The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-08-01

lSn OF rICn and aItluent louisiana
But a snort wade back it was the
might.est in area, the most mammoth
producer, the recognized monarch IL
eSource OF all the fair and fertile
parishes OF the peerless Pelican state
and although within atWelye month
she has given from her broad and
majestic domain of over two million
acres, and given amply and generous
ly, to form the gleaC producing par
lSneS or emerson DAVIS, Beauregai d
and Allen, Sne still retains and is
freely accorded her proud pseudonym
Of imperial"
OF this princely PARISH Lake
Charles the cultured and beautiful,
is the premier city and fitting official
seat.
Lake Charles is built on the banks
of The beautiful sheet of water of
that name where The Calcasieu river
W.denS and expands in it's flight
southwark to the sea. 1t is the
largest and most important city on
The Southern Pacific system between
New Orleans east and Houston vest
ward. It's strategetic commercial
advantages being pre-eminently
commanding. This fact has been
readily recognized by those alert and
astute observers OF the trend OF
trade and travel, the railway mag
mates, and here is clustered a net
u DIRK Of railroads, more lines anu
branches than can DE found in any
other city between New Orleans and
houston. The main transcontinent-
al line of the Southern Pacific ira
verses the city and this company
also operates the Lake Charles E.
Northern to DeRidder, and branch
to Lake Arthur; the Iron Mountain
APPS the city with the st. L. |. M. &
5. north to Alexandria, and the Kan
sas City Southern goes from Lake
charles to the metropolis at the
mouth of the Kaw direct as the crow
flies, via Shreveport. Six separate
lines enter the city, the steel rails of
which extend in every cardinal COM
pass direction and the hoarse whis-
tie of the iron horse is ever to be
heard mingling with the hum of
machinery wheels, the turmoil of
traffic and the other noises of a. busy
city.
Aside from the shimmering sheen
OF its alluring lake, Lake Charles
has landscape settings of eternal |
in shade empowered syl-
van beauty and it was but natural
that here should cluster and fore
gather a population noted for it's
culture and refinement, as well as
Its progressiveness. A city's schools
and churches are the best indexes
Oh these possessions, and the pietho-
IA and quality of these that here
abound, which lack of space does
not permit of fully recounting, at
test the broadness of puryiew and
perspective of the builders of this
beautiful city. Nor does the present
ienltude retard advancement and
farther growth in the regard indi-
Gated, as is we'll attested by the beau
-itui Baptist church built but a year
100, by the Cathedral of the Immac-
liate Conception now under con-
by the Catholic congrega-
ion and designed to be one of the
most slightly and imposing church
'difices of the state and by the state
y and handsome first, second and
ourth ward and Central school
are erected within the
past year.
Its banks best mirror aud reflect
eommunity's material prosperity
and the unparalleled showing made
'y he financial institutions of Lake
JAaries at the close of business June
tth last we do not think can be
'quaied by any like number of banks
n any city of like size in the Unit
ID States. The resource showing of
;alcasleu parish's greatest financial
and it's eight branches 4,
nd that of it's close rival, the Oldest
ank in Southwest Louisiana, and /
heir respective subsidiary organiza-
ions, are alike peerless. {
They are as follows:
aleasieu National
BANK - .$2,446,S9S. 80 I
i r,a- F