The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1892-08-20

infection upon town is the average
brass band in its "liguiddew youth.
But this band is an exception.
Mr.. Bienvenu gives me these notes:
st. Martinville is slowly increasing in
population, but she is increasing.
The business of the town is improving
and increasing every year, and is carried
on cash basis.
No failure has occurred in this parish
for a number of years
We have fine Oilmill in the town do
| ing an immense business, working day
and night nine or ten months in the
year, with a capacity of sixty tons per
day, but working up fOrty-ive tons OH
an average.
We have a single mill just completed
with capacity OK 100000 shingles per
dav. This industry will surely he IA sue
cess, as it gets orders more then can be
filed. 1t employs thirty hands. There
is also small sawmill.
They have three sugar refneries in st.
Martin parish Keystone. situated
three miles below st. Martinville; the
st. John, three miles above the town,
and the Huron, in the upper part of the
parish. All situated on The bayou Toche.
All the reiineries are fitted up with Ia
test improved machinery and 10 large
business. There is room for many more
such industries, and the small planter is
only waiting f0r capitalists 20 come and
established few more reGneries to i'll
crease their cane acreage. MIR. Charles
Gautliier, an en.c!prising and success
full planter residing on the east side of
the Tsche. Owing large plantation of
the most fertile land, offers to donate a
site for the building of central refine
ry. II is really one of the finest sec
tons of ti,a State for the cultivation of
cane. and the one availing of this liberal
offer will reap rich harvest.
The trade on Bayou Teche has greatly
increased Of late, and employs several
small boats all the year in jobbing, but,
unfortunately. they cannot always reach
the upper Teche; in the fall they cannot
even reach Breaux Bridge. which is only
about twelve miles north of St. Martin.
vile. The people Of the upper part of
the parish are feeling the necessity of a
railroad, and are now exerting them
selves to secure the extentiOn of the
branch road that connects the town to
run along the Teche to Arnaudville. If
they succeed in this it will tend to fully
develop the sleeping resources of this
the prettiest and richest portion of Loui-
siana. Transportation facilities is their
greatest necessity, as in the fall, when
the bayou is too low to allow the small
boats to navigate, the Inhabitants have
to haul they products to Port Barre, or
to Grand Coteau, distance from fifteen
to twenty miles, in order TO reach mar
ket. st. MartiEyiIle is greatly in need
of bank, the increasing business of the
town demanding more facilities in mo-
ney transaction. A bank with capital
OF $4,000 could easily do a business of
over 100000. This would lie a fine
investment for capitalists.
The town Of st. Martinyille is negoti-
atingtO have its banquettes paved with
brick. sewer system, waterworks and
electric lights.
: Invent ont in the country few miles
to see Mr.. G. W. Bancker. 1t is worth a
long ride to see the long drawn aisle
Of his lane. It Is an arch q mile long,
of interiacing trees. On either side of
! his long lane he has planted live oaks.
. These have grown up. and make the
inos! beautiful sight imaginable, with
long p!umes Of downy moss and lacery
of Oyerarching limbs dovetailed in wit
Cherries OF infinite blendings. As these
streamers Of m0ss swing in the breeze
they toss lights and shadows as though
they were playing at working in colors
and making fairy wool Of scintilla-
tons.
While did lot find any of the varie-
ty OF grapes l was hunting at Mr.. Banc-
ker's, fonnd something more curious.
His whole yard where the old sugar
house is. was Uttered mp with what |
thought at "A distance was bagasse. but
which UDOn nearer View l found the
long moss $50 comnioD) in every stage of
curing. He buys, cures anu gins moss,
bales and ships 1t to New York. Three
crops year can be gathered, but not of
the best. as is takes about five months to