The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-12-09
The Lake Charles Rice AHilsIng
GDmnamY.


imagined him costumed after the manner Of
the primitive Texas ranger in broad som
brero, buckskin leggina, enormous spurs on
bis heels, astride a mustang with a Win
chester strapped on his back, pursuing the
aeeetfUoted deer, they are sadly mistaken.
He is indeed having picnic but Of very
different character. II they should drop IN
upon him at any hour save the few allotted to
him for sleep, they would find him at his
desk, trying TO hold his own with half score
or more Of rice planters, each Of whom Is
certain that he has for sale a number one
article of rice; when but little Of that grade
is exhibited and much that is about third
grade, while a considerable amount is totally
unfit for milling purposes.
Within another year, however we trust all
this will be changed and the planter will
have learned that it only pays TO raise good
rice, that quality is of much more moment to
him than quantity, In another column will
be found an article devoted mainly TO this
subject, to which we commend the careful
attention of our rice farmers. But we are
Decreasing.
When Mr.. G. A. jain, the leading spirit OF
the enterprise first proposed to our people
the project of the rice mill but few realized
nor do they yet realize its real proportions
aud the important part 1t Is destined to play
in the future history of our city, We do not
think we exagerate when We say that no
other enterprise is fraught with more interest
or is calculated TO produce more important
results IN the future growth and prosperity,
not only of Lake Charles but the entire
parish.
It was hard to realize at first that so large
a sum as 100000 would be requisite to carry
out the vast scheme; hut If any one will now
take the trouble to visit the site of the mill
and see the army of men employed and the
vast amount of material needed to construct
the huge warehouses, build switches, and
execute the plans for a complete system OF
drainage that have been adopted, all this In
addition to the mill proper, he will readily
see that the SUN mentioned is more likely to
be exceeded than diminished, The location
of the plant could not have been exceeded in
its adaptation for the purpose Of large rice
mill. On one side of the oblong strip ia the
beautiful Oalcasieu river, forty feet deep and
one thousand feet wide atfording unlimited
facilities for water transportation, and on the
other the tracks Of the Southern Pacific and
the X, c., W. & q. railroads which will con-
meet viii each warehouse and the mill itself,
make its location most convenient for getting
supplies of rough rice aud shipping the
finished product to the north, south, east or
west In fact, when Mr., Jahn's eye first
rested upon this twenty acres Of ground
more or less, he determined that right here
and al no other place should be placed the
largest rice mill oyef bull In The United States,
The first building to be finished was ware
house Intended originally to hold about nine
thousand barrels, but it is now filed from
bottom to top and contains upwards Of eleven
thousand barrels. Next temporary frame
warehouse was built which is fast being allied
and which will in few days contain 10000
sacks, A third warehouse If rapidly Az
preaching completion the capacity Of which
will be about $4,000 sacks This building lie
placed upon most substantial foundation
| of solid masonry and is located on the bank
of the river and will have large covered
wharf extending out into the river which will
be a warehouse OF itself and the entire stTuct-
uTe will be used principally for the river
trade, although it has a sidetFaek along its
east side.
The company has taken the preeaution to
purchase a strip twenty feet wide on the OPP
posIte side Of the river, equal in length to
| 81 nil Dc tn 10
of the river being obstTucted by log booms.
A fourth warehouse will be built entirely Of
brick, and will be located between the river
warehouse and the mill and be accessible to
the trucks Of either road,
As part Of the drainage system is huge
sewer Eve feet wide and six feet high, dVe
hundred feet long, built entirely Of solid sye'
amore, which in the city Of New York would
be worth 500 per thousand feet. This Is the
main sewer into which smaller sewers thai
may be needed will empty.
We now come to the mill proper whose
foundations are about completed, This fonn'
dation Is commenced deep down in the earth
the walls seven feet thick at the bottom mar
rowing towards the top, and contains nearly
two hundred thousand brick and pounds
o. cement. The superstrueture VIII be fYt
stories high and Its capacity one huldTec
barrels Of rough rice per hour, and when CON-
Pleted will be operated tceRtg -four hours eael
day as long as there is any rice In southwest
eru Louisiana or eastern Texas to be mllled
A beautiful residence Is nearly completed
at the eastern end of the grounds which VII
be occupied by Mr.. VIM. ?. Russell, who 4
the superintendent, and will be the chic
miller, and IN the same building Will be TIL
private offices Of the president and secretary
which WIN be supplied with bathroom, ho
and cold water, electric light, telephone ans
al modern Improvements. Some distance
further on Is the boarding house for the en-
ployes which Is also nearly completed.
In connection with the subject Of the mil
we should have stated that portion Of th
machinery Is already on the ground, anon
other things six enormous mill stones, (sii
more 10 follow, each one weighing ton 0
more which were brought from New Cast
Oh the Tyne, Eng, no stone suitable for q
large 4 MIN being manufactured IN thls couu
nv. The brick FOR these vast structures ar
aIl manufactured on the grounds and are
Inc very best quality, About two million ay
hundred thousand WIN be required ana az
being made as rapidly as possible by Ml
Jack REID.
AS We said 81 the commencement q thl
artfele, no correct estimate can be made
the importance OF this miliip developing thI
city and surrounding country. The riee i
dostry u, % yet, IN ~ infancy, and this ni
Is located 10 the very centre Of the rice regioI
IL All TIE lands suitable foF rice culture
this parish alone were brought under cult
ystIon TIE product, ~ . favorable seaso
IKE he last, would be not less than two poi
: lion barrels, These figures seem large aP
may cause some n our New York friends
Z open their eyes, but they DO not ogeiesiimal
. tie capabilities Of this country, and IN fac
/ are very conservative.
/. The question Is frequently asked, how SOC
Il will the Mill be completed The compieNe
~ work az this magnitude Is of course
maiter Of time, but Il 4 being pushed
& Fapialy as cifcaInstaBces viii permit wht
Y raffh.f man m fff0FfFp are LACKING, ana y