The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-03-18

RE without suffering from the cold,
wet soil of the many coulees and
low places of the extreme southwest
ern corner of the prairie section.
1t enjoys the cooling and fragrant
gulf breeze without it's storm dangers.
1t is high, dry and healthful, with
out being upon the poor lands of the
hills. It needs no fertilizer, and
7 per cent of it is not available for
immediate use.
While the average cultivated area
of Louisiana is only about 10 per
cent of its total area, Lafayette
parish enjoys the distinction of hav-
ing 81 per cent of its entire rich
soil producing its multiplied fruits
of corn, cane, cotton and rice in un-
surpassed quantities for mans daily
use. Tits not believed that such
a high percentage in cultivation is
found anywhere else in the southern
states, While this is true, there is
another extra strong feature in its
condition of to-day, and that is, while
Louisiana has only twenty-five in
habftants to the square mile, making
a close and well settled parish afford
ing fine neighboring school and
church possibilities.
The people are small home-owners,
with but few renters and less debt
and mortgages, and while not bril-
liantly prosperous, are in altogether
easy and comfortable circumstances.
Their want of brilliant prosperity is
due to themselves. The soil, the
climate and general conditions are
such that living is made without
much effort and without any modern
advantages, and for these reasons
but few fortunes have been accumu-
lated by the people, though good
round estates are to be found in the
hands of several men, one being rated
in commercial agencies at $125,
900, to 5000, 900, and these are the
examples of more energy and pro-
gressiveness than is enjoyed by the
masses of the parish, and constitute
eloquent testimonials of the richness
of the soil.
+
A great boom is expected in school
methods in the near future, as the
people of Lafayette, aided by lib
eral city council and police jury,
have nearly completed their 3ox7o-
foot two-story, Groom, high school
on a beautiful school ground
of $50 by $50 feet in size, costing,
when completed, about $4,000. The
grounds, or the largest part thereof,
were donated by DR.. Hopkins.
The parish has a white population
of 8oo8 and colored population of
5000, of which 43 per cent are school
children. The parish has transport
tation facilities east and west, and |
north by the Morgan Railroad, and
south by the navigation via the Yer
million river to the gulf.
The officers of the parish are: |
Isaac Broussard, sheriff; w. B. Bal
ley, clerk; VIM. Clegg, treasury;
w. B. Torian, president of the police
Jury; Overton Cade, member of the
The court house is a
frame building of thirty or forty
years of age, but the clerk Office is a
model brick structure, with fre-proof
vaults for every official department
IF the parish. There is no floating
lebt or bonds due by the parish and
is paper or warrants are at par.
Description of the town of La
:ayette on the local page.)
The second largest town is Royville
post office known as Youngsville),
which has population of 500 and
bout ten business house in an adj
accent to it. 1t has new school
,ouse with fifty children in school,
With twenty-f five more to attend soon.
This is it's first public school. The
own is near the corner of Lafayette,
1ermillion, Iberia, and St. Martin
parishes. |,
Carencro is the third largest town
n the parish and is located on the
iorthern branch of the Morgan
|