The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-08
ON THE CALCASIEU RIVER.
The Land of the Cypress and Myrtle,
Where Summer Ever Blows.
Penetrating the Beauties of Western Louis
iana-A Gigantic Enterprise of
Northern Brains and Energy.
of tho Indianapolis Journal.


BY most happy surprise the writer finds
himself far away from his Indiana home, gliding
over the dark waters of this deep, silent river
And he feels bound to confess that the surprises
awaiting him here are even greater and more
agreeable than the one which was the cause of
his coming. OF course, he had heard much, in
a general way-as who has not!--of western
Louisiana. The regions of the Teche and ''the
fair Opelousas" are far-famed for their sugar
plantations and cotton fields Some consider
them the garden spots of the United States.
Our ''ooys" who soldiered there never tire of
telling of their beauty and richness. They
camped in the great ar-houses, used barrels
and barrels of molasses for tafy, found every
tree full of turkeys and chickens, as well as
oranges, and ''the sweet potatoes Tor yams) al
most tumbled from the ground" lr. Longfel-
low has also mmortalized these sections. 1t
was there that the exiled Acadians found
home, and there Evangeline, with
affection that hopes and endures, and
is patient vainly sought for Gabriel
But these are further east. We passed through
them in coming here In this more extreme
western part of the State is where 1 meet with
surprises. | find here broad and royal river
almost 200 miles long, navigable for river boats
of largest size for about $50 miles, l find dozen
or more charming lakes, varying in width from
two to twelve miles and from three to thirty in
length; find great business interests and gigan-
tic enterprises the like of which unknown
outside of the dominions of Uncle Sam, and yet,
must confess it2 1 had never before even so
much as heard of them; or, if had, it was only
70 hear their names 70 forpat them again How
many of your readers know anything about this
. Calcaseu river pronounced Cal ca-shewl, or the
lake of The same name, or Grand lake, Little
Jake. Lake Michael, Lake Charles, ETC.. |?
Yet here they are, and more like them, "as big
as life and twice natural" Some of these
lakes are real gems for beauty. They have high
banks, 'pebbly shores and sandy bottoms, with
heavy forests Of dark evergreens wierdy fes
TONED in mistletos and Spanish IN oss, grandly
mirrored IN their clear limpid waters.
Taking the Morgan line railroad formerly
the New Orleans & Brashier City at New Or
leans, and changing onto the Western Louisiana
at Lafayette formerly Vermillionville) the west
ern bound traveller comes to the town of Lake
Charles. 1t is pleasantly situated on high
ground, overlooking the lake of the same name.
220 miles from New Orleans. Like the lake, it
seems to have been here ''since the time whereof
the memory of man seemeth not to the con-
trary" But before the building of the railroad
some four years ago, it was place Of little con-
sequence; since then it has grown until some es-
innate the population as high as 800 1t is just
at the southern edge of what is thought to be
the finest body of pine timber in the South Thir
teen steam saw mills operated in the immedi
ate vicinity. / am sorry to learn flor the credit
of the South) that the mills all owned, and
the timber has all been bought up by Northern
men. There is also considerable building
done there. The workmen in both the mills and
ship-yards are nearly all white men, and largely
from the North. met one intelligent mechanic
who was born and bred Koosier He was
member of the Twenty fourth Regiment, and af
ter the war returned to Texas, whence he strayed
into tbs odd corner
The lake after which the town was named is a
delightful sheet of water. A home locatedon its
high bluffs, at the touch of art and refinement
would become paradise. In it's gardens and
orchards the seasons would kiss one another in
peace, and each would yield its fruit every day
in the year. A fragrant bouquet of spring flowers
and an armfu of ripe, sweet oranges were gath
cred from the same door yard for a member of
our party day before yesterday.
ride down the river TO the Gulf of Mexico, on
a steamer. can never be forgotten. The scenery
is not grand at any time, but pleasing all the way
For while the view is far out over the level
cane flats, SwarInlnG with myriadS of BIRDS
which, like ourselves, are spending the winter In
the South. Then it is nearer by, shut up by
the great curve of the bluffs, variegated as they
are by the green of the pine, live oak, magno-
liza aud mistletoe mingled with the graver hues of
the gum, cottonwood cypress and Spanish moss
Now, we are sweeping by shlp-yard or saw
mill, and here and there are homeike residences,
perched high above the water, and fanked on
either hand by grove of shapely orange trees
With such surroundings, the regular thud of the
engine, the escape oil the steam at measured in
tervals the splash of the revolving paddles, and
the refined iests the sweet songs, the lively con-
versation of congenial company constitute real
poem of human existence. We pass through a
great many little lakes, of no geographical i'm
portance, but they break The monotony. The
river is also very crooked in places. Often q
schooner under full sail, in going round a bend
ahead of us will seem to be standing out in the
open prairie. Allgators are as plenty as frogs
in Cass county pool Their skins being now of
commercial value, however, they promise to be
scarce soon. We talked with man who said
he caught nearly 600 last season. He took over
100 out OF a hole of less than quarter of an
acre. About half way from Lake Charles
to the Gulf enterprise is under way which
has impressed me being remarkable.
Less than two years ago there appeared IN this
vicinity. a quiet, unassuming, plainly dressed
man, height five feet six, weight about 1876
pounds, with keen, shrewd little eyes and med
itative expression. Nobody seemed to know
who he was or what he wanted Some said he
was an invalid in search of health, others (who
probably wanted to do him an injury said he
was Newspaper correspondent, etc. He
looked around little and disappeared. In few
days the natives had learned that he had been
there to inspect the country with view of set
4 L.. y 4 4.
farm, viz: Between a million and million and
aquarter acres No need of being specific as to
q few odd thousands. 1t is an amount equal to
three average counties in Indiana and comprises
80 per cent of all the land in district running
100 miles along the Gulf of Mexico and running
back. on conveying lines, thirty miles;