The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1888-08-25
Abtey!lle ,,sey;diona!,
s.ettyr from shell kssiiGfs.

On tho western border If Ncr-
nliion parish l,os The beautiful sheet
Of water, Lake Arthur, Upon III
banks. which arc broken by a pleas,
ing irlfGuIGii:y, now RAINING ont
INTO poluts, and now rocedins and
forming little bays, we have q fringe
Of forest traes--livc oak, cypress
and gum, with here and there nestled
N a grove Of orange trees, an old
home, where children, and in many
eases grandchildren, have been Q
ed - manhood and womanhood. For
while not a thickly settiod country,
"tIIl this. has been populated Tor
many years. Being out OF the way
aud inaccessible hut few people were
aware of the great beauty and the
possibilities Of, Lake Arthur and
surrounding country. Within o few
years, however, the eye OF immIgra-
tion las been upon our land, and we
find many desirable families from
tho cold North, not only casting
longing eyes upon our land Q. fruit
and Howers, but they arc already
knocking at car door for admission,
end the question for us to answer is.
shall we open our doors and receive
them cordially, Or shall We give them
a reception as cold az the winters OF
their Northern homes.
1t is not necessary to dwell long
upon the advantages we will derive
from this immigration. We have all
seen, and we all know, that il IN
creasss tho value Of our lands, il
aiyea a market for our fruit and
produce, it gives US moro and better
schools, in n thousand ways we are
benefited, shall we then try to keep
back that which will help us more
even than wo al estimate No;
bet let us welcome with outstretched
arms oil good, Industrious settlers
who come among us with q view to
make homes for themselves and their
families. But there are some things
eIse that We must do; we must put
our advantages forward in the hest
possible light, and remove any dis.
advantages that may exist. Among
other things it is imperative that the
western part of Vermilion parish
have at least one public road leading
toward the county seat. On the
eastern side Of Vermilion bayou
there are many roads, and the psrisl,
has spent thousands Of dollars on
them, bnt cross the bayou to the
west, and when you leave it a few
miles, you are entirely without pub.
Tic roads. l am sure | speak within
bounds when | say that there is not
a public road within thirty miles of
The western boundry Of Ve-milion
parish. The people living along
Lake Arthur are particularly incon.
y~enienced by being obliged to open
and close thirteen gates within q
distance Of six miles, and are con.
s%tantly m private property, liable
any d4y to be refused the privilege
Of passing through any Of these
places. Ard 70 reach Abbeyille, the
county scat, lhey must 90 around
into Cameron parish, making a much
longer drive; and, should the water
be as ell high, they cant go at all.
We nus} have a direct road from
LIKE Arthur TO AbbcvilIe, and we
mast have it at once. An effort was
uade last winter to secure this road
ard ;6r twenty-five miles the people
we're unanimously in favor Of it, bu1
the police jury refused US what they
should have granted years ago, be
canse, ye gods, there was one "o!i
sheeH' opposed to the improvement
a dog Ill the nlanger," who woule
rot buy lands himself. but wishes tt
keep Others from doing SO. Thi'
ono kicker does not own a foot 0
land in the FGlish outside OF lh'
graveyard; has sent his cattle ant
nonies into o,hor parishes, 50 tina
lie pays but very little tax here. /
ii right, is it Justice, that hundred
should . deprived Of their right
because Of orc such non as this
VS.. slc!, is the case, and l wish t
state the facts fully and clearly tha
oil may read and know, then let sh
blame rest where it belongs. But
wouia urge earnestly that our polio