SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL

(Reprinted Courtesy of Claitor's Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
Reprint1971)

by

WILLIAM HENRY PERRIN
1891

(Chapters V Calcasieu Parish and Chapter VI Cameron Parish only)

CHAPTER V

                        Calcasieu Parish - Introductory - Topography and Description - Settlement - Reese Perkins - His Magisterial Services - An Incident -The Pioneers - Organization of the Parish - The Seat of Justice - Development of Resources - Fruit Culture - Figs - Rice Growing - Lumber Interests - Evening on the Calcasieu - Railroads - The Watkins Road - Churches and Schools -  Lake Charles College - Lawyers and Doctors - Lake Charles Settled - Incorporated - A Go-ahead Town - A Rice Mill - Saw Mills and Lumber - The Press - Country Towns - The Sulphur Mine - Many Things of Many Kinds.

“The axe rang sharply ‘mid those forest trees

Which from creation toward the sky

Had towered in unshorn beauty.” - Mrs. Sigourney

            It is difficult to realize as we walk the streets of our beautiful towns, and note the squares of built up houses and mansions, the factories, the busy mills and the ceaseless hum of industry where the bulk of a busy population “gains its bread by the sweat of its brow,” that less than a century ago these blooming prairies; grand old forests and enchanting water courses and lakes were the possessions of wandering savages and formed a part of one vast wilderness, which gave no sign of promise of the multitudes of a strange race by which it is now peopled, or the mighty developments in science and art which should make their lives so different from that of their rude predecessors.

            Here the bold immigrant pitched his tent and staked all beside the deep-rolling Calcasieu or near some lake of sparkling water, and beneath those tall forest pines, where erst the unnamed children of nature had so long roamed unmolested, at one time in search of food, and again engaged in the wild pleasures which seemed the only occupation of their existence.  The sound of the woodman’s axe sang out amid this mighty solitude, frightening the denizens of the forest from their peaceful slumbers, and starting reverberations whose last reecho has changed into the screech of the iron horse, and into the hum of varied industries which now occupy the busy men and women who have been born and reared under a civilization which had its first beginnings in the rude log cabins of those sturdy pioneers.

            A pleasanter task could scarcely be found than that which devolves upon the chronicler of our early history.  Could he but reproduce the scenes of less than a century ago, with all their natural surroundings, that the reader in imagination might see the un-hewn log hut, its crevices filled with mud; the adobe chimney, the broad fireplace, and rough, unseemly furniture; that he might see the small clearing; could the historian, we repeat, picture all these scenes in their wild but natural beauty, he would bring before many a reader similar scenes, whose impress have been left in the mind by oft-repeated stories of these olden times long past.

            Topography and Description.—But we must reluctantly recall the reader from the general recollections to the more prosy subject of our work.   Calcasieu is the westernmost parish of those embraced in this volume, extending to the Sabine River, which separates it from the State of Texas.  The following on the topographical and geographical features of Calcasieu is from the Lake Charles Echo of September 14, 1888:

The geographical situation of Calcasieu parish brings to it more advantages of a varied character then any other parish in the State.  Its climate is even and salubrious; being toned by gulf breezes during the four seasons, thus obviating the extremes of heat and cold felt by the other sections of our country.

                        Calcasieu parish is bounded on the north by Vernon parish, north and east by Rapides and St. Landry parishes, Bayou Nez Pique [Nezpique] and the Mermentau River; on the south by Cameron parish, and on the west by the Sabine River, embracing a total area of nearly 2,000,000 acres; hence is larger than the State of Rhode Island or Delaware, and larger than the Kingdom of Belgium. Its principal streams are the Calcasieu and Houston Rivers; Beckworth, Hickory, Whiskey–chitto, Bundick’s, Ten Mile, Six Mile, Barnes, Sugar, and Dry Creeks, and Serpent, Schoupique [Choupique], Dinde [D’Inde], Lacasine [Lacassine], and English Bayous.  All of which, except the Lacasine, flow into the Calcasieu River, and furnish about two hundred miles of navigable water.  Small streams are too numerous to mention.  The Calcasieu River furnishes an outlet to the Gulf of Mexico at a distance of fifty miles from Lake Charles, the parish site.  The promised increase in the South American trade makes this an item of no small consideration.

            The soil of Calcasieu parish, while not so fertile as that of some of our eastern parishes, still the greater part of it, with proper drainage and cultivation, is made to produce all kinds of field crops in paying quantities:  The soil is rice in vegetable mould, and the application of stimulating fertilizers is attended with the best results.  The population of the parish aggregates about 30,000, and is rapidly increasing.  The influx is principally from the Northern and Western States, and is generally of that class of individuals that add wealth to any country.

            The principal industry up to the present time has been that of lumbering.  The immense pinery, which covers about sixty percent of our territory, is an almost inexhaustible source of the very best quality of yellow pine timber.  The next important industry is that of stock raising, which is developing rapidly and promises in a few years to rival our timber interest.   Improved stock is being introduced, as well as improved methods of handling it, and no doubt in a very few years we will compete with Kentucky in this direction.  Rice, corn, cotton, peas, potatoes and cane are the principal field crops, while garden vegetables of all kinds are raised in abundance. Out agricultural interests are being rapidly developed.  Fruit raising until recently was not considered profitable except in the northern part of the parish, but recent developments prove that it is rather owing to a want of knowledge than to the management of fruit trees as to any fault of soil or climate.  Those experienced in horticulture find no trouble in making it a success.

            The following is from the correspondence of The American Wool, Cotton and Financial Reporter, Boston, Massachusetts, and is further descriptive of topography and general features:

Lake Charles, Louisiana, October 30, 1890. – We are at present in the growing little city of Lake Charles, in Southwestern Louisiana.  Having heard and read so much of this section of country, termed the “Italy of America,” we came to the conclusion that in our trip through the “New South” we would examine this section personally and ascertain what the attraction is, for people from every direction are moving in and filling up the country.  As evidence of the fact, one parish alone, Calcasieu, had added over 8,000 to its population since the last census, and most of this has been added during the last five years. There has been no boom such as the Oklahoma rush, and the old citizens, and in fact a large portion of those who have recently come, know nothing of the value of land.  Men often part with their land at from $2 to $5 per acre, when the probabilities are that it may increase in value tenfold in a very few years.  Tell these people the chances are largely in favor of these lands bringing $50 per acre in a few years, and they look at you with astonishment, and yet what are lands worth that will yield from $40 to $60 per acre in rice, or more in sugar cane?

Where is this country?  On the map, followed westward from New Orleans a distance of about one hundred and twenty miles on the Southern Pacific Railroad.  This one hundred and twenty miles consists of alluvial land, or that portion of Louisiana subject to overflow from the Mississippi River.  West of this alluvial portion is “terra firma,” land that is not subject to overflow under any circumstances; and this land, to the Texas line, a distance of about one hundred and thirty miles by the Southern Pacific Railroad, and extending from the Gulf of  Mexico about seventy-five miles north, is called Southwestern Louisiana. 

It would require a whole book, instead of an article or two, to do justice to this wonderland.  It contains some beautiful rivers and lakes whose waters come from springs, and are as clear as crystal.  What a marvelous contrast between the waters of these rivers and those called Bayous in the overflowed region, the latter being sluggish and having a dingy appearance.  One from the east can scarcely realize after seeing it that there is such a country in the State of Louisiana.  First impressions are lasting, and the first impression of the average eastern man, before coming here, is that Louisiana is one vast hot-bed of malaria.  One may come and see for himself that it is untrue, as regards this part of the State, for there is not a more beautiful sight to behold than this vast table prairie land, and any one with common judgment, without making any inquiry, would at once pronounce it a land of health as well as of beauty; and statistics prove the correctness of such an opinion.

In order to gain all the information we could, we talked with a number of the oldest citizens and mingled with the new comers.  Being a newspaper man, of course, we looked after that profession.  We found a newspaper published here far above the average; in fact, few papers north or south equal it, all things considered.  It is the Lake Charles American, a sixteen-page weekly.  We made ourselves quite at home in this office, and while we wish to write more particularly of other things, because of the good treatment we received, we must make mention of it.  We asked the editor among other things about the climate. 

