The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-12-23
SUGAR sQuIDs.
Progress Of the Grinding Campaign
in Ascension and Elsewhere
Items Of Interest from Field and
Factory.

items Of Interest from Field and
Factory.
The planters are still having I'M
favorable weather to contend with,
in addition to the other misfortuneS
which have befallen them this decid-
eddy disastrous season. The climatic
conditions OF the past week were
about as disagreeable and unpropl-
tious as could well be imagined,
having consisted principally of a tor
rental rain, cyclonic wind storm,
dense, sticky" fogs, and high tenn
peratures-the whole forming a COM
bination which has resulted in the
infliction of further damage on the
already sorely injured cane crop, be-
sides prolonging the agony of the
grinding season for several days.
Sunday and Monday the weather
was fairly auspicious-these days
having been clear and cool-but on
Tuesday a steady rain fell from
about s o'clock in the morning until
shortly before daylight Wednesday,
the precipitation totalling 2.62 inches.
Accompanying the doWnpour was a
stiff southeast wind, which, at about
$3.50 or O'Clock Wednesday morn
ing, assumed the velocity OF a hur-
ricane and blew with cyclonic force
for upwards of half an hour. 1t was
feared for a time that another tropi-
cal storm was impending, similar to
the memorable disturbance of 1910,
but after blowing great guns the
wind culled toward down without
having done any further damage in
this immediate locality than to bowl
over insecure fences and exposed
outbuildings. Tuesday was in the
main cloudy, and although the sun
appeared in the late afternoon it
was virtually out of the question to
do any work in the fields, owing to
the flooded condition OF the ground
as a result Of the doWnpour Of the
day and night before. Tuesday was
partly clear and reasonably cool, but
yesterday was another warm, rainy
and thoroughly dismal day. The
weather is still unsettled and the
cold snap for which the planters have
been yearning seems to be as far
away as ever.
During the terrific wind storm of
Wednesday morning three large
smokestacks were blown down at the
st. James Estate factory of Honore
Hymel & Bro, in ST. James parish.
Mr.. Hymel, one of the owners, got
into communication oyre the long
distance telephone with Joseph r.
Cafiero, the well-knoWn Donaldson
vile rigger and smokestack-erector,
at about 1880 o'clock Wednesday
morning, and Mr.. Cafiero, with Gus
tomary promptness and energy, de-
spatched a crew of Workmen with
complete equipment of rigging to the
scene of the accident ON the s a.
m. Texas and Pacific train. The crew
being composed of some of Mr.. Ca
fiero's most capable and expert work
men, it was expected that they would
have the damage repaired and the
stacks replaced within two or three
days. The factory was in operation
at the time Of the accident, and was
compelled to shut down pending the
re-erection Of the smokestacks.
Justilien Delatte, who is in charge
Of the pan-room at Messrs. Graug-
nard & CARES Columbia factory in
St. John parish, spent Wednesday in
Donaldsonville with his family, Col |
lmbia having closed down temporar
ly Tuesday afternoon owing to a |
shortage in the cane supply resulting |
rom the interruption in field work |
caused by Tuesdays heavy rain.
Operations were resumed at 6 O'Clock |
Thursday morning, and it was the |
that grinding you'd be
concluded about Tuesday or Wednes-
lay of next week. Mr.. Delatte says |
never in his experiences as a sugar |
he has been manipulating
he proof-stick for 10, these many
rears-has he had as hard a time
cooking cane juice to the proper de-
gree of consistency as he experienced
It Columbia last week. Standing cane
vas being ground, and as it was
ound to be somewhat sour it was
mixed with WindroWed cane, which
vas in better condition. Each strike
II sugar turned out had to be cooked
rom IL to Is hours, slowing down
he work of the factory to con-
siderable extent and adding another
annoyance to the usual run of trials
md tribulations which characterize
he grinding season. This week con-
litions are somewhat improved, Mr..
)elatte reporting that he is able to
ct down a strike after to 8 hours
# effort.
Camille Wives, Of DonaIdsonville,
Who has been employed during the
,rlndln5 season as one of the cane
veighers ON the Salisbury plantation,
las accepted the position of manager
f the Lauderdale store for the com
ng year, and will leave here about
an. /, with his family, to assume his
eW duties. Ulysses Hidalgo, a young
nd experienced storekeeper of st.
ames parish, will be general man
ger of all the stores on the
limitations of the Salisbury Com
any, including those at Salisbury,
and Acadia. Mr.. Wives is
OF a novice in the management of
lantation stores by any means hav- +
lg for twelve years filled the very
osition which he is again to occu- +
y-that of manager of the Lauder {
ale store. He is therefore well ac- i
with the duties of the po- /
ltion and properly qualified to dis
II