St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1914-07-11
CHURCH POINT is
STILL ON THE BOON
Since Erection Of Railroad
Acadia Town Made Mar
velous Progress.

Church Point, La, July L
We are often told by calamity
howlers and pessimists in general
that this old world is growing
worse and worse. and beautiful
pictures are painted by these
people of the good old days Of
yore.
These people are like the
Chinese, they look backward, not
forward, they think that the
best has already been.'' =
If you wish to convince your
self concerning this matter, stop
and make a few comparisons.
For instance, compare the old
method of making fire, when
people had to rub two sticks to-
gether until the friction caused
the sticks to ignite a piece of
cotton or other such material
held close to it; with our present
method of lighting a fire with
kerosene and a match. Compare
the old method, the lint from the
cotton seed, when this had to be
done by hand, with the present
cotton Hengin" now
shortened to cotton gin. y Com
pare the old method of travelling
when months were required to
cross the ocean, with our present
was of crossing the ocean in
great ocean liners.
Unlimited numbers of such
comparisons could be made, all
tending to prove that this old
planet is growing better, not
worse.
We, here in Church Point take
this optimistic view and feel that
we can make enough compari-
sons to prove that our assertion
that Church Point is better now
than it was in the distant past.
Great Improvements of diffe-
rent kinds have been made lately.
Until recently it was dangerous
to pass on our sidewalks at night
and when we did, we had to
carry a latern to keep from fall
ing between the old planks or in
to a mudhole. Now we have fine
concrete walks along the prin-
pie streets.
A few years ago there were
only a few stores in town, now
we have some of the finest stores
to be found in the country. Not
many years ago there was only
one cotton gin in town, and when
one wanted to haul a bale of
cotton to town one had to come
several days in advance to retain
a room at the gin in which to un-
load his cotton. To-day we have
three excellent cotton gins
running every day during the
cotton season and the cotton is
unloaded directly from the wagon
into the gin.
Not many years ago we had to
go to Rayne, Sunset or Opelousas
in order to board a train, now we
get on the train right here in
Church Point. Some of the in.
habitants remember, when or
Sunday, there were as many OK.
carts in front of the church as
there are automobiles there to.
day. The writer remembers
well that only a few years age
during the rainy season we hae
to pass in mud over the shoe tor
in order to reach the church.
But this, too, has been remedied
cement sidewalks have been con-
structed around the church. and
the grounds have been elevated
to such an extent that Church
Point now boasts of one of the
most beautiful church sites in
the state.
This last feat has been accom-
plished by the indefagitable ef-
forts of Mr.. T. Guidry, assisted
by our beloved pastor, Father
Roger, the country Pensioners
and the ladies Of the town. This
tremendous work of elevating
the church and convent grounds,
which was started about nine
years ago, was practically COM