Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-09-30

matters municipal have been actuated
solely by patriotic impulse.
The years 1902 and 1903 brought many
improvements to our little city. The St.
Louis & Iron Mountain Rail Road ex-
tended their line through this parish from
North to South and was the fulfillment
of the dreams of many of our people who
for years had hoped and labored toward
this Zone great end. The coming of the
railroad brought increased prosperity to
the town and was followed by the cree
ton of several prominent business houses,
notably: the Tensas Cotton Compress and
the Iensas Cotton Oil Mill, two very i'm
portant institutions in the business life
of the place. In the year 1902 the Bank
of st. Joseph was also!organized, and in
1908 the st. Joseph Improvement Co.,
which caused the erection of a dozen or
more very neat cottages, which added
very much to the appearance of our little
town.
The influx of people to st. Joseph in
the years 1902 and 1908 caused the local
officials to make a recount of the people
living within the corporate limits OF the
Village, and st. Joseph was found to con-
tain considerably more than one thou
sand inhabitants. This increased popula-
ton entitled the place to advance from
the modest pretentions of Village to the
greater dignity Of Town.
At this time the Union Church, very
pretty building, constructed along lines
of modern architecture, was erected. The
Church Association is composed of three
denominations, viz: Methodist, Presby-
terrain and Baptist. These denominations
through the leadership of the Ladies Aid
Society raised some Four Thousand Dol
lars used in the construction and furnish
ing of the church. The lot on which the
church stands was contributed by Mrs.
India Brown, philanthropic and charit-
able lady of st. Joseph.
On October %, 1901, st. Joseph suf-
fered the most disastrous fire ever known
in her history, when property valued at
nearly Two Hundred Thousand Dollars
was destroyed, the effects of which disas-
ter are even yet felt by a number OF our
people.
st. Joseph is not without its historic
interest. When the tocsin of war was
sounded in 1861 and the South marched
forth to battle for what all believed to be
right, Tensas parish was not laggard, but
moved by the great love for our Southern
institutions, our parish sent to the front
two military companies as brave and noble
as ever confronted an enemy, the Tensas
Rifles and the Tensas Cavalry.
The Tensas Cavalry, organized in St..
Joseph, added renown to our parish, al
ways famed for its chivalric and intelli-
gent citizenship. The command Of this
company, following the fortunes of war,
was in time rendered to Capt. Albert Bon
durant, a lifelong resident of this town
and parish and the first white child born
in Tensas parish. Capt. Bondurant lived
for many years on what is known as
pleasant View or Bondurant planta-
ton, some miles above st. Joseph on the
Mississippi River front. While with his
company at the scene of conflict his resi-
dence was bombarded by Gen. Grants
gun-boats and his family forced to flee
| for their lives.
In war and in peace the Parish of Ten
sas and the town of st. Joseph have con-
tributed to the field of usefulness men
and women of brain and genius, whose
lives and works have reflected the great.
est credit on the place of their nativity,
and to this day the names of st. Joseph
and Tensas parish are synonymous Of
courage and intelligence and command
respect wherever known.