The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1884-06-21
mo. TO-.
the Good WORK Goes sss.
AN ENGLIsH COMPANY RBDEEMESG ,1ng, 0GG
ACRES IN soUTHwEsTEHN LOUISIANA.

AN ENGLISH eoMRANT RBDKEagING /, ,taE, glg
ACRES IN soUTHwEsTEnr LOUISIANA
N. o. Times Democrat.
Some time last December the Timer
Democrat contained detailed account
of the formation Of corporation that
had for its object the redemption of d
very large tract at land lying Ill South
western Louisiana, within the bonn-
daries Of Cameron, Galeasieu and Yer
million parishes. This company with
capital Of $4,000, 600 purchased
100000 acres Of marsh and prairie
lands on which to carry out their a.
sign, and at once commenced the work
to reclaim it.
AT that date there was 100 tons of
machinery in this city en- route to the
objective point, and General Manager
.J.R. Watkins, was here snperintcnd-
ing its shipment. Dredging and ditch
ing machines Of the most ponderous
character were amongst this lot, and
with them heavy steam plows, cables,
etc, capable Of pushing forward the
work expeditiously.
The 100 tons Of machinery referred
to arrived safely and has been put III
thorough working order. TO carry
out the proposed plans. already fifteen
boats Of various dimensions have been
built. They consist Of dredges, steaua-
ers and bafges.
To push forward this great work
another installment Of machinery has
been shipped from England, consist
ing Of engines, steam-plows, ditchers
and eultivators, amounting to 100
tons OF more.
Mr.. Watkins went on to say that
the efforts Of the management had
been up to the present devoted to-
wards getting the machinery on the
ground, but, even with this difficult
work, already Eve miles Of canal
eighteen feet wide and six feet ID
depth has been cut, and several miles
Of bayou cleaned out Next week two
more dredges will be added to the
force, which will enable them
to cut four miles Of canal per month.
As soon as the plowing season arrives
the company will be prepared to ope-
rate thirty.two plows by steam. having
4 capacity Of ninety acres per day
Two ditchers will also be worked
which travel one and half miles per
hour, forming a perfect drain, They
,ut ditch thirty inches wide At ira
,nrfsce. thirty inches deem and ten
inches wide At the bottom.
Already the attention Of people
tha ITnited States ana
Europe and the heads Of MANY laroe
have been attracted n
his work Of development The United
States government has particularly
watched the progress made, and lie
Commissioner of Agriculture at Wash,
neton thus speaks Of it:
1.-THE work YOU have undertaken in
Southwest Louisiana il az eonsidera-
,le Importance in its unexpectedness
md magnitude; in bringing to notice
section Of country and class 81 land
lightly regarded II tha
Ise Of power floating dredaes. which
make the canals and. partially A least
he dykes. with great rapidity and al
mall cost in the employment AZ
team ditchers and plows. and ii the
,rolect 10 engage in rice culture on an
lnprecedented scale, with tbe use IL
he drainage canals for local transnor-
alton, that / shall have much satis-
action in embodying IN the proposed
eport An account ri ii from vopr avn
EN-
Speaking at the settlement Of this
ast tract, Mr.. Watkins said aIn
NJ nronased settlemant ~ small
armers Of the high land purchased
rom the government the enmnanv
as the hearty sunnort IN ali its etforts
1 The railroad eompanies. a Is ayi.
eneed bv the Observation-Disclosures frap,
he New York Office ~ the Hunting-
pn system. They promise n psa eyary
oasonablo effort ID aid n tba tilling
b with desirable peopla the entirs
onntry,n
In the account formerly Giyen in
he Times Democrat 4 reference was
lade to 4 French colony which wohld
oon settle out there. Already a..
ourapinG news has been received that
nero viii be d large number of fa.ni.
IA f.a. n allasl u. E,.t
= nan thasa lands Win MI ~ snr,esad Il ssss
ssaa tbasa ;snn,ivrants will naba