once ready facilities for
transportation, in connection with the I
splendid results brought out in the last
year in the rice culture, have given
quite an impetus TO the farming inter !
sst Of this section. Our people are .
pleased with the liberality shown on
.he part Of the managers Of the La. w. I
H., in reducing passenger rates on
excursions. etc. But we would hail
With greater delight, a reduction in
reigllts. Favor towards the excur-
ZIONIST and pleasure seeker, is all |
lght SC far as it goes, but the masses
re interested chiefly in reasonable
ates, upon the products of our own,
md other countries. The farmer dis
likes the tithipg his bale Of cotton too
leayIly in getting it to town, and the
lock raiser prefers going by rail rather
han the old mode of driving his stock
0 market, if he can do it cheaper.
sMIIToB