St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-04
LOUISIANA.
FOUR YEARSsAGO AND NOW.

LO L NJ A1N ~.
FOUR YEARs.AG0 AND NOW.
THE soIL-PRoDUcTs-cLI
.MENTs-ETC.
The following extracts are taken from
the Louisiana immigration Bulletin, edited
by T. w. Poole, Commissioner of Immi-
grafton for the State of Louisiana:
The Louisiana of to day is very differ
emit State from Louisiana of four or even
two years ago, with respect to immigra-
ton. Within the former period, an area
in her southwestern border, 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 continent.
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 law abiding, intelligent,
thrifty, industrious, in large proportion
well to do lin not a 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 its fair fea-
lures upon Louisiana.
PERSONS AND PAPERS.
Mr.. S. L. Carey, formerly of Man
chester, Iowa, was induced to 10
cate in Calcasieu parish through the i'm
portunity Of Commissioner Harris. With
a patience, sagacity, industry and man.
agement truly remarkable, this pioneer
set to york to populate the area then I'M
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 a nucleus of western men. And Mr..
A. D. McFarlain, native, was co., .. Fer
and joint-owner of this town. A little
later, Mr.. J. B. Watkins secured an i'm.
mense AREA million and half acres or
more, and soon laid the oun'Sation of
those prodigious and expensive y sans of
development, and immigration pro. yaaad1
which soon afterwards character. his
efforts, and which are still in force .l'
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, SIS is generally con-
coded by the people of this State, and the
country at large. - E%
Shortly after Col 7Hillyards work in the
Times Democrat, Mr.. j. b. Watkins pegan
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
journin 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 engineeD
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 ePacifc RAILROAD
Tie 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
agent Mr.. s. e. Cary and
besides special rates for immigrants at all
times, run for the winter and late autumn
and early spring, semi. mont ly excursions
In conf unctionY with the Illinois Central
Railroad, at very low. rates, with Mr.. Cary
accompanying them as guide. 800
The earlier work of commencing Lou
isiana to the public had great help from a
pamphlet from the pen of Col Dan'L. Den
net aforesaid, entitled Louisiana AS II lis"
This work was issued about the year 1875,
and was chiefly devoted to the & Attakapas"
parishes OF. Southwest Louisiana. It is a
noble work, and rather con Gnsore by one
conversant with the topic No
greater praises can be accorded it, than to
say that the United States Government has
adopted much of it's subject matter in
pamphlet issued by the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, entitled "The
Soils and Products of Southwestern Louis
iana." 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 'aofa Southwestern
Louisiana" |
VEGETABLES.
And as to vegetables and melons, where
can those raised here be surpassed?
The nut-bearing trees are worthy of a |
chapter.
The flowers are beyond our pen, and
sbeggar praise. 20
LIVE STOCK AND GRASSES.
The topics of live stock and grasses de-
serve far more consideration than we can
accord them. Some of the most distin-
yuished thoroughbred horses the world
mas ever known, have been born and raised
within the borders of this state.