The Opelousas courier., 1888-12-22
Washington, La, as a Manufac
turing Centre.

soil, products, climate and health. Nov
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 ii
the able official journal, your cores
pendent would ask a portion of your
valuable space to present the claims o
Washington, more particularly as s
mechanical and manufacturing centre
Few localities, inside or outside O.
the State, are SO favorably situated il
all of those surroundings, which viii
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 conflu.
ence of the bayous Cocodrie and Beuf
on the C~ourtableau. In age it is coe-
va@~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
Courtabieau, thence into the Atchafa-
lava, thence into the mouth of the Red
river to the Mississippi, requiring thir-
ty-six hours to make the entire run
from Washington to the Crescent City.
Sugar, cotton, and other produce were
brought down the bayous Cocodrie and
Beuf in barges and small steamers for
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 fin
| est agricultural soil in st. Landry lies
around Warrington. North, east and
south aEe bayou lands whose fertility
cannot 0be surpassed in Southwestern
Louisiana. With ordinary cultivation,
and without the use of fertilizers, good
crops are the rule and not exception.
These lands are i~ntelligently and tho
roughly cultivated, and when good sea
sons prevail from 2 to A hogsheads of
sugar, from 40 to 60 bushels of corn,
and from | to II bales of cotton can 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
almvial lands. The finest crops of su-
gar cane, cotton, corn, rice, oats, mil
let, sweet and Irish potatoes are pro-
duced. on these lands, without fertiliz-
ers aM with ordinary cultivation. In
the way of fruits, almost all varieties
are grown, and the Mount Hope nur-
sery, owned by Mr.. T. j. Lacy, n
mile sonth of Washington, is ample
proof O. what the soiFwill do in fruits.
Mr.. Lacy never fails to take first prizes
in all the fairs for fine pears, peaches,
grapes,s Japanese persimmons, etc.
Figs, blackberries, m~uscadines and
Awild grapes are SO abundant that they
sare not yet utilized by drying or can
ming. Vegetables of every variety are
cultivated and grown to perfection.
Although the country is pretty thickly
settled, yet lands can be had on rea-
sonable terms and prices-from $40 to
$50 per acre, according to improve
mentrand proximity to baSou front or
railroal. House rent in. Swn is quite
low, Ringing from $5 to SIS per month,
according to size ofthe building. Town
property can also be bought on reason
able terms and prices. We have spok-
en- of the agricultural advantages sur
rounding the place to show the solid
and permanent basis which supports
its prosperity in the future !; and now
we propose to point out its other mate
rial advantages that give it still greater
possibilities whenever capital steps in
with its 'sopen sesame and unlocks
the hidden wealth of this most favored
locality.
Washington is built on the west side
of the bayou Conrtableau, on a high
and rolling situation which acts as a
natural watershed in draining it east
andeWest to the two bayous that flank
its limits. 1t has a population of about
1900 inhabitants, and the health of the
place will compare .fayorably with all
other sections of the parish. There are
some thirty business establishments of
various kinds. including dry goods,
groceries, drug stores, warehouses, ba-
keries, confectioners, hotels, saloons,
ice house, ETC., beside the usual mum
Der of barber shops, shoemakers, black
smith and wagon shops, restaurants,
livery stables, etc. There is a blind
and sash factory, planning mill, cotton
seed oil mill, shingle and saw mill, and
cooper shop. Cisterns of all sizes are
also manufactured. There are four
resident physicians and one dental
surgeon.
There are several churches repre-
senting the different Christian demon
inations, and the Jewish citizens have
their synagogue. There are several
schools, public and private, which are
under the direction Of competent teach
ers, and whose sessions continue from
six to 10 months in the year. Chief
among the educational institutions isl
the Mount Carmel Convent, for young
ladies, whose able management and
curriculum will compare with any sim
liar Institution of learning in the coun
try. The Rev. Father Jouan is the
resident priest, an able and Jealous
and has a large congregation
under bis charge.
In the way of amusements the town
has two excellent brass bands, string