St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-08-06

IETLrHG 80 -
readily yields under good management
a dividend Of 100 per cent. there is
no reason why such an industry
should not spring up just al Don as
the required amount Of acreage is
put in cultivation; there are at pre-.
sent over 5000 acres planted in st.
Landry parish, all Of which when
ready for the mill is shipped by way
of the Southern Pacific to the rein.
cries in the lower parishes whereas
with a refinery located here, and this
cane converted into sugar and molas-
SEES, not only would a large pay roll
rebound materially to the interest Of
this city but all the roads would bid
for their quota Of the traffic and
thereby bar the monopoly Of one road
handling this product.
In the production Of rice in this
parish our farmers have been greatly
handicapped in being without irriga-
tion and having to depend upon pro-
whence and deep wells to furnish
water which has proven very made
quate, and yet under favorable sea
sons the yield has been as high as 20
b~arreI!of Honduras and as many as l8
of Japan but alas this system is soon
to be a thing Of the past and st. Lam
dry parish will posses an irrigation
canal the magnitude Of which will be
unequaled in the South; the organizer
and promoter Of this grand irrigation
scheme is a man esteemed and en-
deared by this entire community for
his indomitable courage, energy and
financial abilitY-I refer to the Hon.
J. Franklin Schell. Mr.. SchelI has
organized a company known as the
Union Irrigation Go. This company
has in course of construction and
nearing completion an irrigation can
al that is 300 feet wide and 80 miles
long with a lateral 200 feet wide and
10 miles long; it's gigantic pumping
plant is already installed and ready
for business and beyond any prsad-
venture of a doubt this canal will be
and ready to furnish all
the water that will be needed along
its route for the crop of 1911. This
company finds ii possible to get an
inexhaustible supply Of fresh water
which can be raised with one life and
distributed over practically all Of
Southwest Louisiana a territory COM
1250000 acres Of cultivable
land that is not only adapted to the
culture 81 rice but garden truck or
any other product that the farmer
desires TO engage in; the water will
be taken from the Bayou Courtableau
which is an arm of the great Missis-
sippi and when completed will CON
stitute the largest irrigation project
n the South. Upon the completion
this enterprise the installation of
ice mills and paper mills will in
,vitably follow.
In closing ! want tosay that there is
man in our midst who is the origi-
lator Of this great rally here to-day,
IN official Of the great Frisco road
which is one Of the greatest systems
n the United States and is known as
he B. F. Yoakum system, it comprises
miles Of railway and extends
rom the Alaskas to the gulf and
the Mississippi river to the
rocky mountains and serves some 26
liferent states, this official is the
Ion. s. r. White the agricultural
gent Of this great road, whom we
we q debt Of gratitude for the good
york he has done, and is still doing
or us, in giving instructive lectures
IN agriculture, and in introducing
lew seeds, new products, and
methods il establishing an ex-
oerimental farm to demonstrate the
wonderful possibilities Of our soil.
Grand UOteau.