The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-09-12

we control the stage of water in th
canals, and the necessary volume c
water is regulated to some extent b
the ebb and flow of the tide. This i
supplemented by the use of powerful
wind-pumps, and, when the natura
elements will not accomplish the work
we readily move upon the canals to tn
spot our ditching, plowing and cult
waiting engines and attach them to tn
pumps. Thus arranged, with contro
of the water, these blocks of land ar
in condition for the most successful
rice culture.
Operations were begun in Decem
Der, 1883, with large force and al
the implements necessary to drain tht
land. The cost of reclaiming the lanc
was found to be SO per acre. The re
claimed marshes were found mucl
richer than the adjacent uplands, ant
excellent for meadows and pastures
having great depth of rich SOIL"
Even these lands which have moi
been entirely drained and brought tc
cultivation have been utilized as 4
grazing field for cattle, with good re,
suits both in Louisiana and Florida
Stock raising is now a leading in
terest of the Louisiana sea marshes
AT present 1000 acres support from
so to 200 cattle, but the time is not
far distant when more will be demand,
ed of the land. The marshes that
afford the best pasturage are flooded
only by high storm tides, and could
be protected by dikes three or four
feet high, while the bitches excayated
by steam dredges in making such
dikes would, with tide-gates, relieve
the land of water to such a degree
that some of the finer pasture grasses
would flourish. How far this would
increase the stock-bearing capacity of
the land has not been proved, but,
the land being of unlimited fertility,
it is probable that with the water
kept at least foot below the surface
each acre would feed an OK. An ex-
pertinent in such partial reclamation
would be watched with great interest
The climate of the Gulf coast favors
the culture of cotton, cane and rice,
which tlourishes nowhere better than
ON reclaimed lands, and their special
fitness for winter and spring vegeta-
bles and certain semi-tropical fruits is
not disputed.
Immigration at the Exposition.
The following contains the ingre-
dent points of circular received by
us from Commissioner of immigration
w. Ii. Harris, and we recommend a
careful perusal of same, as it refers to
some things which will prove of i'm
portance to the people of Calcssieu;
The Louisiana State Bureau Of I'M
migration will make an exhibit at the
North, Central and South American
Exposition. The Louisiana commits
sioner, Col. d. F. Boyd, has assigned
ample space in the Louisiana Depart
ment for this purpose, and the Com
missioner of Immigration appeals to
the press, the police juries and the
citizens of the State to aid him in not
only making an attractive display for
our visitors, bnt in practical effort
to attract immigration and benefit the
State.
There are tens of thousands of
acres of valuable lands throughout the
State, which in the hands of the pres
ent owners are dead capital for the
lack of money to develop them, The
will endeavor to bring
the immigrant farmer or capilitist
who may visit the Exposition in con
TACT with the owners of these lands.
With this view he desires to obtain
he location, description and price
1f every tract of land for sale in the
State. He is now preparing a largo |
,ownship map of the State, on which
will be located all the State and Uni |
ed States lands. TIC location of all |
private tracts of land sent him will
llso be hung up in the Exposition,
where all visitors may inspect it. The
Commissioners of Immigration has re-
luested the police juries to prepare
md send maps of their respective
parishes and specimens of soils and
minerals, which will be conspiciously
displayed.
At the late Worlds Exposition
arge numbers Of visitors inquired for
ands which could be bought The
commissioner suggests to large land
,wners, in sparsely settled localities,
he giving away of small alternate
racts to actual settlers as the means
# securing population and enhancing
be value Of their lands. Many thou
and hand books of Louisiana, in
English, French and German, will be
distributed from the immigration ex-
ibit. All dcsirons of aiding in this
movement should address William Ii.
Iarris, Commissioner of immigration,
10 Grayier street, New Orleans.
Profs. johnson and Enderle, Of the
!. S. Geological Survey, who are at
resent investigating the mineral re-
ources of North Louisiana, report the
iscoVery Of iron ore in great abund-
nee in the northern portion of Web
ter parish. These gentlemen express
themselves as greatly surprised at the
quantities and superior quail
.y Of the ore found.
A recent writer asserts that the
exes are gradually, but surely, drift
~ apart. This statement was made,
owcyer, before the advent pf the sea
on when frozen lacteal nourshment
oneeals the sexes in powerful bond
1 sympathy and npion. Bostoa
Tines.
s.IIa oallaJ me an ass.n y exclaimed an