The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-01
LOUISIANA RICE
THE UNION COMPANY WITH SIX
MILLION DOLLARS.
Will Assist in the Development of This
DISQUALIFICATION on an Ex-
tensive Scale Promised

New Orleans, Feb. 27-The rapidly
increasing demand for Louisiana grown
rice is attracting attention to the inn
mense prairie wastes in this State which
only need irrigation to make them as
productive as any rice lands in the
world, and this has given a wonderful
impetus to the organization of irrigation
companies on a large scale. The latest
and l:rgest company of this kind to be
formed is the Union Rice Irrigation
Company, the charter of which has just
been filed in New Jersey by J. H. Dill,
the attorney who looked after the Or
ganization of the United States Steel
Corporation. The Union Company is to
have paid-up capital stock of 100000
a large portion of which has already
been placed among the rice growers of
this State Dr. R. c. Webb OF Rayne,
La, one of the wealthiest rice men in
America, and who owns over $4,000
acres of rice land, is the prime mover in
the concern. He has been in the East for
several weeks completing arrangements
for organization, and has just returned
here. He experienced no difficulty in
raising the capital necessary for carry
ing out the scheme which is by far the
largest OF the kind ever launched in the
world. George Bird Castles of Marietta,
Pa, congressman of that State, has
been chosen president. He has large
financial interests in Pennsylvania and
is well known in trust circles in the
East. George w. Angle of New York
city, o fthe firm of Stewart, Simmons &
CO., brokers, is the vice president DR..
Webb, who is president of the Rayne
Rice Milling Company, is the treasurer,
and George W. Sears of Crowley, La,
is the secretary. " i
The Interstate Trust and Banking
Company, 100000 concern organ
lied here a year ago, is acting as trustee,
and its president, w. P. Rogers, is a i
large stakeholder and will be one of the
directors of the irrigation company. The
stockholders of the new company will !
hold their first meeting in New Orleans
March IS, when directors and officers
will be elected
The Union Company will dig canal
Fifty miles long, which will take it's
warer from Bayou Coutableau, which is
a branch of the Atchafalaya river, which
il turn empties in the Mississippi river.
The canal will have its source in St. |
Landry parish between Opelousas and
and will water the great |
Hayes and Marnou prairies, bringing
more than 100000 acres into rice culti- |
walton.
Close freight connections have been
made between the new company and the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company, a |
tap of which extends through St. Ian
dry parish. Colonel S. F. B. Morse, pas
senger traffic manager of the Atlantic |
system of this road, came over from |
Houston this morning and spent several |
hours in close consultation with DR.. |
Webb, when it was announced a clear /
working understanding was arrived at.
When it is known that the supply Of |
Louisiana rice is this year about 100000
pockets short of the actual demand, ne
cessitating heavy additional imports, and
that the profits on Louisiana grown rice
are enormous, the importance of the new
company becomes apparent.
It is not probable any of the stock
will be placed on the open market for
sale. /