New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-07-22

|
grafton to fill up the spareely settle
country. The government of Spain ha
in this, and also during the previou
administration transported to Louisiana
number of families from the tanar
Spain The group consists of sewers
Islands Teneritfe is the largest of tn
group, and has the largest populatio,
The chief town and port is Santa Cruz 4
| Santiago and was the place from whc
our Spanish settlers emigrated from.
This may not seem to have any con
nection directly with the history of NeN
Iberia proper, but these people were tn
nucleous from which sprang the settlemen
around tho "Poste des Attakapas.' an
made the town possible, and gave it it
early life, and made it the center of trad
from the Nermilion to the hills of tn
Coteau. They were the suppiers an
| furnishers of its commerce they were il
fact, the life blood of the future city. The,
were among the first to come to n regio,
uninhabited and waste they were tn,
| first to drive the plough, to scatter th
seed, reap harvest, grind the corn, an,
convert it into food for man and beast
They gathered the first cotton from tn,
fields, the fleece from the flock, an,
weaved it into raimonts for wife ant
children, tho surplus they slowed ava,
in their humble cottages to exchange will
the traders of those days, who came il
keel boats, by the way of the bayou
Plaquemine, for such articles as flour
coffee, calicoes and other articles of neees
sary merchandise, that these primitiv,
people then used. The principal names o.
these Spanish settlers, were the Seguras
Miguez's Romero S and Viators, the names
of which are still familiar and flourish to
day in town and parish Jacques Lampere7
and family were not of these, they located
at New Iberia about the year 1897 ant
were from different portion of Spain
think from Barcelona They first lived
and settled in the Mentau country and
finding it too tame place to build up q
future home, they decided to east then
fortunes in some more favored spot. In
looking for a new haven, they heard of the
beautiful Techo country, where milk and
honey flowed and where the people lived
in peace and plenty under their own vine
and fig tree. SO turning their face towards
the new Eldorado, they soon drifted to
New Town, as the place was then called.
Joseph Santamaria, the father of Mrs. Lam
perez, kept hotel and saloon on the cor
ner where Chas. Gouguenheim' new
building stands and now occupied by M.
+. Smith. Our life long friend, John, was
born at that place about the year lS4l. In
1S43, Jacques Lamperez established him
self over the bayou and built the second
house on that side, the other being the
present residence of Mrs. Jean Marie The
old home still stands as a land mark of
past memories The mother of the family
weighted down with years, is still its
occupant, truding along the weary path,
awaiting the call from above. It was the
custom of our old friend Lamperez to
come over every evening and have chat
with friends, but he had to cross the bayou
early as it was the rule to turn the floating
bridge at 0 o'clock. Having remained u
little over time one dark and stormy night,
in the fall of 1858, he started for home,
never giving thought that it was after
ssssss,~ss..-s.~
walked over the abuttment
and was drowned. Our friend John, Mrs.
Aime Points, Mrs Adele Emmer, Mrs.
Celeste Armandarie, still live in our midst,
honored members of that pioneer family.
OF the first Spanish settlers to whom the
Spanish government awarded quarter
section of land to each emigrant, there
were some who became dissatisfied with
the wilds Of Attakapas, and one of them who
had selected the Darby trackon the Lake
shore, sold out tohis neighbor for two
turkeys, and left for moro fruitful fields
A great deal of the history of this town
and section are wrapped up in the names of
1rtx l,o(
would fill book could be related, but
we cannot afford the space in this short
history
We will venture though to relate one:
In those days the political parties were
divided between the Democrats and Wings,
and strange to say in this neck of woods
most of the people were Wings although
the State and nation were strongly Demo
cratic. As an illustration of the Demo
cracy of this town in 1S49, when Governor
Joseph Walker was canvassing as can
lidate for the governorship, he was only
lble to assemble three staunch democrats
% listen to him, but he was elected all the
be same. In hotly contested elec-
ion in which State Senator was to
be elected one of the contestants was an
American ca Mr.. b who ran
against an uneducated creole Ca Mr.. ID. }
who was running as his own successor,
md was very popular among the people.
The American laid down all his plans,
among which was to visit the most pro-
ninent and influential citizens of the dis
,rict and tell them what he proposed to do
or them il he was elected. It was difficult
hen to get up a barbecue or public meet
ng to reach the masses, so he had to con
inc himself to a still hunt. So our Ameri.
ian friend started out to do or to die. He
would always give notice of his visits, so
is not to take his influential friends by
urprise. He gave notice Of one of his
'isits, and preparations were made to give
him worthy reception. At the appointed
ime and hour Gas in those days you had
o be prompt) he reached the home of our
spanish friend (Mr 81 who was delighted
o see him, and offered every comfort that
he surroundings could afford The first
hing our candidate did, was to draw from
liz satchel some good old whiskey and
Havana segars, and offered to his lord of
he household who politely declined, not
through any discourtesy, but simply be-
,ause he did not make use of them
trange as that may seem, but such was
he fact, as the writer knew him all his
ife and never knew him to nse tho weed
n the tiger. sumptuous farm-dinner
vas set, promptly at IL NJ, and our Ameri
AN guest cordially invited to partake with
'ut ceremony the hospitality of mine host,
which he did, with justice to himself and
lis party. After the dinner was over and
IS our candidate had a long road to travel
n his gig, he at once proceeded to bust
Tess. Fixing his eagle eyes on his friend,
le said: You know am candidate for
he State Senate and have come to ask
,ou to use your influence in my behalf If
am elected will have the bayou Teche
cleaned out and reduce the freight charges
IN your cotton one-half (the bayou was
hen full OF logs.) | will have other
measures passed that will be of great
,encfit to this section and especially to a
prominent planter like you. Our Spanish
riend gave an attentive ear to his appeal,
,ut said 81 am going to vote for Mr. d,
ny Creole friend /; me b'lieye 'merican
,ad = but said our candidate, you cannot
,ote for him, he can do you, nor your peo-
lie, any good he cannot represent you,
ny friend; whys he cannot read or
write. "That is the reason why vote for
lim," retorted our Spanish friend he
epresents me. cannot read and write
ither. In parting he said to his American
riend, come often and dine with me,
ike Won as a friend hut not as n Sanafop