The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-19
A LUMBER CENTER.
Monroe, La, Has a Big and Growing
Trade in That Line.
A Greater Monroe q Possibility Rustun q
Newly-Fumed City,

MonfOc, lsd., MAY lo.--lnlS lS "a lunl-
ber and "A cotton town. There are
about 10000 people residing In the city
and suburbs. Directly across the
Quachita river is West Monroe, and al
though a separate municipality II Is too
near to be considered other than as n
part of the frst-named community. If
the Greater Monroe idea ever prevails
consolidation will follow. This has al
ready been suggested. but there are too
many i'm opposition in the suburbs 10
permit OF It's achievement right away.
The representatives of the New Eng
land Newspaper League found Monroe
"a very thrifty and thriving little city.
All about IL is a rich agricultural coun-
try, and IL Is a wholesale centre for a
large area and contains number of big
jobbing houses. Ii Is "a miles west
from Nicksburg, and 96 east from
Shreveport. lying about on direct line
from both. 1t Is almost in the geo
graphical centre or Northern Louisiana
and is located on the banks OF the
Quachta river which a great many OF
the citizens OF Monroe maintain is the
most beautiful stream in the South.
Its water is certainly remarkably pure
and clear. and contains so little organic
matter that mill men in the vicinity
say IL neither corrodes boilers nor scales
them with Injurious deposits.
The river is about 100c feet wide at
this point. and Is so deep that big
steamers can come To town direct from
New Orleans. They will tell you at
Monroe, If the river lis discussed that
the largest river freight ever shipped
from the Crescent City came 10 this
port and was brought by the steamer
Henry Frank, which is said 10 be the
largest cotton carrying boat on the
Mississippi. The Quachita river flows
through one of the richest agricultural
and timber regions In the world. Ii
has it's source far 10 the north and In
the Ozark mountains, and connects
with the Red river OF the south at a
point where both streams are 30 miles
from the Mississippi river. The
Quachita is navigable all the year
through, and steamboat men say that
IL is far less dangerous stream than
the Red river
The agricultural country IN this v,cin-
ity can raise ON the average three
quarters OF bale of cotton 10 an acre
and IL is maintained here that under
proper conditions Monroe should handle
100000 bales every year. The soil for
miles and miles around is admirably
adapted TO truck farming of all kinds,
and sugar cane and the celebrated up
land rice can also be profitably grown.
Field cultivated potatoes have been
raised i'm this section at the rate OF $50
bushels 20 the acre. AS regards cotton.
IL may be incidentally stated that about
$4,000 bales are brought here every year
on the average. There are two big cot
ton congresses in town, each with
capacity OF about 200 bales day.
Wherever you find compress in the
South today cottonseed oil plant is
not far distant. Monroe La, is not
the exception which proves the rule and
there are two such mills in the city;
a. A. E...s
100 tons OF seed in a working day.
1t is the lumber industry. however.
which is most impressive To the Sfang
er. The Quachita river is heavily
wooded for 800 miles 10 the north. and
trees can be cut and RATED down the
stream to local mills at comparatively
little expense. The lumber handled
here is oak, hickory. cypress. pine. ash
and gum, and the manufacturing mills
are big and Of the most modern de-
scription. The making OF shingles is
an important industry here by itself,
and there are also other branches Of
woodworking extensively engaged in.
The long leaf yellow pine abounds i'm
this section OF the country. and one
leading citizen of Monroe told the writ
er that IL is estimated that there are
16 billion feet on the line Of the pro-
jected Monroe and Natchitoches rail-
road.
Business ought to be good here at all
seasons, FOR i.here are about 1000 men
earning good weekly wages In the mills
in the city ana vicinity. and lumber
men the country over are proverbially
rapid spenders. Monroe Is pretty
place in quarters. IL has some fine resi-
dences ana charming streets. One
stretch Of roadway is called Lovers
Lane am is enclosed on both sides by
a most extraordinary fence. The fence
posts are living, blooming oaks. all of
good size. and all the fence planks run
into or way through the tree trunks.
The oaks are 50 even in height, da-
meter of trunk and length OF branches
that the effect Is startling, not 10 say
unique.
Monroe is ,..e county set OF Ouachi-
IA parish, and is said 20 be the second
eldest town In the State. II was first
settled by SpaniarIs early in the 18th
century. They built an outpost here
ali called ii Fort Miro; SO that was
also the name OF the settlement for
many subseQuent years. After the
Spaniar5s came the French ana next
the hardy American pioneer. and as
always has been the case. he outlGsted
all the Others. In conclusion IL may
br stated that Ouachita rs prom ounced
'Washita" " and is therefore easier than
Ii looks.
Rustcn, La, May Ion the dividing
ridge between the Ouachita and Red
rivers this young city was founded in
1884 The building Of the Vicksburg
Shreveport and Pacific railroad brought
the first influx OF population to Ruston,
and the town. sine grown TO city,
was laia OUT RustOn is now the seat
OF Lincoln parish and controls the trade
or a large district. including portions
OF the adjoining parishes north and
south
Huston Is best known as the educa-
tional center OF north Central Louisi-
ana. I'm addition u rs nne public
school, established as soon as the city's
first growth was attained, Il has the
States Industrial school which brings
many pupils from all over the state
The Louisiana State Chautaulua Is an
other feature OF Ruston's educational
growth This maintains n fine lecture
cOuiwe which attsIcts men Of national
repute 90 every session. A grade high
school * anOfnpr essen tial part of Rus