The Washington herald., 1909-08-01


sources Of this most prolific State.
In point Of preponderance OF the nat
ural products OF the United States. and
( in some instances Of the world. Louisiana
is a remarkable State. Its sulphur mines
are the greatest on the globe; its salt
mines are second only 70 those OF Aus
tria; its natural gas fields are pronounced
by United States government experts TO
be the largest in he United States; its
rice output and sugar output lead the
United States, while In oil and lumber
it stands close TO the top OF the United
States. Cotton. OF course. is another big
Item among the natural products. while
I'm fisheries Louisiana has the largest
oyster fields in America.
Some time ago the Progressive Union
compiled a little pamphlet giving a brief
description Of the resources and posi-
| bilities OF the State which undoubtedly
would be of interest and information 90
the general reader here and abroad This
description is as follows:
It's Geographical Position.
Louisiana constitutes a portion OF the
! southwestern portion Of the United
States. It's parallels Of latitude are $3.50
north and 30 north. with no defined south
lattltudinal line, owing to its irregular
gulf border. Its meridians are S0H west
! and 90.l0 west from Greenwich.
Louisiana contains 1886 square miles
OF land and 2.32s square miles OF land
! locked bays. lagoons, and rivers. Lou
isiana soils are divided into alluvial lands,
Leo Ii. L.
1 and drainage; bluh land prairies, long
| leaf pines. hill lands. and oak lands.
Louisiana has the greatest body OF
alluvial lands In the world. Only a small
| portion Of these lands IS subject 70 over
flow from the Mississippi Nearly all
are protected by leyees. maintained by
/ the State and national government.
| Louisiana has 100000 acres OF land,
/ OF which only about $4,000 acres are
cultivated. and on these there are yearly
produced crops valued az SlOOO00O00
/ The climate Is admirable. Breezy and
cool IN summer. mild IN winter, healthful
at all times. The State is not subject
| 20 extremes Of heat IN summer or cold
! In winter.
Its Products Varied.
Louisiana's products are varied and
abundant-sugar. cotton. corn. rice. to-
baccO, oats. wheat, sorghum, Jute. hemp.
ramie, grasses. clovers. and forage crops:
millet potatoes, vegetables. oranges
lemons. mandarins. olives. figs. and
grapes are produced with great profit and
little labor
| Live stock consists Of sheep, horses.
hogs, cattle, and mules. The pastures are
inviting, the waters are pure and re-
! freshing. and the cane-brakes IN winter
offer protection and fortage.
Railroads are extensive. accommodating
convenient and modern. These traverse
5,S52Si miles of territory. Louisiana has
a railroad commission that regulates and
adjusts rates, fares and charges.
Louisiana was the second State in rail-
way construction in 1901 Il has more
navigable rivers than any other State,
and a greater length of navigable water
ways than any Il is by exploiting and
developing these resources IN way that
IS rapidly pushing the State 10 the front
that Louisiana Is doing more than its
share in making America the greatest Of
nations.
Has Many Waterways.
Rivers, bayous. and lakes are mostly
all navigable. and many run north and
south through the entire State, They
furnish transportation facilities for many
commodities and create competition IN
rates They furnish water for irrigation.
are deep running streams which abound
in fish, and furnish cool water for stock
Every parish, except four, can be reached
by navlgable streams at some period dur
ing the year.
LOuisiana's products make UP an impOs-
ing total The State produces 1000 coo
bales Of cotton annually, and It pro-
duces 50 per cent Of all the cane sugars
raised in the United States. and more
rice than any other State Of the Union
one parish In Louisiana raises more rice
than al of South Carolina. Louisiana
heads all the States Of the Union IN the
acreage value Of its crops raised. This
is a census fact
Fishing grounds and oyster beds are
famous and furnish the most delicious
OF these luxuries.
Seat of Oyster Industry.
Louisiana is the coming seat OF the
oyster industry Of the United States. Its
tidal bottoms. the home of the oyster.
embrace $4,000 acres-a greater area
OF oyster waters than have Maryland and
Virginia combined
The forests are we'll nigh inexhaust-
ible, and the varieties Of timbers nu-
merOus. They consist Of oaks, hickories,
ash. elms, gums, magnolias. pines. ma
pies, cypress. and a quantity OF others.
Louisiana has the greatest area Of
long-leaf pine Of any state IN the Union,
and has more cypress timber than any
other State. II IS now the second lumber
producing State in the Union, ranking
next to the State OF Washington.
Mineral wealth is attracting worldwide
attention Louisiana has within It's bor-
ders the greatest sulphur mine the world
has ever seen. II is taken out of the
earth 9S per cent pure.
Fuel OIL fields are unsurpassed IN the
United States. Some of the oil wells
have a record of 100000 barrels of oil
each.
Louisiana has the greatest deposit Of
pure rock salt in the Western hemisphere.
It comes up 80 per cent pure.
The natural gas fields are the greatest
in the United States, and have given a
tremendous impetus 10 manufacturing,
particularly at New Orleans.
Educational Facilities Good.
Educational facilities are 3: the front
rank. Every parish IS well provided with
public schools Cor both white and col
ored people; tuition free Industrial
schools are at Ruston and Lafayette:
tuition free Private schools abound in
all the small towns.
The Louisiana State University and Ag-
ricultural Mechanical College is a modern
school It's tuition is fiee: its faculty is
able and large; its equipment IS new and
cOmnletp. IFS branches urn r4ry,,aroF Zee