“The climate” he said “is delightful.  The temperature ranges form forty to seventy degrees in winter and from eighty to ninety-six in summer, seldom reaching the latter point.  All north of the Missouri and a number of miles west-ward is timber land, and much of this is the finest timber land in the world.  “This” said he, “is our protection from the winter winds; then south to the gulf is prairie, and thus we get the unobstructed gulf breeze.  On one side is the forest as a check against the cold that would come upon us from the north and on the other side is the gulf breeze tempering the heat of summer.   All this combined produces this wonderful climate, which has been called by some the Italy of America.”

The rainfall if fifty inches per annum, and is about evenly distributed throughout the year, the rain seldom interfering with farm work more than a day or two at a time.  The land is level, having natural drains that leads to the main rivers or direct into the gulf.  The soil varies, in some places a deep, rich, black clay loam; in others a brownish, and in others a sandy loam, the latter more particularly adapted to fruit.

From observation and all the information we can gather, we suppose almost any farm or vegetable crop can be raised in this section that can be raised in the United States.  Besides many things flourish here that can not be successfully cultivated elsewhere.  The sweet potato produces from one hundred to two hundred barrels per acre.  Sugar cane grows to perfection, and $100 per acre can easily be made on this crop.  Rice culture is an industry that has come wonderfully to the front in the last two years.  By the use of machinery in harvesting, it is now possible for large fortunes to be made raising rice.   Cotton grows well here, and tobacco, the latter producing two crops a year, and is said by tobacconists to be a very superior article.

This is the home of the fig, and it is said never fails to bear a crop.  Oranges do well, and the golden fruit on the trees now in Lake Charles is a beautiful sight.  Pears of several varieties, and especially the Leconte and Keiffer, and many varieties of peaches, plumbs and other fruits grow here a come to great perfection.

            The Settlement of Calcasieu. – This parish, like most of the others in Southwest Louisiana, has quite a mixed population, consisting of Creoles, Acadians, Americans, from half a dozen or a dozen different States, a few Indians, etc.  The Lake Charles Echo of October 24, 1890, says of the peopling of Calcasieu: 

In the early days of America, when the Spaniards were settling Louisiana and Mexico, while Texas was a wild prairie region, the land unknown on the outskirts or confines of two great colonies, one having its seat in the famed palaces of the Montezumas, and the other having its center in the valley of the wooded banked father of waters, the great continent-draining Mississippi, the present region of Calcasieu was the home of a few tribes of Indians and the wild deer.  When Texas loomed up into a great country, and as the Lone Star State severed her connection with Mexico, our section remained the outskirt between Louisiana and Texas.  Calcasieu River was then known as the Rio Honda [Hondo].  The lands lying between it and the Sabine River was a disputed territory claimed by the two great colonies.  And while a few adventurous pioneers came into the section east of the river under what are known as Spanish grants from the Louisiana colonial authorities, a few others, perhaps two hundred and fifty, settled in the western region under what were termed Rio Honda claims.

Among the Indians in the western region afterward conceded to the United States as a part of Louisiana, from an unknown origin, sprung a race of people of mixed ancestry, known as Red Bones.  These and a few others for many years constituted the entire population of Calcasieu, attached to St. Landry, from which it was separated about the year 1840, and designated the parish of Calcasieu.  Later a part was taken from this territory in forming the parish of Vernon; and again, a part was taken in creating the parish of Cameron; which two parishes are now united with Calcasieu in the judicial district. The Rio Honda lost its Indian name and acquired that of Quelque Shoue, from which again, by those strange changes which time effects without the reason being retained, it passed into the euphonious name of Calcasieu, whence may be attributed the pronunciation, ‘Culcashu,’ yet given it by many old inhabitants.

            Among the earliest settlers of Calcasieu parish were the LeBlues, Charles Sallier, Reese Perkins, Jacob Ryan, on the east side of the Calcasieu River.  West of the river were, among others, Joseph Cornow, Hiran Ours, Dempsey Ile, Hardy Coward and John, his brother, William and Archibald Smith, Elias Blunt, David Choate, Philip Deviers, Joshua Johnson, John Gilchrist,  George Ower, Issac Foster, Joseph Clark, Mitchell Neal, John Henderson and a man named Self; perhaps others.

            These all came here prior to 1824, for the purpose of getting the benefit of the Rio Honda claims.  Reese Perkins was one of the most prominent of these early settlers.  He was the first justice of the peace, and his courts were administered with more backwoods justice than with fine legal points.  He once sent a man to the penitentiary for five years for harboring a runaway Negro belonging to John Henderson.   Elias Blunt was the culprit's name, and the negro had a wife at Blunt's house.  One morning the Negro was seen very early leaving Blunt’s, and upon this meager evidence Blunt was arrested and tried before Perkins, and for this heinous offence received a sentence of five years in the penitentiary.  Blunt attempted to plead with the ‘squire for a mitigation of the punishment, as he was a poor man and had a large family, etc., when Perkins thundered out – “Shut you mouth, or I’ll make it ten years.”

            Perkins started his son with Blunt to the penitentiary and gave him a note to Mr. Bell at Opelousas, to assist the boy in landing the prisoner at the penitentiary.  He met Bell on the outskirts of the town, and handed him his father’s letter.  When Bell read it he inquired of the young man where the prisoner was. “Here he is,” said the young man, pointing to Blunt.  “Young man,” said Bell, stepping aside with him and speaking low that Blunt might not hear him, “you had better take that man back and turn him loose.  Your father had no right to sentence him to the penitentiary, and if some of the Opelousas lawyers get hold of the story they will give you trouble.  So, the best thing you can do is to get back home as quick as possible and release your prisoner.”  The boy took him at his word and went back. The prisoner was released and the matter was hushed up.  A son of Squire Perkins, also Reese Perkins, now seventy years old, lives about twenty miles from Lake Charles.  Allen Perkins, of Westlake, is a grandson of the old pioneer.

            Hardy Coward was also very prominent among the pioneers.  He was the next justice of the peace after Perkins, and did a great deal of business in that particular line. He married nearly everybody in the settlement in those days, for ministers were scarce then.  Squire Coward married then without money and without price, gave then his blessing and sent then away happy as clams.  He was a kind, good man, and well thought of by everybody.

            Jacob Ryan was originally from Georgia, but had settled some time before in the present parish of Vermilion.  He came here in 1817, where he died some years later.  He has a son, Jacob Ryan, now an old man, living in Lake Charles, who is a perfect walking encyclopedia on matters pertaining to the early settlement of this country.  Henry Moss and Pierre Vincent were son-in-laws of Mr. Ryan, Sr., came with him and settled in the same neighborhood.  Both are dead.

            Charles Sallier came from Italy and settled near the mouth of the Calcasieu River.  The town of Lake Charles was named for him.  The LeBlues, there were three brothers of them, Arcen, Martin and Macey, and they settled about seven miles east of the present town of Lake Charles, on English Bayou.  The three brothers who came here first are all dead, but they still have numerous descendants.  These settlers were scattered all along the river for a considerable distance.  Immediately subsequent to 1824, came John Bryan, Richard West, William Praither, Abel Lyons, Thomas Bilbo, William Neeler, Nevel Barnet, etc.  They formed a settlement to themselves.  The old ones are all dead, but most of them have descendants living.  Capt. Bryan, long editor of the Echo, is a son of John Bryan, mentioned above.

            Thomas Bilbo died only a few years ago.  He was a surveyor, and surveyed a great deal of the land in this section.  His wife is still living, and the house in which they lived is still standing.  It has been repaired and modernized and is still quite a respectable house notwithstanding its great age.

