The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1884-05-27
"REMINISCENCES OF OUR TOWN.
What we Found in a Newspaper
Published in Alexandria W.
48 Years Ago.
Some of the People who Lived Here
Then, and What they
Did, &c.

living here we nave Deen SHOWN a
copy of the Planters InteNigencer
and Rapide Auoyelles and Catalonia
Advertiser, of date January 18th,
1886, a weekly newspaper, founded
in this little Town some time in
the year 1927. In the issue of the
same which we were shown, we see
that the paper at that time (1s36)
was published by R. Smith, at six
dollars per annum or five dollars, if
paid in advance. The paper is four
pages, six short columns to the
page, and contains quite a number
of advertisements in fact the most
of the reading matter is made up of
the then Gov. Whites message to
the La. State Legislature. We find
in its columns, but one single local
item, viz: the chronicling of the
election Of the Board Of Directors
Of the Red River Railroad Co.,,
which board consisted of Messrs. R.
VIM, Ohas. Mulhollon, John
Compton, P: Barry, M. WEIGH, R.
l.. Tanner and H. /. Cheney, all
of whom, with the exception Of NJ.
Welch, are, we believe dead.
The principal business firms of
our Town at that time, if we are to
Judge from the advertisements, were
Z. H. Flint & Co., R. G. Barry &
Co., M. Welsh Il Co., Rogers &
English, Edward Slocum & Co.,
Smith Il Mccoy, j. & G.. r. Nor
ment and M'Beth & Tabor. John
H. Johnston was Parish Judge,
VIM. j. Calvit,. Sheriff, VIM. R.
Leckie, Clerk Of the Court, and V.
Tappage Postmaster; the law firms
were F. w. Brewer, Thomas &
Flint, Grain & Hunter; Drs. bud
ley and S. Breckenridge, the former
a practising physician, and the lat
ter a dentist were also in business
here at that time; other doctors
were here also, viz: Drs. Carr,
, Grain, Casson and Leonard.
The Rapide Exchange, (Bar-
room) Cummings & Patterson, pro.
proprietors, and the Washington
Tavern, kept by r. G. Leckie,
were the principal places of resort.
The Alexandria Dressing Room OF
Shaving Saloon, was then in exis-
tence and was kept by Broadnax 4
Duncan.
Two steamboats,, the .Privatee,
and Ouachita, both low pressure
were our, packets, and ran by there
from New Orleans to the, raft above
shreveport, which City at that tint
had not been thought of. Capt. j
IClaiborne commanded The former
In those days the sale or auc
tioning off of negroes orislayes, botl
male and female, was carried OF
extensively, for we see no less thar
J two-hundred advertised
$ White, Saltsgayer & Bleaklel
carried on here then a frst7clas'
blacksmith and wheelwright bust
ness, and j. NJ. Fisher was TIN
! plain and ornamental plasterer o
: Town. The latter, as his adver
tisement read, demanded in al
cases CATER the first-coat, one-hal
of his wages"
In conversation with Mr., G. A
Hooper on Sunday evening last
and who was resident here il
, 1886, and we'll remembers each an
: every incident that ACQUIRED in thos
good old days. that are now passe'
t and gone, and very probably fol
. gotten too, we learned that Alex
, andria, at that time, extended onl
from about jackson Street, at 4
, Heyman's, to the Jewel Saloon Q
Front Street, and extended bu
! three blocks back.
j. The Town was surrounded o
either side and in the rear, by. ;th