Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1881-06-08
making his taxes very low.

uHkink us thXcb NVr1 WV ITO
other expenses are very small. He
has made and cured his own meat;
tue hogs were futteDed in the wOOsis
given corn few days just previ-
Gus to killing. He may buy two or
three barrels Of flour. Many tar.
mers in Claiborne, however, grow
their own wheat. He will buy o
small quantity Of coffee. His wife
wants y few pounds OF soda and
spices, and other little household
necessities. He has made his own
~ rup, of ribbon cane, If he wishes.
He has n small flock Of sheep. There
are many looms and spiuuing wheels
in Claiborne parish yet, and these
sheep often furnish neat, comfort.
able suit of clothes. No particular
estimate is made. 1t is left for the
reader to furnish his own estimate.
This is Nh extreme case, some One
will say. Yes; ~ it is iu both ways.
The amount produced Oh tue farm is
put down ut the lowest possible
figures, IA are the expenditures low.
The writer has in his mind u farmer
who has lived this way for fifteen
years. He always entertained his
friends we'll aud bouniifully. He
raised four children, gave them a
fair education, clothed them we'll;
has now u large, roOmy house, four
tne young mules aud his saddle
horse, several hundred dollars out
ut interest and other goO<l things
besides. such IA begs, cows, sheep.
etc. He began just about like the
supposititiOus party mentioned
above. He hired colored man IN
the fall OF the second year, who
aided him in clearing land aud lived
with him the next year. But the
secret of his success was that be
labOred iutelligently, ecOnUmized ia.
telligently and was aided by u low.
ing, sensible, industrious wife. All
Tins on hill land in ClsitNrne parish.
There are many men in this aud
other parishes Of louisiana who
have begun OH what the river bred
man calls poor land, and have, after
meeting the usual reverses, steadily
improved iu u pecuniary point Of
view.
MINERAL INDICATIONS.
But TO the description Of Clai
borne parish. No Indications OF
, the existence OF any kind Of ORE
} except iron have ever been noticed
Six miles west OF Homer, on land o.
Thornton Bridgman, q fine, bold
spring of cold water guslles ou
; from bed of coal in the side OF a
/. hill. A church here takes its name
, Goal Spring Church. from Thu
, spring. The writer visited thi
spring many years ago with Rev
3 Baxter Clegg, ut that time presl
D dput of Homer College. He declaI
u I'd that this outc.opping OF coal va
I part of. or the Indication Of, n be-
I of great extent. Specimens carried
u 10 n forge burned with An oily ye
n low, fame. Very old settlers hav
It tradition that a tribe OF Indian
II west of Red river, near the Texa
D. line, made two or three trips yea
a into this, or one of the adlOinii
P; parishes, tor ORE which WAS rich
h lead. But that is all. II any lea
lies under the surface in Claiborr
E parish, future prospecting mu'
discover ii.
OF POPULATION OF THE PARISH.
\, The population of the parish
~ 1888, according to the last censu
- Whites and blacks are about eQns
~ Is divided. Claiborne WAS br
:, settl, d by emigIants from the 9th
~ Southern States, the majority col
VI lug from Georgia aud Alabama.
C, few Virginians, Carolinians,
" neiRhborhOOd of Tennesseedns al
20 occasionally in every conmunl
'e' some one from one Of the State
~ Occasionally We find q foreign
III from Germany or Ireland. Tb
a.. a.. the people are moral is evidenc
". by the churches, there being
' ' least forty in the parish. As ma
ne of the church buildings are al
10 used for schMl.houses, it may
MS claimed that there il a like nunt
. of schools in the parish.
~. THE TOWN OF HOMER.
the Homer, the principal town. ha
ely population Of $50. Several OF
The stores are large structures OF bri
lit. There are three or four mercha
ike whose sales amount TO nearly ii
ART quite 4lOO,OOO yer annum each
nds number Of smaller business nous
to three large handsome church bn