            The Pioneers. – Under this head, the American thus moralizes on the settlement of the country: 

Let us call back a few years, and notice the settling up of our country from the East westward to the Pacific, a distance of three thousand miles.  Comparatively speaking, only a few years ago a few hardy pioneers gathered in Western New York and in Pennsylvania and, bidding their neighbors good-by, set out with their spring less, rough wagons, for the great beyond – Iowa and Michigan.  The distance was truly great, the trail they traveled rough, and the good–by forever, so far as this world was concerned.  The great city of Chicago was not in their way with her million of inhabitants.  They may have passed over the public domain where this great city now rests without driving down a stake, hunting for a more desirable spot.  They dotted down here in the great prairie region before reaching the Missouri and in the Michigan timber, but the great American Desert reaching out beyond, where Kansas and Nebraska now stand as States, was regarded as risky for settlement, a great waste of country, fit only for wild tribes of Indians and the buffalo.

Look at it later on.  Within the age of a man we see this trackless region settled up, great cities built, and the east and west brought together almost as neighbors by the building of great railroad lines.  We have but to reflect a moment to see how rapidly this has been done.  Only thirty-five years ago Davenport and Iowa City was tied together by rail, and, if we are correctly informed, this was the first iron tract laid west of the great Mississippi River.  During this time, in the South the movement was from South Carolina and Virginia, westward, but the progress was not so rapid for two reasons.  First, the system of slave labor operated against it; second, the foreign immigration constantly pouring into the country through New York City read the words on every hand, ‘Go West,’ and they went.  Now everything is turned, and the ‘Go West,’ which rang into the ears of the immigrant so many years, has been changed to ‘Go South.’  The eyes of the world today are on the South.   Figures which we have given from time and have been published in all the leading journals of the land testify that the capitalists have found out the true value of the South and have already invested largely in lands and various enterprises.  Immigration has turned southward, and the north and south railroad lines are hurrying through for their accommodation.  The work of settling up the South has rapidly started.  The people north and south have been thrown together in business.  The social relation developed, marrying and intermarrying and these ties making then more than ever one people.

          Judge G. A. Fournet thus congratulated the parish and the town of Lake Charles, upon their rapid strides toward prosperity, in a speech made on the 28^th of October, 1890, at the laying of the corner stone of the new court house in Lake Charles: 

There can be no fitter occasion than the present to recall the changes that have brought about the necessity of erecting the new court house, the corner stone of which is now being laid.  Without having recourse to statistics, I will simply state that within the life and recollection of the youngest among you, the population of the parish of Calcasieu was the smallest in the State of Louisiana.  Although the largest in territory, it was the last opened to settlement.  Its immense prairies, traveled by no roadway, save here and there the tracks of the huntsman and the stock-gatherer had not yet been startled by the shriek of the locomotive or the roar of the railroad train.  The tasseled corn, the rippling wave of the sugar cane and the loaded crests of the mellow rice field were unknown from the Mermentau to the Sabine swamp.  Our wealth and timber the finest and the best in the world; pine unequaled in usefulness and cypress unrivaled in durability, inviting the wants of mankind and courting the industry of man, covered our virgin forests with giants of their kind, from the 30^th parallel to the limits of Rapides and Vernon.  Age, winds and storms alone tumbled their great frames, while the steel destined to fell them laid as yet entombed in the bowels of the earth, undiscovered and unforged.

            We had then neither cities nor incorporated towns.  This very city, of which you are all so proud, I am sure, which now rest so gracefully basking in the glory of our own Southern sun, like a thing of “beauty and of  life,” on the edge of this, the loveliest and most picturesque lake that ever greeted the eye of man, was nothing but a mere hamlet.

            Jennings, Esterly, Welsh, Iowa City, Westlake, twin sister of Lake Charles, Sulphur City, Edgerly, Vinton, Jacksonville, Crown Point and Lakeside, all growing and promising towns, were not even on the maps, and had not yet drawn the breath of activity and life.  In a few short years the magic hand of progress has accomplished the wonderful transfiguration in the aspects of nature and works of industry and art we contemplate today.  We have now before us and around us a bustling and prosperous young city, teeming with a busy population of over four thousand inhabitants of all classes and of all trades and professions.  Thriving towns, with the bright and comfortable residences and business houses, fill places where only two or three years since there was nothing but he wilderness of uncurbed nature, unbroken and untrained to meet the wants and bend itself to the commands of civilized society.

            Numberless farms now dot the landscape where there was no object within the scope of vision in the measureless waste, except the flowering immensity of the prairie meeting with the boundless azure of the sky in the distant horizon.  Hither have come the sturdy yeomen from the South, fleeing from overflows and the competition of an inferior race, and hither have come the farmers from the Northwest, driven from their inhospitable plains by the scorching drought of summer and the snow-mantled blizzard of winter, to seek refuge in the solitude of our prairies; and they have made our empty places smile with pleasant homes and pregnant fields.

            Organization of Parish. – While settlements were not made so early in the parish of Calcasieu as in some other portions of Southwest Louisiana, we have seen that white people came here about 1815 and formed settlements along the Calcasieu River.  We have followed that little settlement until we find it spread out over a large section of country, and the people began to think of being organized into a parish to themselves.  They had been for years going to Opelousas to attend court and vote, if they voted at all, and they determined on better accommodations.  This resulted in the organization of anew parish under the following act:

An act to create a new parish, to be called the parish of Calcasieu. Section I.  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana, in the General Assembly convened,  That from and after the passage of this act, all that territory in the parish of St. Landry, within the following boundaries, to-wit:  Commencing at the mouth of the River Mermentau, thence up said river to the mouth of the Bayou Nez Pique, thence up said bayou to the mouth of Cedar Creek, thence due north to the dividing line between the parishes of St. Landry and Rapids, thence along said line to the Sabine River, thence down the said river to the mouth, thence along the sea coast to the place of beginning, shall from and constitute a new parish, to be called the parish of Calcasieu.

            The act contains eighteen other sections, all of which it takes to legally constitute the parish and provide for its legal machinery, and place it on foot as an independent municipality.  The act, when it finally reaches the end is signed by William Debuys, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Felix Garcia, Lieutenant Governor, and President of the Senate, and A. B. Roman, Governor.  It is approved March 24, 1840.  The necessary steps were taken at once and the new parish set to work.

            The Seat of Justice. – The first seat of justice or court house was some six miles from Lake Charles on an air line, but about twenty-five by way of the Calcasieu River.  It was called Marion, but was a small place, and had been used as a stopping or resting place for drovers passing with their herds of cattle from Texas to the New Orleans market.  It is now known as Old Town, and but for the name no one would suspect its being a town at all, or of ever having been the parish seat.  After a few years (about 1851–52) the parish seat was moved to Lake Charles, and the glory of Marion departed as “a tale that is told.”  The finger of time has written “Ichabod” above her gates, and like Ancient Rome “the spider weaves its web in her palaces; the owl sings his watch-song in her towers.”  The court house and jail were moved from Marion to Lake Charles in 1852 by Jacob Ryan and Samuel A. Kirby.  In 1872 a new court house was built by Mr. Ryan, a two-story frame, which is still doing duty as a court house, but a new one, a handsome brick, to cost $20,000 is in process of construction and will be finished during the year.  The present brick jail standing in the corner of the public square next the lake was built in 1873 at a cost of $12,500.

            At the laying of the corner-stone of the new court house in October, 1890, Hon. George H. Wells, in an address delivered on that occasion, said: 

Out present police jury was the first to take any practical action toward furnishing our parish with this new court house, the first to advertise for plans and specifications for the building, the first to advertise for bids and contract for its construction, and the first to appropriate the money for its erection.  It is a gratifying evidence of Calcasieu parish, that our police jury did not find it necessary to levy a special tax for the construction of the new court house, and that the money required for that purpose will come from the general and ordinary revenues of the parish.  Indeed the parish tax of the present year (1890) levied on the property of non-residents, though equal and uniform with parish tax levied on the same kind of property owned by residents of the parish, is considerably more than enough to defray the expenses of the construction of our new court house.

