The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-08-16
LIKE St. ELMO SITE.


Impressed with Fine Location
Offered to Southern University
In Ascension Parish.
T, Il. Harris, state superintendent
of education, and DIR. T. P. Single,
tary, of Baton Rouge, members OF
the committee on the selection of a
site for the Southern University, last
Sunday inspected the location offer
ed by the Alluvial Land Purchase
Company at ST. Elmo, on the east
bank of the river opposite this city,
consisting of the Bocage mansion
and so acres Of improved plantation
land. They were met at Burnside
by E. P Brady and George w.
Reese, respectively president and sec
rotary of the AlluviaI Company, and
the following committee representing
the Donaldsonville Chamber of Com
merce: Charles Maurin, president;
R. S. Vickers, secretary; Mayor
Walter Lemann, w. D. Park, W. J.
Leblanc, Adolphe Meter, D. D. Dali
feres, Alex. Bloomenstiel, R. N. Sims,
C. Kline, Jasmin Tobias, Frank K.
Sims, of Donaldsonville; L. W. Armi-
tage, Of barrow; A. |. Picard and
DR.. r. NJ. Smith, of Gonzales, and
J. A. Lorio, of Belle Helene.
The party proceeded to st. Elmo
and partook of breakfast in a body
at the Hermitage Hotel, after which
an inspection of the property was
made. Messrs Harris and Singletary,
accompanied by members of the
committee, were then conveyed via
the St. Elmo Railroad to Belle Hell
enc, where they made connection
with a Mississippi Valley passenger
train for Baton Rouge, this serving
to demonstrate to them in a most
practical manner st. Elmo's ready
accessibility by rail and it's desirable
location as regards the character of
the country contiguous to it. The
local committee continued to the
River section, returning via the same
route Messrs. Harris and Single
tary expressed themselves as being
very fayorably impressed with the
ST. Elmo site, and praised the, spirit
of enterprise and aggressiVeness ex-
hibited by the people of this commu-
nifty.
B. c. Caldwell, the third member
of the site committee, who was un-
able to accompany his colleagues
Sunday, visited ST. Elmo Tuesday
and was met bXsadayor Walter Lem
ann and George L. Rockwell, who,
with representatives of the Alluvial
Company and others, escorted him
on his = trip of inspection over the
property. Arriving at Donaldsonville
on the $3.50 p. m. trip of the ferry
boat Ruth, Mr. Caldwell was received
at the landing by several business
men and members Of the Chamber of
Commerce, and later was escorted to
the Elks' Home, where he was en-
tertained until his departure for New
Orleans.
Like Messrs. Harris and Singletary,
Mr.. Caldwell expressed very favor
able opinion Of the ST. Elmo site,
and, also like them, he was strongly
impressed by the fact that the people
of this community, both white and
SOiOIGu, really WALL TIE SCuOOt H.
Gated here, whereas other sections
where sites have been rendered are
only tolerant in the matter The
spirit existent locally was demonstra-
ted by the nature Of the reception
accorded the members Of the site
committee on the occasion of their
visit to st. Elmo, the most prominent
white citizens uniting to receive them
and to urge the establishment of the
school in this parish, where the re-
lations between the races have al
ways been of the most friendly and
harmonious character.
A strong delegation of influential
business men and citizens of Donald
sonville and Ascension parish, headed
by Mayor Lemann, left yesterday
morning for New Orleans to attend
a meeting of the site committee, At
ter long discussion, during which
the claims of the Ascension location
were strongly presented by Mr.. Lem
ann, DR.. J. S. Thibaut, E. N Pugh
and others, the committee decided
to make an inspection today of a site
offered in East Baton Rouge parish
before arriving at decision. They
were accompanied on the trip by sew
eral members of the Ascension dele
cation, who will 'sstay with 'em" to
look after the interests of the local
site.