The Natchitoches enterprise., 1917-03-29
Natchitoches Ancient,
But Also Smart, Alert
and Wide-Awake Town

and Wide-Awake Towr
With Population of 5000, 1t Has 1
or 20 Miles of Paved Sidewalks an,
Streets, Best Water and Lighting
System in State, the State Norma
School and a Live Commercial AS
ISOLATION. Town Owns It's Own Pub
lie Utilities and Has the Commission
Form of Government.
Don't you love that musical ole
Indian uame, though? 1t breathes 70
nance, it corjures up visions of the
time when the parish was the haunt OF
! the red men Of the famous tribes oil
the Natchitoches and the Doustiony
Indians, Two hundred years old is
Natchitoches and full of historic inter.
est. You can't get away from the lure
of it, from the time it played a stellar
role in the pioneer days of French,
Spanish and English America. 1t was
the scene of strife and contest out OF
which American settlers emerged tri-
umphant, this one-time most important
point on the old San Antonio trail.
The ruins of the old French fort lie in
sight of the Normal School, to the
right can be seen where st. Denis was
defeated. But it is not of historical
| Natchitcohes l have to do-the glamor
of it gets into my eyes, though, and
makes it hard to break away-but of
the smart, alert, snappy Natchitoches
of today, that no one expects to find
because of the romance and antiquity
that wrap it round about.
Who wonld expect to find, l ask to
know, Is or 20 miles of paved side
walks and streets, tho best water and
light system in the state, handsome
modern business buildings, a live city
government, a wide-awake commercial
association, life movement, business
and get-up- Bnd- get here on the old San
Antonio trail? And automobiles! l
never saw as many anywhere except
on Canal street What would one of
the long-dead braves think if he could
sit up some day for moment and
view the landscape Ger now. There
are financial institutions in Natchito-
ches with assets over 81, 900, 900. There
is population of ever 5000. The boast
of this people, Of the commercial asso,,
citation, is, 1--WE are located in Red
river valley; we are the home of the
State Normal School; we own our own
public utilities; we are here for bust
ness. Watch MS grow in grace until no
other town anywhere in any state can
compare with US, even if they can COM
pare with us now"
That's sassy Commercial Associa-
ton, but it has the spirit that wins.
There is movement to inject new life
and movement in the association. Sec
retary-T Treasurer McClung is going to
Alexandria shortly to look into the way
they do it there and get any ideas that
may be floating around loose. The town
commissioners, the Commercial Asso-
citation and the City Beautiful League,
a woman's organization, that has done
much toward the attainment of their
dreams, all work in harmony toward
a common end The Commercial Asso-
citation is differed by Sydney Katie,
leading merchant, president; A. A.
Winbarg, vice president; 3. l.. Nc
Chung, Jr., secretary-treasurer. The
committees are: Executive; j. G.. De-
Blieux, chairman; Charles Inter, L. E.
Hudson, j, w. Bateman, w. E. Ay-
mond, Transportation, L. G. Barnes,
chairman; Phanor Breazeale, V. l..
Roy, Agriculture, J. w. Bateman,
chairman; H. A. Cook, w, T. Cunning
ham.
You find President Roy of the State
Normal working with this body and it
sounds good. They send out such in
formation as this on their stationery,
going after 'em right: eve are located
in the alluvial,s above overflow lands of
Red river.
"Land values are stable and the allu-
vial lands sell at $25 to $75 per acre
Will grow any crops adapted to the
South and grow them cheaply. Princ1-
pal crops are cotton, corn, cane, hay,
alfalfa, oats, potatoes, peanuts, etc.
White clover and Bermuda grass are
native and grow profusely. Labor is
plentiful and cheap.
-Four railroads traverse the parish.
Our public and parochial schools offer
the best educational advantages. This
is the home of the Louisiana State
Normal School, the greatest in the
South.
eff you are looking for home, come
and see. Ask US for any service pub
lic-spirited body should render"
That's the way they do it. The per-
sondel of the men at the top is a guar
antee in itself, should doubling Thom-
as arise away from here and TASK to
know"
Natchitoches has voted its quarter
million to the Jefferson Highway and
work will soon be started in which this
fortunate spot will be one bead in the
great rosary connecting New Orleans
with Winnipeg.
Another achievement that puts Nat
chitoches to the front and in class all
to herself, is this great Cane River
Lake, which the town overlooks.
There's story about it, that it wasn't
navigable enough, so Uncle Sam was
persuaded to dam it up into great
35-mile long lake, the biggest in the
South, and stock it with fish. 1t has |
been done, though / have heard of
things easier, and have but to lift my
eyes and there it lies, shimmering |