            The following figures show pretty clearly the growth of the parish since 1840, the time of its organization:  The first record book opened in the parish was in 1840, a very small book, and which contained all the transactions of the parish up to 1862.  Four deeds of land from 1840 to 1863.  Book B commenced 1862 and closed in 1868.  Book C closes in 1873.  Book E closes in 1876. Book F closed 1880.  The books all the time getting larger, containing more pages and deeds.  G closed in 1882, with over 600 deeds.  H closed in 1883, running 508 days, with a record of 492 deeds.  I closed in April, 1855, with 651 deeds in 503 days.  J runs until December, 1885, with a record of 428 deeds in 226 days.  K numbers 523 in 189 days and closes.  L closes in January, 1887, 431 deeds in 206 days.  M records 462 in 197 days.  N goes 462 in 171 days and closes.  O ends May, 1888, making a record of 521 deeds in 107 days.  P ends October 3, 1888, 123 days and 556 deeds.  Q ends March 21, 1889, with a record of 531 deeds in 167 days.  R goes 550 deeds in 166 days, ending September 3, 1889.  S ended January 16, 1890, making a record of 589 deeds in 134 days.  This is genuine, solid growth.

            Development and Resources. – The resources of Calcasieu parish probably interest more people than anything else that could be written in this book.  It is but proper that it should be so.  Naturally every man likes to see that country he calls his own flourish above all other countries.  With proper energy and enterprise exercised by the people of Calcasieu, there is nothing with the vast capabilities of the parish to prevent it from becoming the very garden spot of Louisiana.

            The American, of Lake Charles, has spent much time in investigating the resources of Calcasieu, and has carefully compiled some statistics as the result of its investigations, which may be here given as matter of interest to the general reader.  There is no guess work about it, but they are compiled from practical observation and personal investigation.

            Time and the turn of things have established beyond a doubt that this is one of the finest sections of country in the South for farming, stock raising and fruit growing.  There are few places where as large herds can be wintered with as little expense as in this section.  Cattle may be raised here and carried through the short winters without feeding on hay or grain, although it is better to provide a small amount of hay to be used during the latter part of the winter.  There never was, perhaps, a more promising outlook for any country.  Sugar cane, rice, corn, oats, grasses, fruits and vegetables of almost endless variety may be produced here in quantity.  In whatever locality the settler has broken the soil, planted seeds and cultivated them, nature has done her part in the beauty of growth and fruitage.

            The situation here is unsurpassed.  We have all the characteristics necessary to produce a good country.  Climate, soil and water.  The climate, the most even on the Southern border of the Union; the soil rich; and the rain about rightly distributed.  No blizzards in winter, nor droughts in summer to contend with.  Here we can distance our more northerly neighbors in placing fruits and vegetables in the Northern markets earlier.  There are hundreds of way in which we posses advantages over others, while we have the consolation of knowing than none can go south of us and reap an advantage over us in early production.  The warm gulf water in winter and the invigorating gulf breeze in summer makes it a delightful place to live, and thus we can make money and enjoy health at the same time.  With all the advantages this country possesses by nature we have it a hundred, yea, a thousand fold, increased by the building of the Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Railway.  The building of this road makes it possible for this country to become one vast garden spot in a few years’ time.

            The natural course of exchange of products is North and South.  From here we can send daily train loads of lumber, sugar, rice, hay, fruits and vegetables and bring back in return, coal, marble, stone, corn, flour, etc.  The rice industry is at present in the lead, although it is in its infancy.  From thirty to sixty bushels per acre may be easily grown and it is a cash crop, every bushel of which is needed and will find its way to the Northern markets by way of the North and South road.  The sugar industry has not as yet come prominently to the front for the reasons that it requires a greater outlay of capital for seed and machinery with which to make the juice into sugar.  The fact has been ascertained, however, that cane makes an excellent growth here and a superior quality of sugar, and it is only a question of time when the central sugar factory will be established, and then almost every other industry will give place to this industry.  It has been demonstrated that $200 per acre can be made by manufacturing into syrup on the small evaporators.

            The shipment of fruits and vegetables, it is believed, will, at no distant day, occupy a large space; indeed it is now commanding the attention of many who are planting and preparing for the future.  When we view our country with all its bright prospects, with a flow of immigration form the North, not equaled anywhere in the South, it is no wonder we are proud of it.

            The parish of Calcasieu has an area of nearly four thousand square miles, about 2,500,000 acres.  In climate, resources and all things that lead to the highest material prosperity, it possesses advantages far superior to any portion of the North.  Over two-thirds of this area is timber, mostly long-leaved yellow pine of superb quality. This is one of the most valuable woods known.  It is not the common hard pine known to the commerce of the North, but a finer grained, harder and more harder and more durable variety.  The soil upon which it grows is like oak, maple and beech soil, and all that prevents the growth of these trees everywhere is the fires.  The long-leaved pine tree is immensely tall, straight, of nearly uniform size form bottom to top and with but a few limbs, just at the top; no underbrush.  This tall, thin shade enables the grass to grow abundantly, affording the best of grazing for stock.  It is but little labor to bring this land into cultivation, as compared with ordinary timber lands.  Many claim that is it more productive than the prairie.  Certainly, excellent crops of cotton and corn are raised upon it.

            The trees do not mature like the pine forests of the North, where, when cut, the land is a waste for many years.  Here the timber matures a portion at a time. In good timber from ten to twelve thousand feet of mature trees can be cut per acre.  In ten years as much more can be cut, and so on, possibly in perpetuity.  The present selling price is one dollar per thousand for stumpage.  With more railroads and a better knowledge of the value of this timber by the markets of the world, stumpage will just as readily bring four to five dollars per thousand.

            It is not difficult from this statement, which can be easily verified, to determine the value of this timber as an investment.  It is advancing every week, and still it is very low.  Fine tracts can be purchased at five dollars per acre.  Equally good tracts, with not quite so much ripe timber, can be bought for three dollars per acre.  In addition to the pine there are large quantities of oak, cypress, gum, ash, beech and magnolia, all valuable woods.

            The southern border of the parish is prairie.  A magnificent expanse of land, fringed upon the north by stately forests and bordered upon the south by the blue waters of the gulf, fertile, traversed everywhere by navigable streams and fanned by cooling breezes of the purest air, tempering and mellowing the climate to the perfection of comfort and spreading over mankind the benison of health.  It is unique and seductive, and when once enjoyed allows of no comparisons.

            Here agriculture thrives, the cereals and fruits come to perfection; here the stock demand nothing but the carpeted earth and the vaulted heavens.  The most gorgeous foliage, the most lovely flowers, with the delicate tints and the richest perfumes, the sunniest days, the superb and glorious evenings and the most refreshing slumbers are among the common enjoyments of a contented people.  Coming to the practical matters of life, production is varied and abundant.  Here and there the tame grasses have taken hold, showing that clover, red tops, orchard grass, timothy and blue grass will ultimately be produced in abundance.  Horses, mules, cattle, sheep and swine do well.  At the Hawkeye ranch good butter has been made all summer.  It was golden yellow without coloring, and stood firmly, though made without ice.

            Mr. Langley, just north of Bayou Serpent, raised eighty-five bushels of oats per acre last spring.  This was machine measure, by weight there were nearly one hundred bushels.  James Maund, of Jennings, raised this season as good corn as we ever saw at any fair.  Abner Cole last season produced in the pine woods six barrels of syrup and sugar from one-half acre of cane.  It was crushed in a common cane mill and made in open potash kettles.  Mr. Nelson, east of Lake Charles, has a crop of tobacco that will make four thousand pounds per acre.  Thomas Walton, from prairie land, sold his Irish potatoes at he rate of one hundred and fifty dollars per acre.  Mr. Clark produced last year one hundred and fifty barrels of sweet potatoes per acre, and Mr. Adams one hundred and fifty-seven barrels.  Five thousand cabbages have been produced by a gardener in Lake Charles on one acre, and four other crops of vegetable on the same land in that year.  The farmers are cutting one ton and half of hay per acre on the prairie.  The average crop of rice per acre is from ten to twenty barrels, worth three to four dollars per barrel in the rough; and it cost to produce it no more than wheat.

            No warm country has so few insects.  All through the pine woods a mosquito bar is not used.  Flies are rarely troublesome.  For stock in this particular a most favorable comparison may be drawn with the best grazing districts in the world. The woods are filled with game, and the coast marshes and bayous are everywhere fringed with a motley gathering of the feathered tribes.  The streams abound with fish, and the coast furnishes the best of oysters. 

