St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-05-25
THE PRESS CONVENTION.
Louisiana Newspaper People at
Thibodaux.
FULL PROCEEDINGS.
Addresses of Welcome, Poems, Essays,
and Resolutions.

Association met here at $3.50 p. m. to-day.
The train which left New Orleans at
II :25 this morning brought quite number
of members from North Louisiana and the
East bound train also brought large con-
tingent from other parts of the State. The
proverbial hospitality of this thriving lit
tie city is sustained on this occasion, for
everyone with whom the members have
come in contact has been unsparing in
little courtesies and attentions.
Fireman's Hall, where the convention is
held, is handsomely decorated with flowers
and plants. The ladies of Thibodaux
grace the convention by their attendance,
and they have also actively attended to
number of the arrangements for the con-
venience and comfort of visitors.
Among those who have taken great in
terest in maintaining Thibodaux's hospi-
tality and who have materially assisted
the committee, are MIS-. Lambert, Mrs.
Curtis, Miss Binning and other charming
ladies.
The decoration of the hall was under
charge of Hon. /. D. Moore, and he was
assisted throughout by the above named
ladies. A splendid upright Emerson
piano, kindly loaned by Mr.. Junius Hart,
the music dealer of New Orleans, sets in
front of the stage.
The committee of arrangements is COM
posed o. about thirty citizens of the parish,
who selected an executive committee OF
five, composed as follows: s. T. Grisa-
more, chairman l. D. Moore, F. w. Mich
OILS, II. N. Coulon and ]. l.. Aucoln. Too
much praise cannot be given the commit
tee, especially the interchangeable chairman,
for their zeal and energy in arranging all
the details necessary. The members OF
this committee met the trains at Schriever,
furnished visitors with cards to their re-
spective places of entertainment, then came
to Thibodaux, where carriages awaited the
guests. Numbers of ladies and gentlemen
were at the depot, and when the train ar
rived the band struck up lively air, and
there was general waving of handker-
chiefs and hats.
So perfect were the arrangements that
the visitors were soon comfortably quar-
tered in the hotels and at private houses
The executive committee was ably assisted
by DIR. John Gazzo, T. Roger, Oscar LIE
pine, L. H. Calfouet and F. Samoan.
Arrangements had been made for an
excursion forty miles down the bayou on
the steamer Lafourch for next Wednesday,
w
come in, the steamer Alice Leblanc, a
lighter draught vessel, will take the visi-
tors short distance down the bayou, where
the day will be spent in picnic.
The afternoon was spent by the visitors
strolling around town, taking in the sights
and forming the acquaintance of citizens
The clock in the town hall, which the
committee claims strikes the hours of day
and mig hit in ten languages, was an object
of great curiosity. Even the jail was
viewed from the outside with great inter
est, and the general impression OF Thibo-
daux upon the minds of the visitors is
certainly favorable one.
The proceedings this evening opened
with music, and the programme included
a number of fine vocal selections, rendered
by chorus of twelve or fifteen voices,
conducted by Prof. Chol. The large hall
was crowded with visitors and citizens,l
who listened attent1vely to addresses of
welcome by J. L. Aucoin, mayor of Thibo-
daux, and s. T. Grissamore, president of
the police jury.
The mayor spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press Con-
vention-It is my pleasing duty as chief
magistrate of Thibodaux to extend to you
a welcome to our walls. We deeply ap-
preciate the compliment involved in the
selection of our town as your place of
meeting, and we realize the many and
great advantages to be derived from the
presence in our midst of SO influential a
body as the Press Convention of the State
of Louisiana. We recognize the tremen-
dous power for good of the pen when
welded by an editor of correct principles
and by one who is thoroughly conscien-
tious in his noble avocation. We know
that upon us devolves the duty of enter
tanning you with genuine Southern hospi-
tality, and that the good impression which
we hope to make on you will depend upon
our efforts to please. Preparations have
been made to render your stay with US as
pleasant as possible, and from what /
know of the warm. hearted and liberal
character of our people, / am safe in prom
Using you every attention to your comfort
which hearty good will and strong de-
sire to please can dictate to a people You
will find in Thibodaux no ruins associated
with memories of heroic deeds, no grand
and imposing structures, but you will see
neat and trim garden spots with every
variety of flower and shrub in bloom you
will find system of sidewalks second to
none in the State, perfect cleanliness in
the streets and in the cutters, a church
which will compare favorably with that
of any other country town in the South,
and above all you will become acquainted
with people who know how to dispense
hospitality to the stranger within the
gates. again bid you welcome and trust
that when the time comes for you to take
your departure, you will carry with you
none but the pleasantest impressions Of
our town, our section and our community.
Loud applause.
MIR. GRIsAMoRE's ADDRESS
was then delivered, as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Louisiana
Press Association-The duty of extending
to you welcome in behalf the citizens of
Lafourche parish is devolved upon me. It
is a source of much pleasure and some
thing unusual in the history of this parish
to have assembled within it's boundaries
such an able and talented representation
coming from all parts of Louisiana, and
the people whom represent on this occa
sion are gratifed that an opportunity is
given them to extend to you the right
hand of friendship, and to greet you as
fellow citizens of one great State. 1t will
afford thempleasure to exhibit to you some
of the natural beauties, the vast resources,
great capabilities and the outward evil
dences of prosperity that the parish of
Lafourche possesses. They will be pleased
to form your acquaintance and to receive
from you valuable information concern
ing those parts Of our State that you
severslly represent.
In your association are the men who, to
certain extent, mold public opinion, who
record the current histories Of your re-
spective parishes, who proclaim to the
world the grandeur and progress of your
State in its onward march of prosperity,
and who hold the helm that guides our