Wichita eagle., 1890-01-19
THE LAND OF PINES.
The Great Prairies Of the Calcasien-
The Products Of Mills Near Lake
Charles-The Canals Trough the
Observation-Disclosures From the
bikes of Holland-Railroad
Outlets to the Treeless
Plains of the. West.


/ Plains Of the. West.
Special Correspondence
In THE PINES OF LOUISIANA,
January IA, 1890.
To the Wichita Eagle:
In my last letter twas at Lake Charles
Since then have perambulated consid
erably among the rice and timber lands
between the Sushine and Calcasien rivers
principally attempting to form ideas Of
the timber supplies, because in reaching
deep water on the gulf the treeless re-
| gion has divided interest between find
ing an outlet for their corn and wheat
and other agricultural productions and
loading the trains carrying such produc.
lions on their return. just as l was
ready to start for the forests was di-
virted from my outlined trip by an invi-
tation from the Watkins Land company
and distinguished representative of a
Holland immigration colony for trip
on the river and through canals to the
RECLAIMED SwAMPS.
Some man said to me that Louisiana
was all swamps, but that is not true.
Another story that the leyee was the
highest hill in the state comes nearer the
truth. / travelled more than 200 miles
and if there are many heavier grades
than over the levees or the approaches to
bridges to the rivers, l must have been
asleep when the train struck them. This
opportunity, however, brought me into
the low marshes on Calcaslen Lake and
.fy NV nt@ he IN no
beautiful as balmy June in Kansas, the
lake placid sheet of water,
speckled all over with ducks and
geese. Near the foot of the lake our
boat entered the canals made for the re-
elimination of these lands. The canals
run parallel to each other and about
half mile apart, intersecting at points
so that small steamboat can run
through the entire system. This canal
has locks constructed with locks SO as to
keep out the waters of the lake, which,
at certain tides are salt, and reserve the
fresh water of the watershed for many
miles for the irrigation of rice, and an
immense steam pump stands at the en-
trance to the lake, to pump out the sur
plus water, almost literally pumping out
the sea. These canals we passed through
by boat. NJ. Staple, the Holland gentle
man, was delighted, the richness of this
soil to a gardner from the dikes of
Holland, made it paradise of hope, and
as we steamed back over the lake where
the soundings were less than ten feet, he
remarked to me in ecstacy, "In Holland
all this surface would be reclaimed.
Why, sir. | have seen waters like these
made dry land with dykes, even to the
depth of twenty-three feet, and the sea
shut out; and when that is done, there
is no limit to the productiveness of such
land" The plan of the company is, to
erect comfortable six-room houses on
every forty acres, and rent, or sell the
lands on long time payments. The can
ais are so arranged as to overflow the
rice crop whenever needed, leaving the
water on the crop from six to eighteen
inches deep till it should be ready for
the harvest. But l am afraid repeat
what have said before. Tet us
TALK OF THE TIMBER.
Between the Sabine and the Calcasieu
river grows the long leaf pine, celebrated
for its usefulness in all branches of car
pentry. Much of IL is in variable colors,
and the finest wainscotting ever saw
was of this material. 1t is used for
ornamental work in banks, halls and
fine dwellings. Of course this is not the
universal character of this pine, but
selections from it as are made from
other woods, such as curley and lindsey
naples, veneering material from black
walnut and other fine woods. 1t is pre-
ferred for all kinds of wood work a.
Galveston for its superiority to the Texas
pines. Its lasting qualities are unex-
celled. The extent of this region of
pines l cannot give with accuracy. A
railroad is projected from Lake Charles,
La, the objective point north being
Kansas City. l aIlude to the Kansas
City, Wichita & Galveston railroad,
which is now ready for the iron for forty
pie backing-the agents here
securing the right of way. This rail-
Kansas City through timber belt $50
miles. hitherto almost practically I'M
known. In addition to this pine, this
district has white oak, red oak, cypress,
ash, pecan, magnolia, hickory, elm and
white gum, the latter recognized as very
desirable for furniture. OF the quality
VI tll6 OblitT NdTlIltS IL utiuSCeSSdlf W
speak. l talked with a well informed
man, who said that it was no exagger-
alton to say that this was the most ex
tensive body of timber in the United
States which was almost practically I'M
disturbed by the axe-man, An official
report of the United States estimates
that in 1885 one hundred millions of feet
of the long leaf pine was cut in the Cal
casien parish county, and it is safe to
say that the amount will now run up to
one hundred and fifty millions, scarcely
making daylight in the forests. l stated
that another railroad was pro-
jected from Orange, on the Saline, at
the line of the Texas and Louisiana, to-
wards Wichita, which of course |
touches this region of tim
Der. but | failed to strike
parties sufficiently informed to be able
to state anything reliable upon the sub
ject. With such resources. public atten- !
ton once directed here, the outlets are
sure to follow.
DEEP WATER.
These are the attractions which the |
barber of Calcasieu presents as incen- !
tiveS TO secure its improvement over |
other harbors on the Gulf of Mexico. |
Admitting that other points are equal IN |
every other respect, the availability of |
this timber for . dozen prairie states and |
,st1