The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-12-12
Letter mon. sueartown.
SUaARrowN, La, Nov. so, 1885.
Editor Lake Charles Echo;

SUGARTowE, La, NOV. 5V, 1862
Editor Lake Charles Echo;
l send you few items from the
supper country"
Crops are now all harvested, and
we may take a retrospective view OF
the past season. Take it all in all it
is somewhat better than last, but 1.-THE
yield is not near what it promised to
be in the early part of the season.
The yield of cotton is about the same
that it was last year. Corn is a little
better. Sweet potatoes and vegetables
about the same, while the cane crop
is the best ever known in these parts.
think we have stalk of cane in this
neighborhood that rather beats Mr..
Eaves, Of Merryvile. Mr.. J. B. Young
has cane grown on his farm that
measures 0 feet and 3 inches, has 22
matured joints, is IL inches in diane
ter and weighs 8 pounds. Come
again, Mr.. Editor, and We" twill go You
quarter better"
J. NJ. Dear d Co., have finished
burning their bricks. They have q
large kiln of the best bricks ever made
in this section. They are Of a light
color, but very firm and tough, and
ring like glass. They are pronounced
by good judges to be very fine. .
Rev. Warren Hamilton has employ
ed first-class mason and is having two
fine chimneys put to his new house
near Sugartown,
You were misihformed in regard to
Prof. M. Il. Shaddock going to Alex
andria to teach, lie is still here, and
will soon commence another session OF
his school. This community is FORUM
ate in having the services ofsuch man
as teacher, and ought to appreciate
him properly. Qualifications and fit
ness for the position should govern
our choice, and not allow prejudice or
the peculiarites of tho man to con
troll in the selection of teacher.
Some of our citizens have been hav-
ing some difficulty in regard to their
homesteads by not having their bust
ness properly attended to, and by fail
ing to comply with the law governing
the same. | am glad to know that
the Government is looking after these
things to give honest settlers their
rights, and prevent imposition BY
parties to whom they have intrusted
their business, who collect money
from them to speculate on instead OF
applying it to the making or COM
pleting their homesteads, and their
failing to comply with the law In such
cases. have been informed by some
parties that they have placed money
In the hands Of an agent at Lake
Charles, which has remained in his
hands for twelve months, and they
have lost their homesteads by his neg
Iect, or failure to comply with his
duty. There has been great amount
of land grabbing and titles unlawfully
obtained all over the land, both by
individuals and railroad corporations,
and it rejoices the heart of every
honest man TO know that the present
Administration is taking steps to put
a stop to these irregularities.
While | still believe our school
system is very imperfect; | will not
now discuss The subject, lest some
near-sighted individual may make u
personal matter of it and accuse me
of throwing stones at him. But there
is another subject that many IN this
section wonId like to sec agitated,
and that is a new parish. Tho time
is coming when a new parish will be
formed from the Northern portion Of
Galcasieu, and perhaps, one also, from
the Eastern portion, But we are more
deeply interested about new parish
here, from the fact that we are so
isolated from the present parish seat
We have a distance of over 90 miles
10 travel TO reach "; cross two ferries
and a marshy and watery road for
greater part of the distance, making
the expense Of a trip to and from Lake
Charles, not less than ten dollars and
iurymen by the time they make the
trip, remain there week and pay
Lake Charles prices, almost invariably
como out In debt. II Is pretty hard
for men to be compelled to spend
their time for the public and then
have to pay for il too. But some
may object, that we are too poor 10
bear the expense Of county buildings
and officers necessary for new parish.
Bnt there are men In and around