St. Landry democrat., 1889-04-13


ont q neer in the nation. This distinction
has advantages too great for adequate com
ment. These waterways furnish hlgh
ways for commerce, and are influential 70
can be made SOY to check excessive rates o!
transportation. They give abundant ane
even inexhaustible supplies of water 10
stock raising, q desideratetna that anyone
who has ever raised stock in an arid coun'
try will highly appreciate. Almost every
stream abounds with fish of very hne
quality. The main streams are unfailing,
fed from far off sources. The MissiIslpp1
river drains almost half the United States
| The Arkansas and Red rivers course sew
eral States and Territories, and draw their
supplies of water vast distance from
their nouths.
| So pervading or penetrating is the nav
| liability of many of the streams of Louis
lana, that at Thousands of homes the pas
senger and his freight can be landed al
most literally at his very door. And there
is open to all such ur limited opportunities
| fol, bathing, sailing, boating, etc. The lum-
bermen find in many of these streams the
! ct eapest and safest of all means of rafting
| his timber to the MILL and if he will, of
| fos ting his lumber to markets. On the
smaller streams are unlimited opportu-
mites for fish ponds, End one can have the
option of cat ching several species of fish
from the brook, or one or more species
from the fish pond.
Louisiana abounds in lakes there are
over three thousand miles OF ten, many
of them navigable), salt and fresh. In the
former are found oyste s, crab and shrimp
the true cray-fsh so dc ar to Englishmnen).
In the latter are also n my choice species OF
fish. Many of these lakes ale navigab,e and
beautifully wooded, and some day will be
beautifed with homes cherished as winter
resorts. This aspect of these lakes has
neve~ had the consideration it deserves.
Onlv a few spots have received the atten-
ton their loneliness warrants, and will,
ere long, command. Thousands of lovely
villas will deck their shores within the
next quarter of century, and they will be
graced with the most aesthetic features
of Horticulture and arboriculture. The
gaily painted yacht will curtsey on their
waters, and the embellishments of archi
lecture will add it's charms to their shores.
And in these lovely homes, the graces of
domestic life will embellish and heighten
natural attractions, and nature will render
back its inestimable blessings of health,
and the innocent joys of birdsongs, flowers,
balmy airs and glorious skies. Well
might one dilate at large on the large lus-
csous innocent, soothing narcotism of the
gulf airs, but space 1orbids. Mr.. Joseph
jefferson, the world renow ned actor and
impersonator of Rip Van Wrinkle, places
special emphasis on the bland and heal
ing effects of the climate on overstrung
nerves, and overweight brain, and the
relaxed and overdone business man, at his
6 o1~
There are nearly four thousand miles of
navigable rivers and smaller streams; while
the mileage of brooks is almost incomput-
able.
TIMBER WEALTH.
In her wealth and variety of timber,
Louisiana has no superior, if peer, in the
United States. In point of species of woods,
there are PROBABLY over hundred, and
their value is unequaled by those of any
State in the Union, and their magnifcence
surpassed by rome but by few of the giants
of California. In ornamental trees, her wide
spreading live oaks have no peer. Their
breadth of foliage, and the deep and cordial
tones of their color are never failing joy,
to say nothing of their shapeliness. The
magnolia granditzora is another tree of in
comparable beauty, both of form and foil
bloom overhows almost all summer with
an intensity ard pervasion of fragrance,
that is almost uncomfortable to some. But
space forbids mrch regard to the aesthetic
side of Louisiana flora. The hard woods
many species of oak, several of hickory
(the poem among them), ash, ETC., are most
superb in size and fibre. Probably no
State in the Union can show such profu-
sion, quality and size of the last three
species. as Louisiana.
In cypress, Louisiana is vastly ahead of
any other State in the Union, not only in
quantity, but in quality. This wood is
making its way into many uses, and within
few years has met with such general
commentator that it is in great demand.
Many mills in Louisiana run entirely on
it's s'cus," and the business is one of the
q ost expanded industries of the state. In
certain loca titles is found birdseye cypress
especially in demand for ornan entail work.
Of yellow pine, Louisiana has one of the
largest supplies of any State in the Union,
ard is claimed by some to surpass any
State. This tree grows only in the South.
Of late it's lumber has grown into great ia
vo1, and according to Mr.. W. Fl. Howcott,
leading authority, has come into extern
sive use in Idaho, Montana, Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, ETC. 1t has greatly sup
planted other lumber in many Western
cities. According to this authority, there
are over 2400 saw mills in the South, most
of them cutting this lumber; and fifty
millions of dollars have been invested in
Southern pine lards since the last census.
Louisiana has shared largely in these sales,
and millions of acres have been sold to
spectators and lumber manufacturers.
The following compilation from the last
United States census, taken from Mr. How
colts letter in the Baltimore MANUFACTURE
ers Record of January 5. 1889, shows the
status of Louisiana as to yellow pine:
The forestry bulletins of the last censu
of the United States give the TO owing
estimates of long and short leaf yellow
pine standing June LIST, $780,. viz:
Long-leaf feet. Short-leaf, feet.
Alabama. ....... 1855 100000 ...... 800.
Arkansas ........ .......'... 4.8i5, 100000
Georgia ......... 1878 100000 ......, ~.
Louisiana .... s6'5ss.ocoooo ai6a5, 10000
Mississippi. ..... 1a,20O,000000 6,775,0 100000
North Carolina. 5,229. 000,0O0 ...........
South Carolina. 5s160o0o0O 2so9s, 400 900
Texas .......... 20,50S, 0O0, 600 20 093. 200 600
Total. ......... III 119, 100000 121 ,901, 900
SULPHUR.
Near Lake Charles is what is claimed to
be the largest deposit Of sulphur in the
world, stratum of crystalized sulphur,
three hundred feet thick, of remarkable
purity. There is quite flow of petroleum