St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1915-04-03
St. TA!NM|ANy'S AD-
VArI['ANGES.
Editor st. Tammany' Farmer:

Editor st. Tammany Farmer: -
canHot refrain from ADDRESSING
you a communication wlic!, think
s.luGid open tGt eyes OK The sleepy
inEa bitants 81 your parish-il taeis
eyes can be be opeue! at all-Wtitca
is my view Of the situation by close
observation during my many visits
for the Last forty years, having the
opportunity CT going around quite u
bit, and if ! am not imposing would
request that you give this publicity
in your journal which is read BY your
community.
1t was first brought to my notice
the resources which lie dormant here,
and later | made Investigations Of
MY own and have come to the con-
clusion that you have the richest par
ish-not only in the State of Lou
isiana-but i'll the Southern States.
But alas! your people seem blind 10
those riches and are inclined to
"leave it to George" for development.
for George" to reap the profits
which are really due them and which
are willing to lose by their inactivity
and Indifference. l allude to the
great value of minerals underlying
the st. Tammany soil, viz: The valu-
able clays, sand, gravel and undouDt-
eddy sulphur, and last but not least,
oil and gas, which are streaming I'M
der your lands. l have visited many
oil fields-before and after they
were developed-and / dare say with
sincerity in no place have l found
better indications for the latter.
Since l have been shown the pure Pc
troleum oozing from the old desert
ed we'll drilled nine, years ago at
Sulphur Springs, my deductions from
the surface indications have been
verified and leaves no doubt in my
mind that you have all and more
5 than here express.
/ have spoken to several gentle
men of this place and to- my sur
prise only a precious few seem to
realize those facts and unfortunately
those few are not men of means and
are unable to finance the proposition.
learned with satisfaction that
those few are lending all their eff
. forts to organize a company to take
up the matter, but in the face of all
they can show to the doubling
Thomases'' they are meeting with
little success there and are forced to
call ON outsiders for support.
Now, Mr.. Editor, do you not agree
with me that If such is the case that
those resources are present here,
that 1t is a downright shame that the
people OF your town and parish, who
are able to contribute towards this
development, should stand back with
such Indifference and even in many
inclined to venture. | have heard
some express themselves as not be-
lieving that oil exists there, and
doubt as to the value of other min
erals mentioned. Where are their
eyes? Where lies their judgment
which their Creator had intended
them to possess? Let them stop and
see the samples of products made by
the Sophie Newcomb Institution from
the St. Tammany clays which are on
exhibition in the Frederick Building
Let them 60 to New Orleans and see
those on Canal street and which sell
for $500 to $500 per. Let them
go to the Frisco Exposition and see
the exhibits sent in by the Sophie
Newcomb labeled Made from clay
from St. Tammany parish, La"
Then PERHAPS they will come to real
ize that il strangers stand up and
take notice, why should they not,
and not allow some northern, west
ern or eastern syndicate to go there
and derive the benefits of the great
wealth which belong-or would be-
long-to them If they were to shake
on the mantel of inertia and doubt.
Zee the great revenues of other
parishes in this State which have
been awake and fortunate enough to
reach the object of their search.
Their treasury j.; filed by the as
Eessments and payments from those
vast industries. Plenty Of money in
circulation. big business booms and
everybody. is enjoying some of the
profits.
Think of the lands lying idle there,
which could not be sold even at a
sacrifice. Think of laborers idle and
not able to get anything to do; of
the many young men trying to get
some kind of position. Think Of the
taxation put on the people in order
to maintain the town and parish.
All this would be changed to a new
condition. Lands would sell for ten
times their present value. Every
body would have something to do and
make living. Business would be
on a boom in general. Taxes would
be paid by large industries instead
Of poor little farmers and home
holders. The population of the tow.
would be doubled--if not more.
less than year, and to think for
lack Of interest and for fear of los .
ing few dollars in the venture all |
this wealth lies concealed for want
Of search.
| noticed witt pleasure your ed
torial In last issue where you wisely |
pointed out the necessity of adver.
Using your town to the world, ETC.,
but advertisement alone does not
bring people, nor the money. You
how 1ov A.