            This cost prairie is destined in a short time to become densely populous by reason of its subterraneous wealth.  Avery’s Island, near New Iberia, covers a quarry of solid rock-salt as white as marble, containing more than ninety-nine one-hundredths of sodium chloride, and hence is almost absolutely pure salt. The deposit is supposed to be inexhaustible.  The mining of this salt is in successful operation.  Ten miles west of Lake Charles is a bed of pure sulphur sixty feet thick.  A wealthy company commenced mining operations and discontinued, but it is rumored they will soon resume operations.  [They have already commenced operations again with a large force and are pushing ahead with great energy. - Ed.]  In boring for the sulphur, petroleum of excellent quality for lubricating was struck in large quantities.  The oil region extends over more than two hundred thousand acres of land.  On the coast some thirty miles form the sulphur borings, petroleum is poured out upon the gulf waters in quantities sufficient to cover several square miles.

            On the subject of stock raising, the Lake Charles Echo had this to say of some of the ranches of this parish:

Among the largest ranches of Calcasieu are those of Aladin Vincent, Oscar, David, Malachi and Madison Lyons, in the western portion of the parish.  Mr. Aladin Vincent says he has turned three-year-old steers into the market, weighting from eight to nine hundred pounds, which he considered all profit to him, except the expense of branding and gathering for market.  The Perrys also, in this section, are large cattle owners.  The most of these are also raising horses, some merely for their own use, others for the market.  North of these may be found other large cattle owners; perhaps the largest north of the Southern Pacific Railroad are the Hon. Wm. M. Perkins, Mr. W. E. Gill and the Iles.

Coming east to the Calcasieu River, we find Watkins’ ranch.  This ranch embraces several ranches of bygone days.  His purchase in 1884 for the English syndicate embraced a large tract of land on which several ranchmen kept large herds of cattle and ponies.  After the purchase was made, the ranchmen either sold out bodily to Mr. Watkins or moved their stock to other fields.  Besides these are a number of smaller ranches, such as the Hawkeye ranch north of Welsh.  There are also quite a number in various portions of the parish engaged in sheep raising, and report their flocks in healthy condition.  One gentleman form Waxeyland, in Texas, says this section has largely the advantage over Waxeyland for sheep raising, as the land has sufficient sand in it to keep the dirt form accumulating around the feet, thereby causing foot rot.

            Fruit in Calcasieu. - The following on fruit culture is drawn from the editorials of the American:  Much has been written and talked about fruit raising in this country, and yet we are convinced that not one-half the citizens of this region, nor one-twentieth of the people of the United States, even dream of the wonderful possibilities we hope to see realized in the near future.

            The climate of Southwest Louisiana is well adapted to all semi-tropical fruits, and to most of those of the temperate zones.  Oranges, figs, and pomegranates do splendidly here and yield large returns. Olives will thrive and yield enormous incomes for a lifetime.  For peaches, pears, plums, grapes, blackberries, dewberries and strawberries, this climate can not be excelled on the continent.  Apples, especially of the summer and fall varieties, when grafted on quince, mayhaw or Leconte roots, do as well as they do in any country.  Mr. Derouen, on the Lacasine, has as fine success with apples as any one can wish, and there are many other examples of success in raising apples in this region.  We are convinced that it will pay to plant apples largely, but would advise that they be grafted on quince, mayhaw or Leconte roots.  We think it a good plan to graft pears of all kinds on the same roots.  The mayhaw, which is itself a valuable fruit, gives us one of the best stocks for grafting that we have.  Horticulturists are beginning to discover the value of the mayhaw in this respect, and we expect to see it more largely used in the future than in the past.

            Trees bear very young in this climate. Peaches will bear the second year from the seed; plums about the same.  Apples will bear the third year form the grafting.  Figs sometimes produce ripe fruit the first year from cuttings.  Oranges bear in about four years from grafts.

            As to profits it is hard to over-estimate.  Peaches will yield $1000 worth of fruit per acre three years after planting the budded trees, if well cultivated and cared for.  Oranges will do still better when they come into full bearing, which they do in about six or seven years after setting out.  Pears have produced at the rate of $2500 per acre when the tree was seven years old.  There is no telling what an acre of large fig trees well cared for will produce, but it will be enormous.   Fortunes can be made, as soon as we have communication north by rail, raising dewberries, blackberries and strawberries.

            In order to succeed in raising fruits, however, the ground must be prepared for the trees.  It must be thoroughly drained, and should be fertilized to secure the best results, although a measure of success may be obtained without.  There is no need of irrigation here.  In this respect we have the advantage of California, and in our opinion we will soon eclipse the famed Southern California region in fruit.  We undoubtedly have a grand future before us.

            After reading this article you will certainly be impressed with the idea that this section of country is particularly adapted to fruits.  There are no great extremes of heat or cold, and the rainfall is just about what it should be for successful fruit growing.  The trees grow to enormous size when properly cared for, and the fruits are delicious.  Varieties of pears that are considered in some sections as hardly third rate, when grown here are considered first class.  The flavor of the peach is considered as good here as those grown in any part of the United States.  Plums of various kinds, including the Japan plum, ripening usually in February, grow to great perfection.  This is the home of the fig, and the profits likely to accrue in a few years from fig culture will be large; indeed, by the evaporating process it is possible to make enormous profits out of the industry.  There are many others, but we will only notice the orange.  If the oranges grown by the natives here for many years past are a success, what can we say of the Oonshiu under intelligent cultivation?   Every variety of Japanese fruits that has been tried here succeeds remarkably well.  The horticulturists of Japan of all others lead the world.  They have arrived nearer to perfection in the fruit industry there, perhaps, than in any other place on the habitable globe.  They have schools of horticulture, in which the natives receive the highest training in tree culture.  Persons attending the world’s fair at Paris report seeing pine and cedar trees one hundred and fifty years old, and mere box plants; apple and pear trees more than one hundred years old, two feet high and laden with fruit.  It is here that the Oonshiu orange has been improved on for ages, until it is now next to perfection.  The orange in its natural or wild state was full of thorns; the fruit was of a bitter sour, full of seed, and the pulp and rind clinging closely together.  After ages of study and toil a tree has been perfected without thorns, a fruit without seed, with pulp and rind parting readily, and of a most delicate taste.  After all these excellent qualities had been perfected, they succeeded in bringing it into bearing pretty fair crops at the age of three years.  Finally they brought it up, by a slow process of grading, until it could be successfully grown in a climate of six months winter.

            This is the celebrated Oonshiu orange, said to be the most perfect orange now in cultivation.  But few have yet been introduced into our country, but, like the other fruits of Japan, it has shown itself true to name.  One writer says it stood the cold with him where barrels of water were frozen to solid ice, and where the thermometer must have gone to ten degrees below zero.  It is reported that a number of trees passed through the cold in Texas with the thermometer as low as zero.  Horticulturists in Texas have come to the conclusion that they can make this fruit a success almost all over the State.  This being the case, what will it be in our section on country, where it is peculiarly suited and where we already grow such perfect fruit out of the old native varieties?

            With lands her now at five to ten dollars per acre, a north and south railway from here to Kansas City, and the possibility of shipping this fruit in September and October (as it ripens earlier than other varieties), where, we ask, is there a better place to drive a stake for a home in the beautiful, delightful Sunny South? 

            The Fig. - We regard the fig as one of the most valuable fruits of this or any other country.  In their fresh state, when fully ripe, there is no other fruit that we know of that is so delicious and at the same time so healthful.  There is no other fruit we know of upon which human beings can live so well without any other food.  A person can not only live, but will grow fat upon a diet composed of exclusively of fresh figs.

            There is another thing about figs different from most other fruits, and that is, that the more a person used them the more he wants.  The first time a person unaccustomed to figs tastes them he may not relish them very well, but let him continue to eat them a few days and he will soon get so he will prefer them to any other fruit.  They are not only a first-class food fruit, but also possess medical virtue.  We verily believe that there its not much danger of sickness to any one who will eat all the fresh, ripe figs they can every day, and will be prudent in other things.

