St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-06-16
Leper Hospital
Petition.

GoSUSUVUUs
To the General Assembly Of the State
Of Louisiana, and Members of the
Senate and House Of Representa-
lives: s
Geutlemen-In view Of the fact
that a measure is pending before
your honorable body. having for
its object the establishment of .
Leper Hospital At Fort Pike, and
realizing that the location Of the
Hospital At that point would prove
OF irreparable injury to the business
interests OF this parish, and menace
to the health and welfare OF our
people, We the undersigned citizens,
representing al trades, callings and
professions, do hereby enter our
solemn protest, and most respect
FULLY request that you use your vote
and Influence against the passage
Of said measure.
The above petition is being cir
culated throughout the parish, and
viii be signed BY thousands in all
the walks Of life. A committee Of
prominent citizens will convey it to
Baton Rouge and present it to the
members Of the General Assembly,
who will doubtless heed the voice Of
our people On this question in which
they are 90 vitality interested.
St. Tammany Parish has i'm
proved wonderfully during the past
ten years. Our waste places are
rapidly filling up with most de-
sirable class Of people. Small
villages have grown into fair sized
towns, and our numerous summer
and winter resorts are steadily
growing, our balmy pine air and
pure water Attracting many from
the far North, East and West, be
sides = large contingent from tue
Crescent City. With the establish
ment Of Leper Hospital At Fort
Pike, our reputation ~ haven Of
health and recreation will at once
be destroyed, and hundreds will be
deferred from coming here. In adj
dition to this cur home people view
the matter with undisguized
alarm, and recognize the great
danger to themselves and their
families, by the location Of Leper
Hospital in this vicinity. Our fair
country would soon become > bar
rem waste, and deserted villages
would soon replace our thriving
towns. Our pure air would become
polluted, and even the fish in the
Lake. which are largely consumed
here and in New Orleans, would
become = source Of danger and m
instrument for the spread of that
most loathsome disease. leprosy.
Aside from the great danger to
life, and the serious Injury to our
our business interests, the Leper
Hospital, il established 1t Fort Pike,
would be accessible in many ways,
and hence would fail in its object
of isolating the dread disease, a.
will be seen by the following COM
munication, from one who thorough
" understands the situation, being
one Of the Oldest residents OF our
parish:
Pearl River, La. June s, 1894.
Editor St. Tammany FARxRR:
A friend writing to ne from the city
mentioning the matter Of the location
Of the Leper Hospital ct Port Pike said
4 committee had been sent there to
investigate and and out al about the
location, and reported that 1t was .
very desirable place, and they had .
grand time, etc.
This writer has known the ins and
outs and vicinity Of Fort Pike for
many years, and my testimony would
be that II the State of Louisiana and
the people OF the parish Of st. Tam
many are very anxious to have that
loathsOme disea-s, Icprosy, scattered
broadcast over her fair domain, Just
10 ahead and start . plant at Port
Pike. There are % many bayous In
and around the old Fort and on Co
guile Island, known - "weem's Is
lsnd," where dissatisfied and energetic
lepers could steal away in the darkness
of the night, cross the Rigolets and
run up other bayous into the many nice
hiding places and then cross the Island
and Salt Bayou to the main land known
- ''The Ridge" There they would
be scattered among the many colOred
people unsupported and safe. A
splendid prospect certainly for our de-
lightful CLINE.
l.. CRARY SADLER.
Senator Ncws0m's bill to obtain
m estimate of the cotton crop in
the State, makes it the duty Of ases-
sors " procure OF the ginners in
each parish, the number Of bales OF
cotton ginned each month and
furnish the information to the State
Board of Agriculture. 1t appears