The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1886-05-15
WnysEde Notes.
Special Correspondence 70 the Echo.
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4 Your correspondent had occasion
to visit this thriving little town during
the present week, which is situated 2;
miles east Of Lake Charles, and was no
n littlesnrprised to see so many evidon
ces of push and progress, as was man,
ifcst on every hand.
In 1879 the only resident of thii
| place was Mr.. Henry Welsh, from
whom the town derives its name. He
was engaged in merchandising, and
was forced TO haul his goods from the
Mermentau river, distance, by the
rout taken, Of so miles.
The oath day of August, 1880,
marked a new era in the history Of
this entire section and Welsh, accept
ing the situation, began life anew,
thrilled by the laundering Of Che first
passenger train that ever crossed our
western plains. Dating from this
event is growth of Welsh, and while
it has at no time been subject to in
flated booms, its constant healthy
growth has been quite satisfactory
until to-day, it is town of some pre-
tentions, while its Importance as a
shipping point is second to but few
places along the line of this railroad.
The present business firms are as
follows: Coleman D. Welsh, dealer
in general merchandise, agricultural
implements, improved machinery, etc.
Mr. Welsh is the postmaster Alex
ander Ferret is carrying at least a
$4,000 stock of well assorted, well ar
ranged goods of everything usually
kept by progressive merchant. Mr..
L. ]. Renguet has quite an extensive
stock of groceries, liquors and tobac-
cos, and comes in for his full share of
the trade. Mr.. Renguet is proprietor
of the St. Louis hotel, No. 2 Films
street. Stop with him. Next comes
Mr.. Octave Gaidry, who has one of
the fullest stores we have ever seen,
and from what we saw, think he is
doing a good business. Last, but not
least comes Mr.. Valrie Bernard, who
is not a whit behind the others.
DIR. S. B. Singleton and DR.. Marion
E. Harrison are resident physicians,
and are perhaps, to use the expression
of jocose felIow-practitioner, finding
it distressingly healthy at the present
season; however, as there practice ex-
tends over quite large area, they
will find quite enough to do. DIR.
Singleton is also engaged in the drug
business.
Welsh has a very nice school house
and church, prerequisites to the pros
perity and healthy growth of any
town. The people are alive to their
moral and intellectual interests. The
recent purchase of 1900 acres of land
adjacent to the town by the Messrs.
VanOrsdel, and which they propose
TO utilize in the way of a stock farm,
promises something more for Welsh.
The stock around Welsh are in fine
condition, having rapidly regained their
flesh after the severe winter. The
agricultural interest around this
place is being rapidly developed,
and in this connection we cannot do |
better than give an account of the
success which has attended the we'll
industry of single individ-
nal during the past three years. Some
time during the month of November,
1882, an old gentleman named Jean
came to Welsh in search of
land, having with him letter of in
Production to Capt. Geo. o. Films from
an old comrade Of the Captain. The
next morning the Captain had him
put to see piece of vacant land lying
in the suburbs of town, with which
Mr.. B. was very well pleased, and up
On which he at once determined TO
AXE homestead. The papers were
arranged, the homestead entry fee
paid, and about $500 placed in the
hands of Mr.. Henry Welsh, with the
that a building at once be
,rected. Mr.. B. left the same day for
New Orleans. When the dwelling
vas completed, which was about the
of the year 1883. the old
gentleman returned and began to .
work the place: erecting fences, throw
ne up leyies, etc. The end of the
Irst year found him out for every
hing buildings, fencing, seed rice,
tc.-$l600; while his first crop
rought him $l153. The second crop !
f rice gave $500, and the third, which
'as the crops of 1885, yielded TOO J
arrels, or near $4,000 worth of rice.
ir, B. has now in rice about so acres,
art Of which was sowed in February,
nd is now near two feet high, and
ooded--almost beyond the possibility 4
{ failure. Beside the rice crop /
acre is on the place fine young or
hard, excellent vegetable garden, oat
nd corn crop growing. The most re
thing connected with the r
istory of this old mans success is the :
let that, Notwithstanding he must be d
early sixty years old, he has done q
Try nearly all the work himself. q y
To those who desire good place to q
tile and succeed, we recommend y
'elsh; and to those who want an ex- I.
nple Of what well-directed industry
III do, see Mr.. Jean Beaufort. p
w. M. 4. A