            But figs are not only valuable in their fresh state, but can be prepared in various ways for food.  They are excellent canned in self-sealing glass jars.  They make splendid preserves.  They are delicious when prepared by drying and pressed into boxes.  But perhaps the cheapest way in which figs can be prepared for keeping is by drying them by means of an evaporator.  They can be prepared in this way cheaply and speedily, and make the most delicious dried fruit in existence.  In preparing them in this way they should not be kept in the evaporator too long, but when partially dry should be pressed into boxes or bucket and permitted to go through a kind of sweat, when they are ready for use. 

            Southwestern Louisiana is especially adapted to figs.  Perhaps no country in the world can excel us in the production of this valuable fruit, and but few can equal us.  We had the pleasure of showing a Californian around a few days ago and among other things we examined the fig trees, loaded with their enormous crop of young figs.  Our California friend said, “You can undoubtedly beat us in figs.”

            Perhaps there is no other fruit that will produce as many barrels of fruit per acre as figs, and there is nothing in the fruit line more easily raised than fig trees.  All that is necessary is to cut limbs from the trees and stick them into the ground where you want your trees, and they will nearly every on grow.  By planting the different varieties it is possible to have an abundance of this luscious fruit from the latter part of June until December.

            We verily believe that one acre of fig trees five years old will make a comfortable support for an ordinary family.  We believe an acre of figs will produce more food for man, beast or fowl than an acre of almost any other produce grown.    Let us plant figs and plant them largely.

            This is the home of the fig.  There is no place in the South where they grow to greater perfection than in Southwest Louisiana.  The question has often been asked:  “What will you do with them after you raise them, as they will not bear transportation to any great distance?”  Some have recommended canning, but the last and seemingly the best is to evaporate them.  Mr. C. G. Pageot, of our city, conceived the idea last summer that with an evaporator he could in a few hours’ time produce a fig equal to the dried figs put up in other sections.  He made the experiment and showed us the fig after it had been through the evaporator.  We thought then, as he did, that it was a success.  He pressed these figs in two-pound boxes and put them away, and they are keeping as perfectly as when then were put up.  These figs were dried without any sugar added.  The family now who has a fig orchard can, without an outlay for an evaporator, put up their own figs, which will certainly be very profitable. 

            Rice Culture. - It is reported by the last census that Louisiana raised 500,000 pounds of rice; South Carolina, 100,000 pounds; Georgia 50,000; North Carolina 41,500; and Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Texas, all told, 285,000.  Thus it will be seen that Louisiana produces more rice than all the other States of the Union put together.  This is doubtless true, or the census would not say so.  It is a truthful body (unless it be in regard to the population of large cities), and its statistical facts may be regarded as substantially correct.  Calcasieu is the banner parish of Louisiana in the cultivation of rice.  Much of its lands are specially adapted to rice. 

            The editor of the Jennings Reporter gives some figures on the acreage of rice planted in that part of the parish.  He estimates that between Lake Arthur on the south to China post office north of Jennings, and between the Mermentau River, the Nezpique and Grand Marias, there will be about nine thousand acres planted in rice, which, at ten barrels per acre, will give 90,000 barrels of rice and of this amount he expects 60,000 at least or about 400 car loads to be shipped form Jennings.  Two years ago only twenty-six car loads were shipped form Jennings; last year, one hundred car loads.  All this rice, should Jennings not get a rice mill, would eventually find its way to Lake Charles and be shipped north ward on the Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Railway.  This is only a small portion of the rice acreage of this parish, and every bushel raised in the parish should be hulled on mills here instead of being shipped to the New Orleans mills.

            Says the American on the same subject:  There is, perhaps, no section of country better adapted to rice culture than the lands of Calcasieu.  Rice culture is now attracting more attention than any other field crop.  The cultivation is simple, consisting principally of planting and flooding, and the profits are large.  Had we the space, we could give numerous instances of persons making enormous profits.

            Mr. R. Hall, of Cherokee, Iowa, purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land for $800.  Paid out for improvements about $450.  Total cost of land and improvements, $1250.  He rented the land for one-third, which was planted in rice, and realized for his third of the rice $1500.

            J. W. Rosteet reports on twenty-one acres of land planted in rice.  He gives the expense of ditching, levees, fencing, planting and harvesting at $457.68.  He sold his rice for $860, leaving a balance of $462.32

            We give these two instances, not that they are exceptions, for there are instances where much greater profits have been made, but because Mr. Rosteet is a native of this parish, and Mr. Hall a resident of Cherokee, Iowa, and a gentleman well known in many States in the North.

            The American has from its beginning told of the possibilities of Calcasieu parish as a rice growing country, and of the great profits to the farmer to be derived there from.  It has furthermore shown hat there is great wealth in sugar, fruits and many other products of the farm.  It is now beginning to realize the fulfillment of its dreams.  For years it was the universal opinion that rice could not be harvested by machinery; four years ago a rice machine was brought to the parish and tried with success.  It is only three years since William Deering & Co. started to improve their harvesters to adapt them to the rice farmer's use.  At that time Mr. E. S. Center advised his firm to enter this field, but they said to him, “You might as well send cotton presses to Manitoba as harvesters to Louisiana.”  Not discouraged, however, he persevered until he was successful, and now he says he can cut rice in eighteen inches of mud, and to back up his guarantee he has shipped into Southwest Louisiana a train load of the William Deering harvesters; a train load of twenty-two cars containing three hundred machines.  This is a grand demonstration of the development of Southwest Louisiana during the past three years.

            The train left Chicago on the 8^th inst., and was beautifully decorated with flags and flowers, and it is said to be the most beautiful freight train that ever entered the Southern States.  At every station along the route it was met by large crowds, who hailed it with cheers and speeches of welcome. Among these crowds the representative of the American looked for the old croaker, who always said, “You can’t make a living on a farm in this country,” “but where, oh where was he?”  “gone where the woodbine twineth.”  or dead with throat disease from overmuch croaking.  When the train arrived at Lake Charles, over a thousand people were at the depot to welcome the representatives of the Deering Company and the representatives of the press.

            Prof. Knapp, of Lake Charles, and Mr. Cary, of Jennings, made short addresses to the people on behalf of the Deering Company, which was followed by three rousing cheers for the company.

            Mr. H. C. Drew read an invitation from the citizens of Lake Charles to the representatives of the company and the press inviting them to a banquet to be given at the Hotel Howard in honor of the occasion.

            Since this train left Chicago, another consignment of the machines has been shipped and is on its way to Southwest Louisiana, and the agents are now receiving orders every day.  This, we will add, is the work of only one company.  The Osborne Company is also in the field, and while we do not know the amount of their sales they have no doubt been large.  So that not less than five or six hundred machines will be sold this year. The estimated crop of Calcasieu parish is 600,000 barrels, and if the increase next year should be as circumstances now indicate she will ship one million and a half barrels next year.

            Lumber Interests. - Upon the lumber interests of the South, and which seem to center in Calcasieu parish, the American has this to say:  Lumber is now one of the South’s greatest resources, and stands very prominent in Southwest Louisiana.  We have time and again treated on this subject, but an industry of such vast possibilities making such a rapid progress, cannot be laid before the people too often. 

          We have in the South a greater variety of timbers than the North, and the advantages of manufacturing are far superior to those of the North.  These facts have been recognized long ago, and the timber lands have largely increased in value in the last few years.  The timber here is adapted to almost every branch of manufacture into which wood enters. For building material our Southern timber stands par excellent.  Car building, furniture, ship building, railroad ties and bridge timbers, and lastly for paving.

            It is claimed that there more than two hundred varieties possessing valuable qualities.  Among the many varieties stands the famous yellow pine, the cheapest, the most abundant and best known of all the woods.  The Calcasieu yellow pine has found its way to the Northwest, South America, Europe, and large quantities are shipped to Mexico, and its superiority is admitted by all.  Next to the yellow pine is our cypress, which is used now principally for shingles and cistern building.  The curly pine of the section, with one variety of cypress, makes the finest finishing material for inside work. 

