The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-03-18

LAKE CHARLES, La, March ., lso@'
-, q. Ag,v4i,svIlle Observer

From the St. Martinsville Observer
~FOuNp AT LAST. Your CORE
snondence Vindex has been found he
had not straved very far of. lie may
now be seen, where he has permanently
settled in Louisiana's fairest Western
CITY bv the Lake, and he responds with
alacritv to your appeal. As an excuse
for his long silence, he must be per
mitted TO state, that the Observer S
columns, for several weeks, and even
months past, have been so crowded
with nowsv, spicy and interesting ar
ticles from the classic pen of Its editor
and from your correspondent, that the
latter whose humility is only surpassed
by his benevOlcnce, entertained very
serious doubts whether ANYTHING from
him would be acceptable, and he,
therefore very wisely allowed his pen
to rest and his ink to mould, rather
than consume your space and the time
of vour readers, more advantageously
employed on other subjects. How
widely does your aIlusion in last issue
of the Observer to an attempt, made
several wears ago, to organize literary
association in St. MartiDsvillc recall to
nv mind the memories of the past,
with it's disappointmcnts? There was
one among the number of those who
then met together, for grand iauda-
Bile object, whose name you have
omitted to mention, but whom am
sure you have not forgotten. He was
stricken down in the prime OF man
hood, full of hopes aud life's blushng
honofs thick upon him" He was
mourned by the whole community, as
one whose death leaves a blank IN
every relation of life. He was a dutltul
son a loving husband, kind parent
a true friend, Il good citizen, an m
dauntcd patriot and an irreproachaDle
public officer. He died without a
strain upon his bright escutcheon, and
has left behind him what is more pre-
ci0us than boarded millions the proud
legacy of his fair fame. Poor Felix
Olivier, who will dare say, in spite OF
his course Of life so briefly ended, that
he has not made his mark IN this
world
believe YOU are rather severely IN
lust towards the people Of your town.
Let the railroad be completed; let
your numerous natural advantages be
developed and you will soon have oc-
casion to commend the progresslveness
of your people. The decided improve
ment of yOnr own paper Is one OF the
unmistakabIc signs that change Tor
| the better is ALREADY taking place. gu
are right, however, III complaining that
| yonr business men do not advertise as
! literally as they should. But continue
as YOU have been doing favor with
the almighty power Of your pen those
! who favor You; give prominence I"
YOUR local advertisers and Won will soon
create q spirit Of emulation, which Will
rebound to your own profit, as to the
benefit Of vour town. Let il be known
| that a man whose business cannot
afford to be advertised in the local
newspaper, is never safe to deal with,
and Your merchants will advertise, If
alone TO keep up their business and
reputation. | must admit that the town
of Lake Charles, in this respect, mani
tests perhaps more clear grit, enter
prise and go-aheadtlycness than any
other town or city in Louisiana. do
not know of more than one or two
business men, whether he be profess
sional man, trader, artticer or me-
chanic, who do not advertise in one or
the other of of the Two excellent local
newspapers. The Commercial has
about SIX months existence and Its
columns are crowded with local adycr-
tisements. This is certainly the right
spirit and it must be maintained.
There is no doubt that for town of
its size, Lake Charles Is possessed of
uncommon activity and enterprise. Its
population winthin incorporated limits
may, without eXaggeratiOn, be est
IIdIGu dI one buOuSdIu IuIdUlVdtGS,
while West Lake Charles, across the
Lake and River, and Bagdad, one mile
above, with three hundred more, are
in reality only suburbs of the Lake
City. Right on the Lake are five saw
mills, three planning mills, one shingle
mill and one ice mill; within a circle
of two miles are four other saw mills,
with two more planning machines.
Some of these run day and night. All
are now in full blast, manufacturing
lumber, splitting shingles, and cleaning
rice for the millions. twenty-five
stores of general merchandise, two
drug stores, eight bar-Tooms, two res
taurants, four shoemakers, three first
class hotels, several private boarding
. houses, three tonsorial saloons, half a
dozen draymen, three public hacks
and the Indispensable blacksmith
jeweler and timer keep the town pretty
, lively and are all apparently doing {
, lucrative business. In the moral, re
; ligious and intellectual grade, the LAKE
l City of western Louisiana is up witt
| any of her sisters Cd the banks of the
; romantic Teche, muddy Lafourche O
roaring Mississippi. 1t has fv,
+ churches, four public schools, two
2 brass bands, dramatic club, regula
Mardi Gras organization, known as tn
t R. K. R., a Masonic Lodge, a council
S of the American Legion of Honor,
: Literary snciatv two nnwsnannrs Il