The Opelousas courier., 1884-06-21

the largest sugar establishments are
made. At present its buildings are
not numerous, consisting of a public
jail, d school house, two taverns. two
stores, two saddlers' shops and three.
or four dwelling houses.
The only town in Opelousas is called
s'Opelousas Church" Tt is handsome
ly situated on the east side of q point
Of woods jutting into the prairie. It
began to flourish before the war, but
during its existence it went to decay.
Since peace has been established, it
looks up again, and there can be no
doubt but in i few years it. will rap
idly increase. Its buildings are a
Roman Catholic church, an academy,
a court house and public jail. There
are four taverns, five stores, one sad
dler's shop, one tanners shop, one tail
or's shop, two boot and shoe makers
shops, one silversmith's shop, and
about twenty five dwelling houses, be-
sides out houses. 1t is built six miles
from any navigable stream, which is
1 one of the causes why the growth OF
the town has been impeded.
There is another town about being
being laid of, ten miles from Opeloa-
sas church, at the place where Mr..
Charles Smith, q rich and respectable
planter of Opelousas, is erecting an
elegant large Roman Catholic church
and academy, which he intends to
present TO the public. and such men de-
serve the thanks of their country, and
are an example worthy of imitation.
CLIMATE.-An idea has gone forth
that this country is sickly. Il is the
reverse. I have resided in Virginia
and Maryland, in~Which last State
| was born, and i prefer this climate
to any that | have experienced. be-
lieve the Attakapas and Ope1ousas
countries are as healthy as any part of
the United States, and much more so
than either Virginia or Maryland, or
any of the southern Atlantic States.
After a residence of several years here,
both myself and family, white and
black, have enjoyed better health
ahan we ever did in Maryland.
We have not as many feyers here as
in the other parts efthe Union. That
fatal species of ~dysentery which RACES
| with such violence in your State is un-
known here, Those violent pntrid
and malignant feYers which too often
make their appearance amongst you,
have never yet reached our happy eli
mate. These spidemics which pre-
| vail almost annually with you, never
exist here. The only fever which this
climate, or rather O~pelousas and At
takapas, are subject to, is the common
bilious fever Of the country, which is
slow In its approach and easily cured
if taken in time, fatal only when neg
leeted. This constitutes the only fever
Of the country. To be sure. upon the
Mississippi, at New Orleans, and in
those parts of Louisiana which are
covered with woods, more violent and
dangerous feveTs exist, and there are
cause for some complaints, but this lis
a very different co~nntry--our wide,
open and extensive prairies, the Ton
tinual current of air which sweeps
over them and the sea breezes contin
ually blowing during the sickly and
warm months, prevent those dangerous
consequences MS TO disease, which fol
low those establishments made in the
midst of the woods, and removed from
the influences of the sea. Attakapas
and OpeIousas are washed by the south
ern boundaries. The pure air of the
ocean. passes over the entire surface,
| without meeting any swamps of wood
OF p~utrefaction in it's course. lit reaches
them as unadulterated as when it first
left old Neputune's domain, and gives
a softness, elasticity and freshness Il
| the atmosphere, which is truly agree
| able and pleasant TO the feelings. Dur
ing tile three last years the thermom.
erer Of Farenheit has seldom beef
higher than SO degrees in Summer, ant
only five times as high as 81 degrees
AS far as / can ascertain from
nv observations during the las
three years the average meal
heat Of Attakapas and Opelousa
has been about 60 degrees in th,
months of. July, August and septem
her. This close, ~snfocating heat S,
often felt tOths northWard, sand so in
furious to- health is seldom experienced
here. The nights during the summe,
are very pleasant; always famed b,
the sea breezes, and generally coo
enough to cover with q sheet, and of
ten with d counterpart. The dew
are far-from being unhealthy, SO grea1
is the influence of the particles waite,
iii the sea air. It is impossible for m,
In this address, to enter into a train o
reasoning to prove to yon the saliibri
ty of our climate. All I can do is &
state the facts such as they are-ani
so / have done.
IF any Of You determine to emigrate
/ will ask you, after the exhibits haY
given you of the products OF the soil
and the description Of our climate an,
country, to what more adyantageoul
section of the Union can you 90, tina
to the4Wo countries i have described
rs this not the country for the slav
Ihoider! Do not the climate, the sol
and productions Of this country furnish
allurements to the application of you
negoes on our land 10 your states
planter, with ten negroes, with Difficult
ty, supports a family genteely here
well managed, they would be q forum
to him. With you the seasons are s
irregular, your crops often fail her
the crops are certain, and want of thl
accessories of life, never for d momen
causes the heart to ache-abundanc
spreads the table Of poor man, ans
contentment smiles on every counte
nance. Perhaps yon will scarcely be
lieve me, but + declare to yon i hav'
not seen one beggar In Attakapas D
Opelousas no do + know al object o
charity from want. Oh! that at thi
mement ais much could be said for th'