St. Landry democrat., 1884-07-05
HAAsY1LLE, La, June 80. 1884.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT:

| EDITOR DEMOCRAT:
For the past two days the weather
has been warm and showery, which is
considered to be good for the growing
cotton crop and late corn. All crops are
reported in fair condition; those that
have received the most attention are of
course much III advance of the poorly
cultivated ones. II the weather clears
off this week to give!our farmerssa few
more days work in cotton and cane, we
NAV saw the crops are made, for the
| grass and weeds will be about mastered
for this year. The lumber men seem to
be in luck Just now. For two weeks past
we noted for each day from three to ten
OK teams drawing out lumber from the
Cocodrie and Pine Hill saw mills, to
plantations situated on Bayou BGuf.
The Star plantation takes something
over 100000 feet OF fencing In one bill
of lumber, Some other plantations are
purchasing large lots Of lumber for va
rious purposes, yet, the cry is hard
times, money scarce and business close.
One of the great troubles and causes of
hard times, is, the money can not be
kept in the country, it has to go out for
corn to feed work stock, and bread and
meat for man. Only a few days past, q
gentleman engaged in the lumber BUSH
ness, informed me that he had to haul
corn from Opelousas to feed his OK
teams and has purchased several loads
Of corn in or near Opelousas. Western
corn is away up, entirely too high to
feed for profit, meats are the same, so
on with all that the working man con-
sumcs in the shape of bread stuff, pro-
vendor. etc. Now what is the use OF
benefit of all this fine country and rich
lands, when they are not made to pro-
duce enough for the susteEance of the
population that's on them, rich but poor
that is about the nearest we can come at
it. Cotton is king and rules with an
iron hand ,!and makes people dwelling
ON the finest soils in the world almost
mendicants, farm work must become
varied, more corn, oats, grass, peas
root crops for feeding cattle and mich
COWS, hay for horses and mules, rice fol
the home table and market, with this
invite our law-maker to look after rail
road rates, cut them down that the meu
and women who brave the summer
heat and the mud and cold rains of win
ter, toiling to keep lands in shape, and
making and gathering the products Of
the soil, that their small savings may &C
farther toward feeding and clothing
them, and free from the grasp Of mo-
nopolies.
FACTORIES
for converting the fleecy staple into
cloth might be worked with profit here
in Louisiana, as in Georgia where they
have added n1ueiE Rsalth and prosperity
to entire sections of country in which
they are run. Factories for using Ut
some of the fine timbers in this state
could be made to pay even il started in
a small way and gradually build up
which has been the case with many OF
the largest factories in the United
States, notably so the great pillow AND
implement factory of B. F. Avery &
Sons of Louisville, KY, and the McCor.
mac Reaper Mandatory of Chicago
Ills.
st. Landry with her steadily growing
population, rich and varied soils, tim
bers, extensive limestone quarries, and
/ have been informed that a few milel
west Of Chicot, there is any quantity Of
the very finest marble, fine running
streams of excellent water, good
springs, all and more than / have time
and space to mention, is sufficient evi.
dence that at no distant day, the parish
of st. Landry will be the Manchester OF
Lowell of Louisiana. With the above
hasty penciled notes I close.
| Yours, JOHN O'SHANE.