St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-02-04
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.

viewed by New Orleans Picayune reporter
seeking Information on the subject of high
water. He answered, in effect, that the
Board had done all it could to protect low
lands, but much depends on the vigilance of
the police juries Of parishes and the people
who live along the rivers. When the rivers
are low people become careless and act as il
there were never any such thing as high
water. 1t is thus rice fumes are cut, wagon
roads are allowed to break down the levces,
places are worn by stock that 60 down to the
river to drink; in word, there are so many
ways in which the leyees may be damaged
without any blame attaching to anybody
that it is no wonder accidents occur and
damaging crevasses result. The Engineer
Board can only exercise a general supervis
ion. But for her levees, Louisiana would
be to great extent uninhabitable. Vast
areas of the richest lands would bo
unreliable for cultivation, and would doubt
less be abandoned. A thorough leyee sys-
tenn with a sufficient fund to maintain it
would accomplish great work. 1t would
be burdensome at first, but the burdens
would yearly decrease until finally the work
of maintenance would be comparatively
light.
European capitalists have been pur.
chasing vast tracts of Southern lands during
the past few weeks. Sir E. j. Reed, repre-
senting English investors, and DR.. Jacobus
Westheim, of Amsterdam, representing
Dutch, have just bought 1000, 900 acres in
Florida, while Phillips. Marshall e. Co., OF
London, have bought 1870, 900 in Mississippi.
Nearly half of the latter are levee lands, sit
uated in the Yazoo delta, and are fine cot
ton and timber lands. The object in both
these purchases has been to coloniZe and
cultivate the lands, and the effect can hardly
fail to be felt in the future of these states
when the cultivators Of the soil have to pay
their rents to English capitalists.
A bill has been intro duced in the
Legislature of Mississippi to make prize
fighting penitentiary offense.
Coal and iron have been discovered
in Mississippi.
Speaking of the educational needs
and progress of the South, Rev. DR.. Hast.
zell, of New Orleans, says: "For 1880 there
has been an increase in attendance in nearly
all the States, among both white and COL
ored children. In some towns where for
two or three years local taxation for public
schools had been voted down with vim.
now good schools are supported at public
EXPENSE
A careful estimate of the acreage
sowed to wheat in West Tennessee places
the area at fully Is per cent. greater than
the breadth of land given to the production
of this cereal in 1881. -...
A rattlesnake measuring Is inches in
diameter and IL 1-2 feet in length, and hav.
ing 10 rattles, was killed in Natchez, Miss,
recently. When shot the snake had large
rabbit in its mouth.
One of the objects of the coming con-
vention of colored men at Macon, Ga, will
be to organize and hold a grand Southern
fair, at which the products Of colored men
will be exhibited.
Joseph De Silva, aged IA, recently
arrested at New Orlean, at the request OF
the Cuban authorities for the abduction OF
Maria Durox, aged Is, has been released.
The mother of De Silva asserted that she
paid the parents of Maria $1,000, and the
extradition proceedings were brought to
enforce further payments.
A peculiar disease is said to be aff1ict-
ing people on the Rio Grande, near Browns
vile, Texas. A pimple appears on the face,
the head swells up, and in short time
death ensues. 1t is said the disease in its
symptoms resembles the old Asiatic plague.
1t is exceedingly fatal. .u
The corner stone of the new cotton
exchange building, northwest corner OF Ca
rondelet and Groves streets, New Orleans,
was laid, Jan. 23d, in the presence Of City,
State, and Federal officials, representatives
of foreign governments and commercial in
situations, and a large concourse OF citizens.
Gov. McEnery delivered the address. g.
Mr.. ii Kennedy, of Blount County,
Tenn, is eighty years old, has been mar
ried twice and has twenty-siN children.
A two-inch carp put in q pond neal
Atlanta two years ago was caught few
days since and weighed seven pounds,
A Macon, Ca, wife-beater entered
the novel plea that when he thrashed his
better half he was in somnambulistic state,
and not responsible. He got $500 or three
months in Jail.
Mr.. James Williamson, aged seventy
six, was married at Hawkinsville, Ga,
few days ago, to Mrs. Polly Burnham, aged
sixty-six. The groom's on,who is fifty years
old, performed the ceremony.
Every city in the South has made
progress during the last year.
| Fine veins of marble have been discov-
cred in Union County, Ark.
In Mississippi there are 108,64o horses,
| 10000 mules and 1, 739, 600 hogs.
More grain has been sown in South
Carolina this season than any other since
| the war.
Seventeen thousand dollars worth OF
sponge in one pile was recently sold at key
| West, Florida.
Pensacola, Fla, has voted against re-