St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-26
Washington has a population ofabout

Washington has population ofabout
| one thousand five hundred and is an
important business and industrial point
OF great promise. Like Opelousas, it
has lovely homes and occupies beau
tiful and elevated site.
Leaving Washington, the visitors
| were taken to the celebrated Wood
worth Springs, located one mile ia the
direction of Opelousas. These spl ings
are situated jn natural park Of great
beauty. 1t is on rolling ground, shaded
by gigantic oaks, under which has been
erected permanent dancing Pavilion
Here the editorial visitors were for
mally welcomed in an eloquent ad-
dress by Mr.. B. F. Hardesty, which
was responded to by the President Of
the Press Association.
After the addresses, dinner was
served, on tables deliberately set and
! ornamented with profusion Of flow
ers. 1t was without exception, the fin
est open air spread we have ever seen,
and evinced the lavish liberality of the
people Of Washington. A thousand
val, which was brought to conclu-
sion with appropriate toasts and ad-
dresses by Col. A. j. Lafarse, Of Avoy-
Giles Hon. L. B. Claiborne, of Pointe
Coupee; Hon. Jas. Fl. Cosgrove, of
Natchitoches Nj. L. E. Bentley, Of
Ascension Hons. w. A. Robertson,
Laulent Dupre and Louis Prescott, of
St. Landry, the latter being the master
Of ceremonies Of the occasion, and other
gentlemen.
Near the grounds is the vast nursery
of Mr.. T. j. Lacy. 1t was extensively
visited, and the innumerable fruit
trees, rare plants and tlowels greatly
admired.
The ovations and hospitalities ex
tended to the State Press, Nv the good
people of Opelousas, Washington, and
of the neignboring country, constitute
nothing less than an impolta event
indicative of the progressive spirit that
is prompting the people Of our State to
cooperate with their press in inviting
migration and capital and the start
ing of industrial enterprises of every
character. They are recogzing the DO
tency OF the press, and are manifes,ing
their enthusiastic appreciation of the
patriotic policy that the Stale Press
Association is pursuing by visiting in
turn tue various p1 ominept points in
the State, with the object Of bliosing
them to the attention Of the world.
see our editorial tratel nitv, ou the verv
heels OF an exciting political campaign,
laying aside past differences to turn
faces towards the rising sun o. Loulsi-
ana's progress aud to note such god
speeds in their labor of love as the no.
Bile people OF the great parish of St.
Landry have bestowed upon them.
At last our people realizing the i'm
poltance Of uniting in concerted efforts
to develop the greatness OF their S.ate,
and the example of Sc. Landry needs
but to be followed by the other COM
muniiies and the glorious results that
the future has in store for Louisiana
will, ere long. be attained.
The Press Association has become i'm
bued bv an admirable esprit de corDs
and it now numbers on IFS rolls well
nigh four-tifths Of the papers Of the
State. tits hoped that the remainder
will be represented next year at Tbib-
odanx. which has been selected as the
place, OF meeting. The Association is
proud OF its talented membership,
more especially OF its distinguished rep
its roll the names Of Mrs. NJ. L. Field.
more widely known as the gifted
catherine Cole" OF the N. O. Picayune.
Mrs. Ella Bentley, of the DoualdsovjIle
Chief; Mrs. Ava Hildebrand, Of the |
Gretna Coulter; Mrs. Marie Louise
Garner, of the East Carroll Banner:
Miss Addie McGratl,, OF of the Baton |
Rouge Truth MIS-. Julia Rule, OF the |
Shreveport Times, and others. To this |
list of talented and accomplished wo-
men were added. at Opelousas, ttat of |
MIS-. E. J. Nicholson, of the N. @. Plea |
yune, whose sweet muse has ea,ped |
deserved celebrity for tie name of the |
pearl Rivers" To the honorary list |
were also inscribed the names Of Mrs. |
Marie 3. Williams, of OpeIousas, and |
Mrs. Matte HI. Williams, of Shreye-
port. The Louisiana Press Association
honors itself by honoring it's ladies and |
lis male members one and all, vie with
each other in showing them that defer
entail respect which chalactelizes the
manhood of Louisiana, in their conduct
towards her fair women. One of lhe
ice--presidents Of the Association, also
the Secretary, are ladies, aud in further
evidence OF The high regard in which
all the ladies are held, we will cite that
The Association singled out for exclu-
sive publication 10 the report of the
meeting. the addresses Of the ladies.