The Lake Charles echo., 1894-06-01
0uTHWE LOUISIANA.

s8IIN VI Isl 51AU19AAAA,
Ti4e f8llowilg from the Pioagsas 0f the
2sth ait, il truthful statement Of the
advance made by what is generally
termed the Calcasieu district. 1f our
time and space were sufficient we could
tell even more marvellous tales which
are veritaBle facts, than those of Mir.
Cary
There Is no doubt but that this country
has O glorious future before it and all
no have to do is to lend our aid aud
encouragement:
ellen years ago there was very little
oouAiieration of any sort given to South
west Louisiana. 1T was known to BE- a
geoa country, witha fine climate; but ii
was region with a future rather than a
present. and 50 1t was not much talked
assnt.
But ina ten years the enormous develop
Rleat II has enjoyed, the immense agri-
cultural and commercial Importance it
has attained, seem rather the work of
magic in stories of fairyland than the
results of ordinary human industry and
of business methods. Today there is no
part of Louisiana more talked of, or
more the subject of interest, than is that
portion in the southwest corner,
Southwest Louisiana may be defined
-. i. that r,nrF3n. ,F tho sfatsr
lying west of Vermiliun river and south
of the line of 80 - north latitude On
the west it is bounded by the great state
Of Texas OIL the south lIy the Gulf OF
Mexico. 1t embraces the parishes OF
Acadia, Cameron, Caleasieu, Lafayette
and Vermilion. Il presents fiat
country, much Of which is good, black
prairie and considerable sandy fats,
bearing pine forests. Near the gulf coast.
inlentetl with hays and dotted with
lakes. is low, Hat region. largely
covered with sea marsh. This is the
grandest rice region on the continent. a
fine country for cattle raising, and 4
orange is queen, while much Of the land
in particular localities is admirably
adapted TO the sugar cane. 1t is well
Watered by rivers and bayous, is ira
yersed by several railways, the Southern
Pacific traversing it from east to west.
This region did not come into public
notice until 1884. when it began to re
eeive considerable immigration from
Iowa and other northwestern states.
Since then it's development has been
upon al enormous scale. Some figures
of the rice production will illustrate this.
They are taken from publication made
10y Mr S. L. Cary. of Jennings Caleasiem
parish, in which it is shown that. in 1891
one rice harvesting, reaper and binder
machine was in use III the country there.
In 1885 there were ); in 1886 the number
was 50; in 1887. 200; in 1888, 400; IN 1880.
1000, il 1881. 2000: in 1882 there we're
5000 of these harvesting machines in use.
The Southern Pacific railroad In 1881
shipped ont of that region go cars Of
rice. In 1889 there Were over 1000 ears
Of rice carried. la 1890 there were 1000
ears; in 1881, 5000 ears; i'll 1893, 10000
ears of rice.
Such development is phenomenal, but
it is only an example OF the progress
made in many other departments within
few years past in Southwest Louisiana.
These observations are pertinent to an
important paper in which the remark
able growth and progress Of Acadia
parish and presented by a staff cores
p0ndent in this Issue of the PicayaHc.
Acadia was carved out of several older
parishes in 1886, and within brief
period of eight Years it has nearly
doubled its population while it is one OF
the most important agricultural regions
in that section. It's rich lands it's
numerous and comfortable homes, its
good roads and large prOductiycness, all
the facts Of which are given III detail
elsewhere, all show its great Importance.
1t Is u representative parish Of Il section
of Louisiana that has made the most
rapid progress in the past four years
The whole of Southwest Louisiana is in
state Of swift aud commanding develop
ment, aB it deserves, for there is no bet
ter country Oh the planet"