The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-11

Especial Correspondence OF the News.)
Crowley, La, May Ga Northwest
ern city i'm the heart OF Southwestern
Louisiana. This In a nutshell introduces
a stranger TO this small but thriving
city, but 1t gives little idea of the hus-
tie and business enterprise of the place,
the men who founded it., and the splen-
lid possibilities which remain 10 be
taken advantage OF as viewed by the
representatives OF the New England
Newspaper league.
Crowley is the parish or county seat
OF Acadia. settled In the years from
l755 10 1775. by some of the 1000 men
and women who were driven from the
soil OF Nova Scotia by the English. The
descendants of these people were al
most the sole inhabitants OF the regions
thong the rivers and bayOus OF South
west Louisiana until some 20 years ago,
when a flow OF population was attract
ed from the West and Northwest por-
tions of the United States.
The Acadians were simple people
who made no attempt To cultivate the
rich lands except for whatever was
necessary for their life and comfort.
They knew not OF nor cared nothing for
the immense stretch OF prairie which
surrounded their small farms and left
rich agricultural country TO De used
for the grazing of horses and cattle
But all this was changed when enter
prisng men from other sections pros
pected the country and saw the mar
vellous opportunities which the rich
soil held for all kinds OF agriculture.
These men We're quick 10 acquire the
unused prairie land and quick 10 turn
it's richness into agricultural wealth,
"a ~ raj cd
as land worthless except as ranges for
cattle is entirely taken up by we'll kept
farms and dotted by prosperous towns
and cities.
This land for rice equals in natural
pI'oductiveness any in the world. but
this fertility has been added to by a
system or cultivation and irrigation
which brings IL up to almost incredible
proportions. Great sums have been
spent I'm the last ten years on irriga-
tion as well as on improved farming
machinery, the whole forming an in
vestment which has yielded returns
satisfactory 10 the men who We're en-
terprising enough To make IL. This i'm
barest outline is the record Of the settle
ment and development of the Acadian
district, OF which Crowley Is the Gen.
ter.
town on the site OF Crowley was
perhaps the natural result OF the settle
Uent ana lncfedSeu population VI ANd-
da parish, but Crowley, the present
growing city. was the result OF the
energyy Of few men who began their
work In 1886 and. who, although they
called others to aid them, have not re-
faxed their determination to push
Crowley To a size which .will equal Its
importance as a city - Southwest
Louisiana.
Three men founded Crowley. The
first year IL was placed on "a firm busi-
ness foundation and then its selection
as the parish seat in 1888 gave IL
great push forward. Men from the
West and North were early attracted,
men accustomed 10 work and full of
energy, men who built schools and
churches at the same time they built
homes business blocks and founded en-
terprises. men who contributed liber-
ally toward public improvement and
everything that would advance the In
terests Of the place which they had Sc
lectcd for "A home. Fostered by these
men. Crowley's growth has been magi-
cal but substantial, each year the pop
ulation showing a steady growth until
it Is now $500. In 1890 ~ was but 420.
At no time has the building growth OF
the place been other than that neces-
sary 20 supply the demands OF per-
manent population.
Rice was grown in Louisiana in ante
bellum times but its Importance as an
agricultural industry dates from about
1884. when Western men came TO the
southwestern section OF the state and
introduced Western methods of cultiva-
ton and harvesting. In 1886 the crop
OF the rich district was 26015 barrels,
I'm 1889. 109, 026 barrels Then began the
great jump in production which
brought the prairie lands into promin-
ence.
Irrigation was first made practical
use OF i'm 1894 Rice needs a great deal
OF water for it's successful growth. and
previous 20 1894 the crop was dependent
on the natural rainfall or was grown