            When we come to consider the number of valuable timbers which can be handled so cheaply in the South, it is not to be wondered at, the extent to which the industry has been developed within the past few years.  The wonder is that it did not come sooner. The first shipment of yellow pine to the Chicago market was considered coarse and was not desirable.  The Northern lumbermen, however, recognizing its value, began about ten years ago to invest in yellow pine lands, since which time they have obtained about ten million acres form the government and perhaps as much more from private parties.  In some instances the investments have been made for speculative purposes; in others it has been developed and has added largely to the wealth of the South.

            Here in Calcasieu the industry has so developed that we now produce more lumber than the entire State did about ten years ago, and we are sadly in need of the opening of Calcasieu Pass, that our mills may be enabled to fill the orders for millions of feet that are wanted annually in South America.

            Mr. A.G. Van Shack, editor of the Mississippi Valley Lumberman, published at Minneapolis, Minn., after three weeks tour through the lumber regions of the South, went home and wrote as follows of what he had seen:

The South presents better opportunities for making money in the lumber lines than any other section.  I have just returned from a three weeks’ trip through the principal lumber regions and am greatly surprised at the rapid improvements that have taken place the last three years.  The cotton crop brings to Southerners in a large amount of money, as the bulk is exported.  The money is being spent on improvements and new buildings are to be seen in process of erection on every hand.  The consumption of lumber there is very large, but the export trade is greater then few have any idea of.  We made a thorough examination of the timber lands and the management and workings of the saw mills at all the leading points.  The Southern mill men have a better market for their common lumber than the Northern mills and make a larger profit on it.  At the same time, however the Southerners do not get as high a figure for their good lumber as we do.  After we get out of good lumber the situation will change, and the Southern mills will have a chance to sell their good lumber to better advantage.  The common lumber will not bring as much profit as now.  Northern logs that cost four dollars in the tree do not produce as much as Southern logs that cost fifty cents per one thousand feet more at the mill than it does in the North.  Northern lumbermen would be fools to invest in pine lands in the North at four dollars an acre when they can buy land that is as good in the South for one-tenth the price.  Southern lumber cuts out two and one-half per cent below merchantable, while Northern logs cut seven to ten per cent.

Let me show you the difference between the Southern and the Northern prices at mill.  Three inch joist, sixteen feet in length, are sold in lots of 500,000 to 1,000,000 feet for export to load in vessels at $10 at the mill.  The same retails here at $12.50, or at $9 net at the mills in Michigan.  Common inch sells at $8 to $10, while the same only brings $7.50 at Manistee.

The Southern lumbermen have all the advantages of the Northern lumbermen.  They can profit by the rapid development of the country by railroads, which enable them to market their product very rapidly.  They have a demand for it which the Michigan men did not have in the early days.  In the way of machinery, they have the advantage of the great improvements made during the past fifty years.  More money will be made in lumber in the  South than there ever was in the North, there being about double the amount of timber that there was in the States of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota fifty years ago.  It does not cost more to handle logs in the South.  White men and Negroes work side by side.  A strong point in favor of the Southern mills is that they can cut more lumber in the same space of time with their circular saws, and cut it as good as any mill in the North.  For instance, they will cut 60,000 feet a day of eleven hours with a single circular, while we can not cut 45,000 to 50,000 in ten hours.  The South is the coming lumber country.

            With all these advantages of climate, resources of so many kinds, from a toothsome fig and a luscious orange to a pine log and the Chinaman’s favorite dish (rice), it would seem that Calcasieu parish is the land of the blest.  So enraptured became the editor of the Lake Charles Echo that he turned his harp one beautiful September day, in the year of grace 1888, and throwing himself back on an inverted nail keg, which he dubbed his editorial chair, he sung as follows to an

EVENING ON THE CALCASIEU

The day is done;

The setting sun,

Growing red, sinks out of view;

The lowing herds

And twitt’ring birds -

I hear them on the Calcasieu.

The old saw mill

As death is still,

Save sundry hissings now and then;

‘Neath the sky blue

Gathers the dew,

Glittering in the sunlight sheen.

The Calcasieu

Reflects the blue

And beauteous sky that bows above,

And from afar

A little star,

Reflected, seems to speak of love.

What is that? Hush!

I hear a slush!

I look; I see a little boat;

A maiden fair,

 With golden hair,

Sweetly, softly sings afloat!

She glides along;

I hear her song,

It dies away upon the river;

Soft, rippling waves

Behind she leaves,

That make the shadows dance and quiver!

‘Neath starry beam,

On down the stream,

 The lovely maiden fades away;

The zephyrs sigh

For her gone by; -

I bid farewell her gentle lay.  

‘Tis calm once more;

The days of yore

Crowd past me with their wondrous store;

And, ere we knew,

I wonder who

Dwelt on this beauteous Calcasieu?

Perhaps this mound

Upon the ground

Was built by some old chieftain who,

With his Red Men

Make his bed then

Upon the banks of Calcasieu!

Those Indian men

No doubt have been

 Often on our river’s sheen -

The rough canoe

And arrow true

Borne on our lovely Calcasieu.

But what, unseen,

The mirrored sheen,

Breaks into myriad ripples, bright?

The zephyrs stir,

I think of her,

Who passed away into the night!

The pine’s weird voice,

That low, sweet noise,

It makes me sad, yet I rejoice!

The wild winds swell

And break the spell -

I rise to go; sweet scene, farewell!

            Railroads. - Calcasieu, until the building of the Louisiana Western Railroad, now a link in the Southern Pacific system, was without railroads, and was dependent entirely on water transportation.  But the railroad has given it an importance abroad that it did not before possess.  The completion of the Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Railway now being constructed from Lake Charles north to Alexandria, where it will make most advantageous northern connection, will give Calcasieu parish railroad facilities not excelled by any parish in the State.  The road is already graded to Alexandria, and track-laying has commenced. Thus, it will be seen, it is only a question of a short time when the products of Kansas and the great Northwest will find their way to the markets of the world through this deep-water port.  For when the improvements are made already ordered by the Congress of the United States of deepening Calcasieu Pass, then Lake Charles becomes one of the safest and most important seaports on the Gulf of Mexico.

            Mr. J. B. Watkins, of what is known as the Watkins Syndicate, is doing a great thing for this country in building this new railroad.  The American says very truly of it and the great benefit it will be to this section:

The Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Railway, now being built from this city in a northerly direction, is progressing as rapidly as could be expected.  The winter has been very favorable for railroad building, and the contractors, Messrs. Kennedy and Stone, have made excellent headway. The building of this road will do more for this section of country than anything else.  Already the country along the line is fast being settled by the thrifty Northern and Western farmers, who know that with the completion of this North and South road this will be one of the most inviting sections of the  country in the South for the fruit grower.   We are informed by a reliable gentlemen that the lands along the line and near it are being taken up very fast, all seeing the great future of this country in fruits.  This gentleman says there are excellent rice lands and fruit lands along the line for some distance, but his opinion is they will not last long, as they mean money to every one who owns them.

            Mr. John Speer, writing to the Daily Globe, Council Bluff, Iowa, thus expresses his opinion of the Calcasieu Pass as a deep water seaport and as a terminal point for a railroad from the Northwestern States:

Two railroads are already projected between Kansas City and that point, and one of them, the Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf road, is already constructed for about sixty miles. The route from Kansas City passes over an almost level country, with an average decline of about one foot to the mile.  On this route is the best forest of timber for two hundred and fifty miles to be found in the United States.  Much of the land is subject to preemption and settlement. The timber consists largely of the long leaf pine, so marked in its superiority that it is known at Galveston and New Orleans as the Calcasieu pine, and is used for ornamental work, such as wainscoting, car finishing, etc.   The other varieties are cypress, ash, all kinds of oak, hickory, pecan, white gum, magnolia, etc.  Coal, iron and other mineral abound.  In fact it is rich in all that will go to build up a country and sustain railroads.  The land is suitable for corn, cotton, rice, oats, potatoes, apples, peaches, pears, plums, and everywhere small fruits.  The advantages of this route are six hundred miles less railroad haul through an almost level country, avoiding the resistance of nature in crossing the divides of the continent, including the Allegheny and Cumberland Mountains.  To this may be added the most important factor, competition between marts of business on the gulf and the Atlantic.

