The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-08-22

LET THE ERROR BE CORRECTED.

| The average northern citizen seems
to be under the impression that the
great State of Louisiana is one in.
terminable succession of Dogs, la.
goons, swamps. marshes and frog
ponds. How they ever became pos
sessed of such an erroneous idea il
il bard to imagine. But one thing
is certain, q more untrue estimate oil
the topography of any country has
never worked against its prosperity
than that which generally prevails in
regard to Louisiana. 1t may be that
this unfortunate state of affairs is the
result of the charlatan and empiricist,
or it may be due to the misrepre-
sensations of rival communities which
hope to profit at our expense, In
either case it is time for these sys-
tematic Misrepresentation to cease.
Let the State press speak out against
the false position in which our fair
land has been placed by ignorant
and evil disposed persons, and let
our citizens embrace every opportu-
nifty to correctly inform every stranger
they meet of the true condition of
the territory within the State limits.
Talk to northern man about the
"hills" of Louisiana, and ninety-nine
times in hundred he would ridicule
the idea. Yet it is fact beyond
controversy that two-tbirds of this
State may be correctly classed as
chilly" while fully one-sixth OF it's
area is prairie. The census report
Of Prof Sargent to the u. S. De-
partment of the Interior, on the
forests and trees of North America,
accredits Louisiana with being nearly
three-fourths pine timbered, about
One-ffth of that urea being long leaf
pine. Every person who knows any
thing Of forestry knows that the
growth of pines is confined almost
exclusively to billy regions. OF course
the Professor does not claim that
this entire area is one vast pinery,
but very correctly informs the de-
partment that intermingled with the
pine, in more than half of this re-
gion, is to be found hickory, OAK,
chinquapin, walnut. cedar, etc. Other
interesting and valuable information
is that the density of the forests in
about one-half of the area of Louis
lana is from 100 to 200 cords per
acre, and in some places even 300
csrls per acre, about o10-third of |
this heavily timbered region being
pine entirely Here is the lumber
mans paradise
In this great region abounds clear
running brooks of crystal water,
creeks and bayous in which trout,
perch, and other fish can be seen ut |
q depth of several feet. There has |
been lots of talk about Louisiana |
swamps and marshes, let US have
something about her bubbling springs,
pebbly brooks and sand hills. Let |
the stranger know that as soon as he |
wades through few boys in the |
vicinity of New Orleans he can reach |
sol d ground, high and dry, over
which the foods have not rolled since |
the days of Noah. Let him know
that more than half of our so-called
"swampsiand, that lies along our
several rivers. is above all overflow,
while the balance is in no sense of
the word Swamp" Let him know
that it is the richest aud most desir- |
sble land in the world. Quit calling !
it swamp land, anyhow; the term is
misleading in the extreme. Call it
'allnvial land" which gives the only |
correct idea Of what it really is. Say |
it is'eubject to overflow or net, if you |
will. but always call it "aIIuvial.