The Opelousas courier., 1888-12-15
Washington, La, as a Manufac
turing Centre.
ST. LANDRY PARISH, Sept. o, 1855
Editor of the South illustrated:

III dUIOuo IN ~
realize her magnificent advantages in
soil, products, climate and health. Now
that a new impetus has been given i'm
migration by the organization OF a reg
ularly organized bureau in New Or
leans, of which the South Illustrated is
the able official journal, your cores
poudent would ask a portion OF your
valuable space to present the claims OF
Washington, more particularly as q
mechanical and manufacturing centre.
Few localities, inside Or outside OF
the State, are so favorably situated in
all Of those surroundings, which will
build up and maintain, for an indefi-
mite period, so many industrial enter
prises. We know of no place that OF
fers so many inducements to the safe
investment of capital; where SO many
paying enterprises could be established
| without a clash of conflicting inter-
ests.
Washington is situated six miles
| from Opelousas, just below the cont1u-
| ence of the bayous Cocodrie and B9ut,
on the C~ourtableau. In age it is coe-
val with the commencement Of Opelou-
sas, and up to the time of building the
Morgan railroad through to Alexandria
it was the main if not the sole shipping
point of the entire parish. There is
| splendid navigation for the largest
| steamers for nine months in the year to
New Orleans, the route being down the
| Courtableau, thence into the Atcha1a-
lava, thence into the mouth OF the Red
river to the Mississippi, requiring thlr-
ty.six hours to make the entire nj
from Washington to the Crescent City.
Sugar, cotton, and other produce were
brought down the bayous Cocodrie and
Beuf in barges and small steamers Tor
~reshipment at Washington on the large
boats. But while the railroads have
diverted a considerable portion OF the
original commerce, the local trade OF
the surrounding country has steadily
increased with the growth OF popula-
ton and the advancing development of
the rich lands environing it. The nm
est agricultural soil in st. Landry lies
around Warrington. North, east and
south are bayou lands whose fertility
cannot be surpassed i'll Southwestern
Louisiana. With ordinary cultivation,
and without the use of fertilizers, good
crops are the rule and not exception.
These landsSpre intelligently and tho
roughly cultivated, and when good sea-
sons prevail from 2 to A h~ogsheads OF
suoar. from 40 to 90 bushels of corn,
and from | to l. sbales of cotton a be
made to the acre. West of the town
lie the broad prairies, threaded here
and there with woodlands, whose soil
is but little inferior in fertility to the
~alluvial lands. The finest crops OF sn-
car cane, cotton, corn, rice, oats, mil
let. sweet and Irish potatoes are pro-
dueed on these lands, without fertillz-
ers and with ordinary cultivation. La
the a of fruits, almost all varieties
are grown, and the Mount Hope nur'
sery. owned by MIR. T. J. Lacy, one
mile south of Washington, is ample
proof of whA the soil will do in fruits
MIR. Lacy never fails to take first prizes
in all the fairs for fine pears, peaches
grapes, Japanese persimmons, etc
Figs, blackberries, muscaGnes ano
wild grapes are SO abundant that they
; are not vet utilized by drying or can.
ming. Vegetables of every variety arr
= cultivated and@grown to perfection
Although the country is pretty thlcklJ
settled. vet lands a be had on rea
sonable terms and priees-from $40 t.
!. $50 per acre, according to improve
. ments and proximity to bayou front o.
? railroad. House rent in town Is quit
low. ranging from $5 to SIS per month
: according to size of the building. Tow
propertyacan also be bought on reasPn
able terms andAprices. We have s@ok
; en- of the agricd tural advantages sur
! rounding the pace to show the sole
and permanent basis which support
/, its prosperity in the future and noI
: we propose TO point out its other mate
! rial advantages that give it still create
!, possibilities whenever capital steps II
8 with it's ssopen sesame" and unlock
the hidden wealth of this most faVore
locality.
! Washington is built on the west $40
! Of the bayou Courtableau, con o mig
and rolling situation winch acts as
natural watershed in draining Ie eal
and west to the two bayous That a
its limits. It has a population OF aboI
yl1sOO inhabitants, and the health OF th
place will compare favorably with a
= other sections of the parish. There al
q some thirty business establishments
Q various kinds, including dry good
p groceries, drug stores, warehouses, D'
y keries. confectioners, hotels, saloon
y ice house, ETC., beside the usual nun
ls her of barber shops, shoemakers, blacl
y smitheand wagon shops, restaurant
D livery stables, etc. There is a bllI
IS and sash factory, planning mill, cotto
!, seed oil mill, shingle and saw mill, al
! cooper shop. Cisterns Of all sizes a
also manufactured. There are To-
! resident physicians and n den
surgeon.
There are several churches repr
santipg the different Christian demon
q nations. and the Jewish citizens ha'
y ! their synagogue. There are sever
schools, public and private, which Q
G under the direction Of competent teac
y ers, and whose sessions continue Irc
~ six to 10 months in the year. Cnl
u among the educational institutions
y tile Mount Carmel Convent, for your
ladies, whose able management 81
= curriculum will compare with any slt
y liar institution of learning in the cou
- try. The Rev. Father Jouan is y
y resident priest, an able and zealo
~ pastor, and has a large congregatlt
under his charge.
In the way of amusements d GOV
= has two excellent brass bands, stril
band. and d Philharmonic and DR.
-.at;a Aesoaiotian Thera il n hall f