The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-11-26
FROM CRAS. A. LANTz
MIR. Lantz Still Thinks Louisiana Is
Good Enough for Him.

A. Lantz has forwarded the following
very interesting letter, which the read
erS of the Journal will appreciate:
Modesto, Cal, Nov. IL, 1915.
Rice Belt Journal
Leaving Welsh October 29th, we spent
one day in New Orleans sightseeing.
A person would have to spend a week
there in order 10 see the city properly.
As we neared the city we began to see
the results of the destructive storm of
September 3Oth. Large steel tanks such
as are found at the Rio Bravo plant had
been crushed as though they were egg
shells. The streets were piled high with
debris, many buildings having been IN
rooted and one three story building had
collapsed. Workmen were busy on
nearly every roof repairing the states.
On leaving New Orleans in the even
ing We were compelled to keep the win.
dOWS Of our car closed Oh accounted
the stencil that came from somewhere.
This odor, we were told, came from dc.
composing animals that had been killed
and lodged in the tree tops by the
storm.
We Travelled via the Illinois Central
from New Orleans to Chicago, where
we spent ten days, There we visited
the plant of Swift & Co., where we saw
hogs being killed and dressed at the
rate of 1000 per hour: going into the
ice box, or refrigerator, where 5000
beeVeS besides many sheep were cool
ing. We were surprised to see how
clean everything was in this plant. We
also paid visit to Sears, Roebuck &
Co.'s plant, where 11,OOO persons are
employed. Uncle Sam maintains post
Office in this plant, employing seventy
five clerks to handle the mail.
Chicago is the cleaneSt city we visited.
Their overhead street car system
prevents many accidents. Most of
the people of Chicago live in fats, where
they have all Of the modern CONVEX
fences. Wages are good, living is
cheap, but rent is very high.
Leaving Chicago over the Chicago &
Northwestern, we saw some very fine
farming country with beautiful i'm
provementS. In Illinois, Iowa and Ne
braSka nearly every farmer has silo;
about an equal number of cement and
wood SiloS in the first two states but in
Nebraska most of the SiloS are of
cement.
There was a notable absence of well
bred cattle in Illinois and Iowa, but we
saw beautiful herds of white faces in
Nebraska and Colorado. They raise
lots OF alfalfa in those states.
We stopped in Denver a day; took an
auto ride into the mounttinS, going to
an elevation of 1O,250 feet. The scenery
in THE Garden of the Gods" is very
impressive.
We stopped at Colorado Springs one
! day, where we again autoed to the
mountains. visiting 1.-THE Cave of the
Winds" That was the most beautiful
sight of the whole trip. The cave must
be mile long and 200 feet down in the
mountain; he ceiling studded with ali
kinds OF beautiful stones. These stones
are formed as the water drips and crys.
talizes
We only stopped at Salt Lake City a
few hours. Visited the Mormon Temple
but did not enter, as it was closed. Took
a ride about the city in an auto. Our
guide called out the historical pla 3esJ
and in mentioning Brigham Young "a d
ne hat fifty. children of his OWL il d
two adopted ones, nineteen wives IA d
seventeen motherS.in.law. One OF our
party said God pity himr when he men.
toned the seventeen mothers.in. W.
We visited the great Salt Lake, I'VE
gallons of the water of which evapor.
ated leave one gallon of pure salt. Our
guide remarked that the Mormons
baptized by immersion but did not use
the water from Salt Lake, as it m qht
have a tendency to pickle and preserve
their sins instead of washing tnem
away. Aperson falling into the lake
cannot sink, SO it is impossible to
drown.
Arriving in San Francisco November
9Th, we visited the exposition for three
days. We had intended to view the fair
for about week but got too tired of
It, Louisiana has a nice display there,
but we were surprised to find no one
there to introduce the rice food pro.
ducts.
Weare now at Modesto resting up,
California has lots OF good land and
raises nearly everything that is grown
anywhere; but land is priced from 5000
/ q l.