The Opelousas courier., 1885-07-18
The Press Convention and it's
WORK.
N. o. City Item.

The recent meeting of the Louisiana
Press Association at Shreveport, was
the most interesting and Important
ever held by that organization. At
tention was directed to living issues
to the development of o higher order
of State pride to the breaking up OF
petty local iealousies, and to the build
ing up of a grand community OF inter
est of which all sections may be proud.
Resolutions we're adopted urging the
General Assembly to provide for a
geological survey, so that our people
may be more thoroughly informed as
to their mineral resources also, Tor the
establishment of an experimental farm,
in connection with our Agricultural
and Mechanical School of instruction,
in order that our soils and fertilizers
may be practically tested and expert
ments be made with plants suited TO
our soil and climate. All such propo.
sitions we're tremendously received ana
cordially endorsed, the prevailing SEN
timent being that the brethren and sis
ters of the press should 'dwell together
in unity" There are, of course, recog..
nized lines of divergence on political
and social questions; but these do not
prevent a solidarity Of effort on mat
tiers of internal and political economy,
touching which there are no good
grounds for dispute.
One of the great questions agltatlng
the interior, particularly the Northern
proportions of the State, relates to the
growing evil of intemperance and the
best method of holding it in check
Prohibition, high license, local option,
moral suasion and non-interferencet
have each their respective advocates,
and finding such a diversity of opinion
it was thought advisable to leave eacl
member of the convention free to &C
on his own conviction in the premises
A high degree of interest was also man
Tested in the meteorological discoveries
recently made in different portions o
the State. Important and extremely
rich beds of iron ore have been fount
in Claiborn, Bossier and Winn par
ishes, the latter not far from the vas
lime and marble deposits, which, a few
months ago, were noised abroad a
likely to prove a great source OF futur'
wealth TO VIM. Besides these, valu
able stone quarries are found to exis
on the line of the Texas and Pacifi
Railroad about twenty miles beyon'
Alexandria, in Rapides parish. Their
are two extensive quarries, on fur
nishing a blush gray stone, highl!
crystallized and hard and granite
which is found to be an admirable ma
terial for paving, ballasting railwa.
tracks, and Macadamizing streets. TIL
other is b building stone, nearly a
hard as marble, easily worked, an
which is foundin regular layers of fror
three inches to three feet in thickness
Here, then, is a superior buildin
stone, less than two hundred mile
from New Orleans, with both river an
rail facilities for transportation, an
which must prove an important facto
towards the identifying of this>c city i
the neal future.
We have not space to dwell furthe
on these and kindred topics at present
but can not close without giving ez
preston to the prevailing journalist
sentiment as to the courtesies extende
by the citizens of Shreveport to th
Press Association. These were receiy
ed not only from the gentlemen al
taehed to the local press but from other
only incidentally connected therewitl
THE representative of the Item tender
his special Acknowledgements to Co
Currie, the popular Mayor of Shreve
port, and to Mr.. and Mrs. w. E. Ham
lilton. who have done SO much to ren
der Shreveport attractive.