New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-07-30
WONDERFUL WORK OF RE-
CLAIMING LOUISIANA
LANDS.
By Mrs. S, B. Elder in Picayune.

- huOAH DfoducdSly DJtH mere
and the world at large
The only depressing part in con
nection with this vast project Is
that Northern capital is financing
the work, and Northern and
Western farmers are TO occupy
the land-instead Of Our own men
owning the land and settling il
with Louisiana h0meseekers.
Thirty thousand acres in St
Bernard Parish are now being de-
Eeloped by IA Wisconsin firm, 49,
900 acres in the same parish by
Illinois capitalists, and 10000
more acres by another Illinois de.
velopmcnt company, but still
more splendid proof Of the value
of our lands is shown by the fact
that the president Of a Kansas
agricultural college has secured a
tract of 1000 Louis ana acres, de-
claring that the alluvial lands OF
southern Lonisiana are H'tha rich
est lands in the world
Our own people are not truly
aware Of the wealth at their hand
or rather at their feet, which they
have lett untouched, mnnotlced,
for years, only to let it be discov-
cred by capitalists from abroad
and exploited for their pecuniary
benefit.
But we must be grateful that
the work Of reclamation is being
d0ne-and not find fault with the
zeal and wisdom which are ac-
complishing such wonderful re
suits.
In the June number Of the Gulf
States Farmer these wondrous de-
velopments of our marshy lands
brought to notice in way to sur
prise yet delight the reader.
One writer, Mr.. E. O. Wild,
gives an account Of visit to the
Bayou des Ailemands, where an
important work of swamp recla-
nation is being carried on.
Lack of space alone prevents
the giving Of his entire article. so
delightful and instructive that it
makes one long to see and take
part IN that future which this rec
lamation work will bring about,
so bright, 50 prosperous, so bene-
fic al to our people, and which is
really close at hand.
Mr. Wild says he asked gard
ener how long he had been on the
land.
"Since the beginning Of
March. It was then June)
"My crops are the first ever
grown on this soil. The land was
all under water when | came
here
::What can be raised on the
SOLE" asked Mr.. Wild.
Everything, " answered the
gardener. except apples and
wheat, y
Asked what these reclaimed
lands were worth, the gardener
answered in a way 10 rival Mark
Twain himself,
"Well, a chemist who was here
few days ago said the land is
worth about S. a ton as fertiliz-
ers; but the company is selling
them, ait present, at $50 an acre. .
And few years, gwen a few
months ago, these wet lands could
have been purchased for a dollar
or less per acre, but the richness
of the soil was well expressed by
the humorous suggestion OF their
being sold at fertilizers at So
ton.
Quoting from Mr.. Wild, we are
told that "a canal forty feet wide
and eight feet deep has been com
pketed almost around the Nrst
District (the reclamation work IS
being designated as districts, and
numbered accordingly. which has
frontage of two miles on Bayou
Black Prince. extends back to the
north two and a half miles, and
contains approximately five
square miles, or 5000 acres. The
earth excavated from the canals
has been formed into levees
which will protect the drained
land from overflow. After ira
vers;ng eight miles of canals, Mr.
! Wild, visiting the dredge. learned
that this wonderful machine
working day and night, digs about
two thousand cubic yards a day
which means a mile and half OF
canals a month.
On land now three years re-
claimed Mr.. Wild saw orange
trees loaded with green fruit, and
peach trees loaded with ripe
peaches, besides vegetables ol
every kind.
No wonder he eclaimed enthus
iastically, "This whole area OF
desolate swamp will soon chang(
into the richest farm lands in thc
world. and where now live only
the croaking frogs, the moccasir
and the alligator there will be
happy. thrifty and prosperous
population. with schools. church
es. and all the advantages of III
| higher civilization. This recla
nation is certainly a wonderful
work !"
! And this is going on in man
80 a,,r rfn A nnrparnnn6