            The new negotiations now pending in the congress of all American nations are destined to afford opportunities for trade unparalleled in the history of the country.  Blaine, Carlisle and other statesmen fully appreciate it.  These States are in the direct line of it and have but to seize the opportunity to secure it.  The farmers of Iowa do not want to know how to raise more corn and wheat, but how to get rid of them, as of other productions.  The saving of the cost of transportation, as well as the advantages of competition, is the remedy.

            The Sulphur Mine. - Sulphur and petroleum have been found in Calcasieu, some twelve miles from Lake Charles.  Soon after the close of the war a company was formed, who commenced boring in search of oil, where for years it had appeared at the surface.  Petroleum has never been found in paying quantities, but sulphur was discovered, and in sufficiently large quantities to pay for working.

            The official report of the boring:  Soil, two feet; solid clay, intercepted with two strata of quicksand twenty-two and fifteen feet thick, one hundred and sixty three feet; quicksand, one hundred and seventy-nine feet; crumbling marl, two and one half feet; calcareous sand, 30 ½ feet; calcareous marl with pebbles, 4 feet; hard, compact, calcareous stem, 5 feet; pure, white, saccharoid, calcareous substance, 42 feet; sulphur (77 per cent pure sulphur), 112 feet; total, 540 feet and gypsum, 700 feet, entire total 1240 feet.

            The writer, in company with Capt. Bryan, of Lake Charles, visited the sulphur mine last winter, but learned little beyond what he could see for himself, as the superintendent seemed a little reticent as to the intentions of the company.  However, he seems to be making extensive preparations for something - probably for working the mines.

            Churches and Schools. - The Baptists were the pioneers of religion in Calcasieu.  They established their first church on the Calcasieu River in the midst of the earliest settlement.  It was called Antioch church, and some years after it was removed to the Big Woods, about ten miles from the original site.  It is still used as a church, and still bears the name of Antioch.  Since its removal to Big Woods, a number of the members withdrew and formed a church, in the immediate vicinity, of the Freewill Baptist or Hardshell persuasion. 

            Next after the Baptists came the Methodists. Their first church was called Ryan’s Chapel, and was located about eight miles from where Lake Charles now stands, on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River.  After Lake Charles was laid out as a town, other denominations organized churches.  The first church in the town was a Methodist, and for some time its building was used both as church and school house.  Then came the Catholics, the German Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodist Episcopal and Congregationalists in the order named.  The churches of Lake Charles are supplied with spiritual advisors at present as follows:  The Baptist, Rev. G. B. Rogers, pastor; Methodist Episcopal South, Rev. T. J. Upton, pastor; First Presbyterian, Rev. George Frazer, D. D., supply; Methodist Episcopal, Rev. C. A. King, pastor; Catholic church, Rev. Father Fallon, rector; Lutheran, Rev. S. Hoernicke, pastor; First Congregationalist, Rev. Henry L. Hubbell, pastor; Episcopalian, no rector at present; the last one was Rev. E. J. Hammond.  Churches of the different denominations have edifices throughout the parish.  Most of the villages have one or more church organizations.

            The first school in the parish was taught at the house of the old pioneer, Jacob Ryan, who hired a man named Thomas Rigneaden [Rigmaiden] to teach his children and those of his sons-in-law, Moss and Vincent.  The first school house was built on Bayou Dend [D'Inde], six or eight miles from Lake Charles.  The next school house in the parish was perhaps at Lake Charles, after it was laid out as a town.  The parish now has a good system of public schools, and in Lake Charles an excellent graded school, second to none in the country. The editor of the American, in a recent issue of this paper, thus describes a visit to the different educational institutions of Lake Charles:

First we visit the public school.  We found the fine building, which has been recently erected by the school board, in first-class order.  It is an imposing structure, 42 x 78 feet, two stories high, containing eight school rooms 20 x 30 feet each, with wide corridors, cloak room, etc.   Prof. O. S. Dolby, B.S., is the efficient principal, and has charge of the highest grade.  He is an experienced teacher.  Born in Ohio, reared in Michigan, graduated from Hillsdale College, Michigan, in 1882.  He has taught continuously since then in Michigan and Louisiana.  Miss M. J. Crossmun, B.S., a graduate of Ames’ Scientific and Mechanical College, in Iowa, and a native of Virginia, has charge of the second department.  She is also an experienced and accomplished teacher, having taught in Iowa, Virginia and Louisiana.  The third department is under the temporary charge of Mr. Vincent, who will teach until a permanent teacher is secured. The fourth department is presided over by Miss M. A. Jenkins, who is a native Louisianaian and a graduate of the Girls’ High School, of New Orleans.  She has taught the last three years, with great success and acceptability, the school in Westlake, and needs no recommendation to the people of Lake Charles.  The primary department is under the care of Miss Louise Leveque, a recent graduate of the St. Charles Academy, of Lake Charles.  Although this is Miss Leveque’s first experience as a teacher, she is thoroughly qualified for her work and is giving splendid satisfaction.  She has her little boys and girls under thorough training and is popular with them. There are enrolled and in attendance in the various departments of the public school two hundred and three students, and the probability is that the number will be largely increased in the next few months.

Next in our route, we visited the Lake Charles College.  This institution, which is destined to be the leading college of the State west of the Mississippi, is domiciled in a beautiful and commodious building in the southeast part of the city.  The main building is 55 x 85 feet, three-stories, 16, 14 and 12 feet high, respectively, and contains fourteen rooms and capacious corridors.  The addition, which is to be built in the near future, is to be 40 x 60 feet, two stories high. This imposing structure is situated in the center of a large campus, which is being graded, fenced and fronted with a splendid sidewalk.  In the southwest corner of the campus, Mr. Frank Siling, builder, is just completing for the college a splendid cottage for boarding purposes.  The main building is 72 x 40, three stories high, and the L is 20 x 32, two stories high, and contains twenty-seven rooms.  It is a marvel of beauty and convenience, and reflects credit upon both architect and builder.

            Lake Charles College was first opened for students October 1, 1890, with an efficient faculty of five, but only three of them as yet have arrived on the ground, but will come on later.  There are three departments - academic, preparatory and collegiate - but there are no students in the collegiate departments this term.  Rev. Henry L. Hubbell, D. D., is the efficient president.  He is a native of Connecticut, and has resided for several years in Amherst, Mass., as pastor of the Congregationalist church.  He is a graduate of Yale College.  Rev. A. R. Jones, A. M., a graduate of Amherst College of the class of 1880, is professor in the college.  Mrs. C. W. Little, a graduate of Fox Lake Seminary, Iowa, is professor of music.

            The college has enrolled thirty-nine this first month, and this number will be largely increased when the cottage is opened for boarders, as it will be in the near future.  The faculty will be increased as rapidly as required, and the curriculum and instruction will be equal to the best colleges in the nation.  The institution gives a fine opportunity to Northern parents to come and spend the winter in a genial climate, and at the same time send their children to a first-class college while they are still under the care of their parents.

            The St. Charles Academy, under the supervision and instruction of the Sisters Marianites of the Holy Cross, has been in operation eight years.  It is a chartered academy and gives diplomas to its graduates.  It has literature, art and music in its course of study.  The discipline is good, although corporal punishment is never resorted to.  It has seven teachers and sixty girls and thirty-seven boys in attendance. 

            The Glendale Institute has been running six years in Lake Charles, under the efficient management of Miss Ella R. Usher, a native of Baton Rouge and a graduate of the schools of that city.  She has one assistant, and teaches English and French.  There are thirty-six in attendance at this institution.

            Miss Mollie Burt claims the honor of having the oldest school in the city. It is needless for us to speak in high terms of her as a teacher, for her work speaks for itself.  She is a graduate of the New Orleans Girls’ High School, and has taught continuously in Lake Charles for a number of years.  She has all the students she can take care of properly.  The present number is twenty-five, but as soon as she secures an assistant a number of others will attend.