The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-03-14
PENCILINGS BY THE WAY.

KID PLANTATION. GRANT PARuH, }
February, 1883. {
EDITOR DEMOCRAT
I find myself temporarily soiournine
in this once the very garden spot OF
Rapides, i. e. before the days OF "Des-
truction aud Reconstruction" when ia
crafty party greed, or more properly
speaking the political animosity of a
few scalawags and carpet baggers OF
that day-when, aided by numerical
negro supremacy, literally swept from
existence all, everything they thought
opposed their personal or political az.
grandizement. Then it was in an evil
hour the hitherto grand empire Parish,
of Rapides was rent in twain, ruthless
ly severed, and from the spoilation
this Grant Parish created. as its title
implies it was named after a Radical
idol, while its seat of government, Col
fax, was called in honor OF another of
the then shining lights of the said DO.
htical faction. But what is writ is
writ. This and other acts of tyranny
perpetrated by ruthless party gorced
to surfeit by plumber and pelf was but
one OF many instances wherein the
faldclous dogma Fright makes right"
was exercised with utter disregard to
present or prospective conseo nences,
The history of Radical rule or misrnle
in this immediate section has not vet
been written in full;-when all its en-.
shall have been chrnnicled il
will prove as revolving to future gen.
as it was disgusting to tie
present.
But | have wandered from my theme
'r that proposed in this brief and i'm
perfect sketch of section once 40
bright and fair, "reminiscences of which
rom the long ago are still cherished as
pleasant dream.
This section, appropriately called
'Plaisance," is in many respects the
most slightly and lovely of the whole
II the extreme valley Of the Red River.
t has in itself more advantages than
my other with which your correspon.
lent is at all familiar, either personal.
y or from history. l allude especial
: to that section embraced between
ne Bayou Darro and the mouth of
;ane River, for this is properly the
'lalsance settlement. The distance
etween these two points by course of
he river approximates TWENTY-FIVE
llles, and covers an area of some flfty
honsand acres of the finest and most
,rtile land Of which this or any other
lapet can boast. Amongst it's prom,-
e Mt advantages is it's elevation. being
ish above any ,inundation, hence re.
hiring no levee; the soil is of extra
rdinary fertility, producing the lare.
IT crops of all chief staples. Here
light be made some of the most pro-
nctive and extensive hay farms that
Experience in other less favored local.
les has demonstrated as so profitable.
he landscape is varied and in many
laces truly charming, especially 40
ON the place where 1 write, changing
ith the meanderings of the r.yer
lille in the distance the elevation of
'e verdant pine hills lends additional
1chantment to the view. Naturally
is terrestrial paradise. Here were
Gated before the war some of the
ost extensive and productive sugar
I'd cotton plantations of the whole
tate, one party alone possessing some
ing near twenty thousand acres of
re most fertile land CONTINUOUSLY, en-
oylng on the various estates nearly a
ousand laborers. For purposes of
in amy kind of crops it ma.
lliarly excels, it being so intersected
Bayous and natural indentations (
at the drainage can easily be made I
'rfect, and it is thought that through i
1t this entire section there is scarcely I
J acre not susceptible of cultivation :
I'd that every acre is capable of yield, ,
6 a support for an entire family !
Being familiar with this section ia
e days of its prestine glory revisit a
g it after the lapse of many years I
IS painfully struck by the great con- q
ast of "what was and what now ia y n
ere being very many waste places O
rs too much dilapidation meets the d
e, but this is attributable to wars d
ISOLATION, and subsequently, to the b
o abuse of party and political DO wer 8
welded by few INSCRIPTIONS adj. Q
nturers and some few more disrenu- t
Die scalawags. Truly they robbed il y
all save honor and the native soil. v
d 10 the last named this section is D.