St. Landry democrat., 1881-04-09
TOWNSVILLE, La, April 5th, 1881.

TOWNSVILLE, La, April 5th, 1881.
Editor ST.. LANDRY DEMoCRAT:-The
past week has been almost like winter,
frost every morning. Those who
thought to have early gardens are
disappointed. The frost has killed out
nearly all early vegetables. !. Looking
over an old paper to-day / Glanced to
see the following item: Sixty four
years ago occurred the year without a
summer. May the nth, 1916, the snow
fell eight inches deep on q level in
Hartford. July 5tb, that year, Indian
corn was so frozen that the greater part
was cut down and dried for fodder in
Connecticut. There was frost every
month in the year in the Northern
States"
But l shall not prognosticate so bad
for thisye We hope for balmy warm
spring.
The planters in this section of country
are moving along slow, owing to the
cold backward spring. All crops are
late. Tie corn that is up has been
badly damaged by the late frost.
SUGAR CROP PROSPECTS, ETC.
The plant cane was all damaged on
Upper Bayou Beuf. Our largest plan
tiers will not have half crops of cane.
The general opinion is that the stuble
is much of it frozen out and will be an
entire loss.
Cotton lands are as rule all broken
and in good condition for planting as
soon as the weather will permit. Land
devoted to cotton will be larger than
last year.
A WORD ON EMIGRATION.
We have seen and heard much on this
matter, but little action. St. Landry
has thousands of broad acres of virgin
soil waiting for the industrious hus-
bandman to turn to good account, and
make new and happy homes, but it
seems our business men are not awake
to their interest. Here is the way they.
do in the Northwest, as also in many
parts of Texas. | will write as | have
seen. Let me say that Opelousas is a
western town, aud if her business men
would go to work and organize an
emigrant company work up the land
question; find all the land in the parish
for sale; where situated, price, etc;
this done, turn to the editors of your
parish journals. Lay down so much
money. Tell the editor to write up two
Or three columns, descriptive of the
parish, and publish several thousand
extra copies, then send them through
the North and West. This is the first
step to build up a country. My word
for it, the first thing an intelligent man
from abroad looks at is your parish
journal, if good he says this is the
country for ME, if not he goes away
and looks for locality that gets up a
good home paper, and next good schools.
What if the railroads have come? Do
you expect them to build up the country
with their own money, if you do, many
now llSiUS Will Uc SOl1t W JllCIt last
home. Again, should the railroad COM
pany take it to heart to fill the conntry
with emigration, do you expect that
they will do this for nothing, and let
you set back in the shade? Don't make
a mistake and then cry that the'railroad
is a monopoly. There never was better
opportunity than that now open for
the city of Opelousas to gain name
for enterprise. Will she Let the golden
moment pass? It rests solely with her
men Of business, her merchants, lawyers.
doctors, mechanics and workingmen,
and we assure you nothing could give
us more pleasure than to see announced
in the ST. LANDRY DEMOCRAT, call
from the business men of Opelousas to
organize an emigrant association. l
must close, some of your readers might
think me impertinent, though | hope
not, for I wish to see st. Landry the
foremost parish in the State.
Yours, - JoHE O'SHANE.