St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-01-22
LANTINdONTHE
ATCHAFALAYA RIVER.
Interesting Article In New Orleans Sugar Planter,
Telling OF the Fertility Of st. Landry Soil
for the Cultivation Of Cane.

~ 0SS6A ANSA4b0A ~ 9A63A=NADsA4
ufacturer, of New Orleans, the lead
ing authority on sugar cane culture
in this country, has the following
article in its last issue. What it says
of the Melville section as a cane pro-
ducing sell may be said Of other por-
tions Of St. Landry parish.
The article follows:
As referred to in these columns
two weeks ago, the plantations ex-
tending along the west bank Of the
Atchafalaya river, from Melville to
~Simmesport, a distance of more than
twenty miles, are rapidly being put
into sugar cane by their owners who
are unanimous in agreeing as to the
futility Of further attempts at cotton
raising so long as the boil weevil re-
mains in their midst. Accordingly,
Melville wants a sugar factory, and
those who are interested may be shown
extensive areas Of cane for this year,
with all promise for further expan-
sion the following season; prospec-
tive investors can be shown the rich
est soil in the State, land which was
giving surprising fertility by riparian
deposits from the overfoWs Of many
years back, before the days of levees
that are real water barriers were
built; and a visit TO this section will
disclose to those who may be interest
ed in making sugar house investment
that along the Atchafalaya a most in
telligent set Of planters are to be
found, men whose faith in their hold
ings is substantiated by their unWill-
ingness to part with the lands, es-
pecially now since they see the saliva
tion Of the situation lies in the grow.
ing of cane. Without exception the
planters from Melville right ON up to
%Simmesport, are becoming deeply in
terested in the culture of sugar cane,
and as such stand prepared to give
guarantee for ample deliveries of cane
to any mill that might be built in
their locality. They would like to see
a full grown central built, but as
starter would welcome the advent Of
a moderate sized house, such as could
show its ability to give good paying
results with the manufacture of sugar
from their rich s~ucrose-laden cane.
In this connection It might be that
the owner of a mill in the southern
parishes rot nov operating would care
to figure on its removal to the At
chafalaya, and were this desired it is
very likely IN advantageous arrange
ment may be effected with some Of
the planters to take stock therein, in
evidence Of faith that they will con
tinue to furnish supplies. State
ments Of the sugar richness Of the
cane, and the tonnages that may be
raised on these lands, are given below,
and the truthfulness Of the assertions
can be corroborated on investigation.
AS an inducement to the location
of a house factory about Melville,
one Of the towns leading merchants.
G. G. johnson, who has a small planta
tion just above the town. on the west
side of the Texas & Pacific track,
generously offers to donate % acres
to anyone desiring to use the site for
. sugar factory. It is also to be
pointed out in connection with factory
building plans that the inestimable
of cheap fuel close at hand
should be had, for the Standard Oil
is to lay its pipe lines right
through Melville, on the way from the
Shreveport oil fields to the oil refinery
now being constructed at Baton
Melville selected as a relay
ing, pumping station, and a number
Of oil storage tanks to be erected {
there. The Importance Of having the
fuel right on tap all the time, I
It is figured, should appeal strongly !
as an argument in favor Of giving
Melville the sought sugar house erec- !
lion, for the Standard Oil Company is
likely to be found willing to make s
concessions in the matter of price in
to create a new fuel consumer: {
hence it might not be expecting too |
much to believe that prospective j
sugar house projectors could get the |
corporation to grant concessions in
price, such as would insure cheaper j
'uel being secured by asngar factory |
it Melville than could be obtained by /
my other sugar planting firm in the
State