St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-08-06
ADDRESS Of Or. a. J. Bercier,
Delivered on Frisco Day,
July rs.

0NAS 500
Address BY Dr. IA. j. Bercier, Presi
dent, 0pelousas Progressive Lea.
que 81 0peIousas, La, on Farmers
Day July 18th, 1910.
Ladies visiting friends and fellow
citizens.
ID behalf Of the 0pelousas Pro
greasive League, | join in with tbs
honorable Mayorrin. extending to YOU
one and at a most hearty welcome
The 0peIousas Progressive League il
q very strong organization, compris-
ing some Of best business men Of oul
city and we are out to do Oil in oul
power to upbuild our city and parish.
and win be ever ready to take ad-
vantage of every opportunity offered
as down these lines we fully realize
the great good that We can accomp-
lish for this beautiful section Of
country BY cooperating and working
ID harmony with the great railway
systems that traverse our parish, and
il behooves you citizens of Opelousas
and ST. Landry parish to bend every
effort 10 back up the Leagues Of this
parish ID this great work if you wish
% see your city and parish blossom
and bloom like d rose.
From The census taken in 1908 the
population 81 this city IS Sill. and
il IS The only centrally located city
on che Frisco road between Houston
and Baton Rouge of much magnitude
on account Of the enormous amount
of rich aluvial land lying ad-
jacent 70 it with the three roads it
already has running North, East, South
and West and giving Us ten passenger
trains a day indicates that this city
win become d great central shipping
point, and unquestionably it the logi-
cal point for the establishment Of the
Friaeo's division and repair shops.
Being centrally located and the
county seat Of the Empire and Banner
parish of the State comprising
1077I2o acres, 100000 Of which is
dense forest Of hard wood timber
such IS white oak, red oak, ash, hick-
org. tupla gum, red gum and cypress
III the East and the dense forest Of
long leaf pine in the West. These
natoFal resources Of wood makes
ODelousss al ideal place for the es-
establishment 81 carriage, wagon, fur
niture, barrel, box, sash, door, blinds
and handle factories, etc.
Ths balance Of her high table lands
hat are 76 feet above sea level and
at are fertile in the production Of
oota, cotton, sugar cane, rice, tobae-
81, hemp. potatoes and in fact every
known vegetable and fruit, in q cli-
mate whose mean temperature is So
ii january and 80 in July with q
rainfall of 4:15 in January and 1880
ia July indicates truly that we do
liye ID 4 paridise Of flowers the year
round.
70 give an idea Of the wonderful
fertility and productiyeness Of the
soil lying adjacent to 0~pelousas in St.
Landry parish-prior to the invasion
cf the boil Weevil. there were as
many IS 10000 bales of cotton
bou I'LL from wagons on our streets
ne season and as many as 10000
ppea from hs parish, and now that
our agricultural classes, On account
Of TIE invasion Of the boil weeyit are
forced 10 fee 10 the field Of diversii-
cation they have engaged principally
III the cultivation of sugar cane and
rice WHICH they find 70 be 4 more re-
munFative crop than cotton; with the
quantity and quality Of soil within q
raIioss If six miles Of 0pelousas
II easy 10 support a half 3 dog
eu ag 5efneries with D capacity Of