St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-03-02
Louisiana's Bright Future.

In conversation recently with very ID
telligent gentleman on various topics, but
mostly concerning Louisiana's bright flu
ture, we asked the following questions
which seemed to wind the gentleman up
like a clock, andS we thought he would
never get through, but he did, and we
sat right down to see if we could not
reproduce it, and SO we will do the best
we can:
Question-A perscn having $4,000 to
invest in city property. "W ould you in
vest in one lot and building, free OF mort
gage, at cost of sec, 900. or would you
invest in two houses cost $40, 900 each and
carry mortgage of $40, 000?' THAT de-
pends," says the gentleman. Lets figure
little. The rent on the two houses would
amount to perhaps, $4,000, interest, taxes,
insurance, etc, would amount to perhaps,
$1,000, leaving an income of $4,000. The
rent of one house would be $4,000, interest,
taxes, insurance, etc, $500, leaving an in
come of $1,000. We have as a result of our
calculation an inducement of $500 to
build two houses instead of one
''This calculation comes up very well
on paper but is it not risky to make the
venturet"
Zone should use good judgment, mis-
takes are often made, States as well as in
dividuals, run into a non progressive state
sometime by trying to run everything on
the ''too much economy" style. and the
consequence is individual loss, a strain of
State finances, feeling of envy sets up,
and there seems to be general kicking
by everyone at everything. OF course,
this state of affairs cannot last long in any
State, a reaction takes place sooner or
later"
''Let me tell you something about the
State of Kansas, going back, We will say
about twenty years. The growth of Kansas
from the wild plains only few years ago
to the prosperous State she is now is GER
tainly wonderful. Kansas had her draw
backs in drouths, grasshoppers, border
rutfians, ETC., but she came boldly through,
and rapidly to the front. This was due to
the liberal spirit of her State government,
and of the various city governments within
her borders. The State from the first took
high ground on education and gave in
ducements to the building of railroads.
Towns and cities and individuals bid for
railroads and said "come this way" for
fifty or one hundred thousand dollars A
gentleman who homeste AIDED in Kansas
about twenty years ago says for every man
who made failure or lost money in real
estate in Kansas, who invested about that
time he could find hundreds who were sue
cessful and were Independent farmers.
Kansas motto is Through difficulties to
the stars" and she steadily pressed for
ward toward the high mark"
''Let me tell you, sir Louisiana is just
fairly entering the brightest day of her
existence. The tide of eastern capital has
turned, and in it's southwark flow it banks
against the Gulf and is inundating the
surrounding country and leaving rich
sediment. Prosperity, the greatest the
State has ever known is in sight She
can couple thousand advantages with her
climate, and the vast North is beginning
to find it out A liberal spirit on the part of
the State and the parishes, towns and viii
lagos just at this time in the build
ing of railroads, dirt roads and in public
education will build Louisiana even above
Kansas. The flow of immigrants which
is now coming in would be increased to
enormous proportions at rapid rate. The
wealth of the State would soon reach to
such enormous proportions that she would
be able to reduce the rate of taxation,
which is already low, or else appropriate
it for such school purposes. Yes, | would
say in Louisiana to-day is the best place
know of for investment. When large
capitalists are taking hold it is safe for
those of moderate means to invest. Louis
lana is now in a condition when you can
make the venture the double investment
without running risk. She is safe, and
every dollar invested in Southwest Louis
lana now at the present prices of her real
estate may easily be doubled in a few
years. "-Erchange.