Lower coast gazette., 1909-10-23
SATURDAY, OCTOBER %, 1909.

SATURDAY, rs, 1919.
Cheap Lands in Louisiana.
VERY few persons appreciate the low prices
at which good agricultural lands can be bought
in Louisiana. The large amount OF swamp land
in this state and the occasional epidemlcs OF
yellow fever that have occurred from time to
to time have impressed upon the people OF the
other states of the union the erroneous Dene1
that the state of Louisiana is distinctly an uh-
healthy one, No matter how clearly our vital
statistics may demonstrate the reverse of such
a statement, we find today that many OF our ex-
cellent friends coming from other states OF the
Union to visit us here are astonished when we
sneak Of the general good health Of the people,
tho almost entire absence of malarial fever and
the absence of yellow fever ever since the Verl'
fcation of the mosquito hypothesis OF It's trans
mission and the increased care in screening
s)eepinp quarters, residences and reservoirs OF
water. We have known instances in which we
have spoken of the extremely healthful cohal-
tons that obtain in this state, as compared with
auch states as Ohio and New York and our
listening friends would look somewhat qulzzlcal
"a though thew wondered whether were we IN
earnest or Joking. The fact of the matter IS that
there is comparatively little yellow fever IN the
state of Louisiana and no yellow fever, except
ing when imported, and e have now learned
how to control its transmission should any I'M
u~ortation occur. Of typhoid fever there are tar
fewer cases than up in the Western and Eastern
states and altogether the conditions promotlve
If good health abound here more than in most
of the other slater of the federal union. 1t has
taken a long time to convince ourselves OF these.
facts, although they have been capable of DEM
onstration at any time with a reasonable amount
Of investigation. .
We are lead to make these remarks because
81 the wonderful cheapness with which agrlcul-
tnrai lands can be bought in Louisiana as COM
spared with similar lands I'm other states anu
especially such lands in California. In Cantor
e MIA ferdlefands, such as our alluviaa lands in
Il I Louisiana, would bring $500 per acre. IN ad-
dition I'd that, in California the tax for irrlga
ton water represents a capitalization OF at least
s1O additional value upon each acre OF the land.
Similar lands in Louisiana, when sold in quaint
ties. bring about $50 per acre. 1t must there
fore be evident that the era OF cheap lands IS
passinc away in the other states of the federal
union. there will certainly be an inquiry in
Louisiana for these excellent alluvlal lands
which are now selling at such extremely low
prices.
One reason, and perhaps the chief reason
why our best lands sell at such low prices, Il
the fact that their great agricultural value ha'
made them lucrative investments for the oWner
, during several generations and such lands haN
been held in large bodies and the culture Q
cotton and sugar cane having generally bee
profitable, the owners of these lands have bee
able to negotiate large mortgages thereon, utlll2
ing the funds for their general improvement
and for the purchase of additional lands, Ihes
lands thus m~ortgaged. ceaee 20 be available to
cutting up into farm : acts and have to be sol
in liquidation at times en- bloc.
With the concentration of the sugar industr
in large central factories it would seem fair
expect that the owners of these large tracts
land will be willing to sell them out to actu
farmers in smaller tracts and such sales wi
naturally bring about an increased value TOR q
OF the unS0ld properly. AnE uoEAoAN AVE-"
in referring to this matter recently, indicat
that Louisiana is one of the last states in Il
I union to feel this impulse and it believes tn
the day for cheap lands in this state is passil
away rapidly. Lands in Southwestern Louis
ana, that a generation ago were worth less tn
q dollar an acre, are bringing today from $40
$40 and the better tracts of such land are brln
ing from $50 to $50 per acre. The revenue p
pucing capacity Of Louisiana lands, whether
the alluvial regions, prairie regions, the bl
lands, or even in the hill lands Of North LOU
ana, is simply immense and the rest Of the p
8.ple Of the federal union are apparently as ig
rant Of our advantages in the way Of fer
soil, adequate rainfall and an excellent CHM
generally as they are Of our health condito
uyhnr %hov loarn aS thew now are raDidly lea