St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-03-30
LOUISIANA.
FOUR YEARS AGO AND NOW.
THE soIL-PRODUCTs-CLI
MENTS-ETC.

THE sOIL-PRODUCTs-CLI
MENTs-ETC.
The following extracts are taken from
the Louisiana immigration Bulletin, editet
by T. w. Poole, Commissioner of Immi
grafton for the State of Louisiana:
The Louisiana of to day is a very differ
ent State from Louisiana of four, or ever
two years ago, with respect to immigra
ton. Within the former period, an ares
in her southwestern border, a belt fifty
miles long by twenty or more broad, has
been utterly TRANSPORTED by such notable
immigration from the west, that it is the
most distinctively Anglo Saxon migration
ever known to the South since the settle
ment of Jamestown Va, in the early his
tory of our civilization of this continen.
The character or quality of this immigra
ton is. beyond praise, viewed as mass
1t blends instantly in fraternal conference
with our people in enduring homogeneity
It's people are w-abiding, intelligent,
thrifty, industrious, in large proportion
we'll do Tin not few cases wealthy and
thoroughly in accord with the spirit of
American liberty. In almost every in
stance they pay cash for the land they
purchase In the cases where the earlier
settlers of more moderate means have pur-
chased or taken homesteads, the great in
crease in value of their holdings has
placed them with few exceptions, in po-
sition of competency, so that, as body,
| they constitute such an aggregation of
landowners, free from indebtedness that
no part of the United States furnishes a
parallel to.
| Only few years ago was felt the first
impress of this progress that has now SO
deeply and durably engraven it's fair fea-
lures UPON Louisiana.
PERSONS AND PAPERS.
Mr.. S. L. Carey, formerly of Man
chester, Iowa, was induced to To-
cate in Calcasieu parish through the i'm
portunity of Commissioner Harris. With
patience, sagacity, industry and man
agement ;t<uly remarkable, this pioneer
set to work to populate the area then un-
known to the foot of the western immi-
grant. He secured some land, prevailed
on his kindred to settle from the West !;
laid off the town of Jennings, and soon
had nucleus of western men. ayr ]
A. D. McParlain, native, was CO worker
and joint-owner of this town. A little
later, Mr. J. B. Watkins sears1, an i'm
mense AREA million and ad!alf, ,hhcres or
more, and soon laid the foundgs,on of
those prodigious and expensive pE fes of
development, and immigration propay linda
which soon afterwards characterized his
efforts, and which are still in force.
Early in the year 1886, the Times Demo-
crat, one of the leading papers of the
South, journal of great authority, of
New Orleans, Louisiana, secured the
services of Col. M. B. Hillyard. This
gentleman travelled over much of South
west Louisiana, and wrote many letters
about that area.
His letters were widely republished in
the West, and were reproduced in num-
Der of journals in England. These letters
contributed much to the development of
Southwest Louisiana, as is generally con-
coded by the people of this State, and the
country at large.
Shortly after Col Hillyard's work in the
Times Democrat, Mr.. j. B. Watkins began
to print The american at Lake Charles,
La, and to commence that large and lib
eral system of development of his lands,
and advertising them. The whole adjacent
country felt the influence of these costly
endeavors, and Lake Charles felt, particu-
larly, the work, which is written in pro-
gress of larger character than any town in
Southwest Louisiana, or, perhaps, the
State. AS an assistant in this work, he
had Professor s. A. Knapp, formerly pres
dent of the Iowa Agricultural College, who
by tongue and pen and many phases OF
public action and marked Identification
with industrial affairs, has, in brief So
journ in Louisiana, made reputation here
second only to that of the great distinction
he achieved in Iowa. The other great
assistant of Mr.. Watkins was Professor A.
Thomson, formerly of Iowa, and brother
in-law of this gentleman "a civil engineer)
has had the practical oversight and execu-
ton of many schemes of Mr.. Watkins and
his own, and some in connection with Pro
fessor Knapp in their own interests.
A steady and liberal co-worker in
the development of Southwest Louisiana
has been the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The country SO greatly developed, OF
which we have been speaking, is situated
on their line. They have devised schemes
to foster immigration, having as Northern
immigration agent Mr.. S. L. Cary and
besides special rates for immigrants at all
times, run for the winter and late autumn
and early spring, semi monthly excursions
IN conjunction with the Illinois Central
Railroad, at very low rates, with MI. Cary
accompanying them as guide.
| The earlier work of commencing Lou.
isiana to the public had great help from 8
pamphlet from the pen of Col. Dan1 Den.
net aforesaid, entitled Louisiana As 1t Is >
This work was issued about the year 1875
and was chiefly devoted to the 'sAttakapas'
parishes of Southwest Louisiana. It is 8
noble work, and rather con ansore, by one
thoroughly conversant with the topic. Nc
| greater praises can be accorded it, than te
say that the United States Government has
adopted much of its subject matter In
pamphlet issued by the United States De
partment of Agriculture, entitled '"The
Soils and Products of Southwestern Louis
lana" In this pamphlet, Col. Dennet's
work is thus alluded to: '"The most accu
rate information in reference to the loca
ton and distances of the towns, rivers
lakes, bayous and railroads, is found in
Dement'S description Of Southwestern
| Louisiana"
VEGETABLES.
And as to vegetables and melons, where
can those raised here be surpassed?
The nut-bearing trees are worthy of {
chapter.
The flowers are beyond our pen, and
'sbeggar praise"
LIVE STOCK AND GRASSES.
The topics of live stock and grasses de
serve far more consideration than we car
accord them. Some of the most distin
guished thoroughbred horses the worle
has ever known, have been born and raiset
within the borders of this state.
| Mule raising, which has been only tn
vogue of late, has received a"great impetu