Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I, Part 18

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1294


USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 18


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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lake before it falls into the gulf. The natural water supply is excel- lent for live stock, but cistern water has to be used for all domestic purposes. Timber, mostly cypress, oak and willow, grows in some quantities along the lakes and rivers. Rice and sugar are the prin- cipal crop productions, but market gardening is a growing industry. The rich soil of the alluvial bottoms and mild climate combine to make scientific horticulture profitable to the small farmer, and the orange industry has increased with remarkable rapidity within the last few years. The other fruits are the lemon, olive, fig, grape, banana, guava, prune, plum, mandarin and peach. Oil and gas have been discovered in the parish, and when developed, it is ex- pected they will be a source of wealth. Game, such as wild ducks, wild geese, jack snipe, papabot and rice birds, is abundant along the lakes and salt marshes of the coast. Fish are abundant, the sheepshead, red fish, pompano, salt water trout, Spanish mackerel, carp, shrimp and crabs all being found in large numbers, and under state protection the oyster and terrapin industry is becoming one of the first in Louisiana. As soon as shipping facilities are provided it is expected that canning will become important, and shrimp and oysters exported.


The following statistics are from the U. S. census for 1900: Number of farms, 558; acreage in farms, 197,608; acres improved, 22,617; value of land and improvements exclusive of buildings, $781,020; value of buildings, $174,770; value of live stock, $557,518; value of all products not fed to live stock. $349,033. Cameron has no manufactures. The population in 1900 was 3,375 whites, 577 colored, a total of 3,952. an increase of 1,124 over the year 1890. The estimated population for 1908 was over 4,000. .


Cammack, a post-hamlet in the eastern part of Natchitoches par- ish, is about 6 miles east of the city of Natchitoches and 3 miles southwest of Colora, which is the nearest railroad station.


Camp, a post-village in the central portion of Claiborne parish, is a station on the Louisiana & Northwest R. R., about 6 miles northwest of Homer, the parish seat.


Campbell, John, a British general, was in command of the Eng- lish forces and their Indian allies in Florida during the closing years of the Revolutionary war. where he was opposed by Gov. Galvez . of Louisiana. On March 14, 1780, he tried to drive Galvez out of Fort Charlotte, but was defeated and fell back to Pensacola, which place he strongly fortified and occupied for a year. When Galvez appeared before Pensacola in March, 1781. a spirited correspond- ence occurred between him and Gen. Campbell. On the night of March 21 some houses in front of Galvez's camp were burned. and the next day the governor wrote to Campbell accusing him of acting in bad faith, adding: "I shall see Pensacola burn with the same indifference as I would see its cruel incendiaries perish in its ashes." To this Campbell replied: "1 shall destroy as much as possible. and in this I shall only be fulfilling my duty towards my king and my country, a motive much more potent for me than the fear of your displeasure." On May 9 following this correspondence Pen-


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sacola was surrendered to Galvez, Campbell and Gov. Chester sign- ing the articles of capitulation, in which Galvez was generous enough to permit the British to leave the country under the agree- ment that they would not again take up arms against the Spanish. Campbell and his English soldiers at Pensacola, as well as those stationed at Baton Rouge and Mobile, were taken to Brooklyn by the Spanish, and there they joined the British forces that were engaged in war with the American colonies.


Campti, a village in the northern part of Natchitoches parish, is one of the oldest settlements in the Red river valley after Natehi- toches and Alexandria. The region was explored by Bienville. St. Denis and La Harpe during the early years of the colony, and long before the close of the 18th century traders located where Campti now stands to carry on their traffic with the tribes of Indians along the Red and Sabine rivers. In 1805 Hypolte Bordelin bought a tract of land of the Indians just north of Campti, but the claim was not confirmed by the U. S. commissioners. On April 4, 1864, a spirited skirmish occurred here, and during the action the town caught fire and was almost entirely destroyed. Campti is a station on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, about 9 miles north of the city of Natchitoches. It has a money order postoffice, express and telegraph offices, is quite a trading and ship- ping point, and in 1900 reported a population of 310.


Caney, a post-hamlet in the western part of Vernon parish, is about 8 miles west of Leesville, the parish seat and nearest banking town and railroad station.


Canton, a post-village and station in the northeastern part of Calcasieu parish, is on the St. Louis, Watkins & Gulf R. R., about 35 miles northeast of Lake Charles, the parish seat.


Capdevielle, Paul, soldier, lawyer and ex-mayor of New Orleans, was born in that city in 1842. At the age of 18 years he was gradu- ated at the Jesuit college, and in 1862 entered the Confederate army as a member of Capt. Richard M. Boone's company of artillery, with which he served in the engagement at Plains Store, and after that in the intrenchments at Port Hudson until he was severely wounded on June 27, 1863. He was taken prisoner when Port Hud- son capitulated, but was exchanged toward the close of the year and ordered to Mobile, thence to Charleston, S. C., where he was attached to LeGardeur's battery (the Orleans Guard artillery), which was assigned to duty on James' and Sullivan's islands. When Charleston was evacuated on Feb. 12, 1865, the battery was placed in the rear-guard of the retreat and was daily engaged with the advance of Sherman's army. It participated in the battles of Averasboro and Bentonville. and surrendered with Gen. Johnston's army on April 26, 1865. Mr. Capdevielle then returned to New Orleans, where he found employment as a clerk, studying law as opportunity offered, and in 1868 graduated in the law department of the University of Louisiana. From that time until 1885 he was engaged in the practice of his profession, but in the latter year he became president of the Merchants' insurance company. In 1900


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- he was elected mayor to succeed Walter Flower. As the chief municipal executive he welcomed President Mckinley to New Orleans on the occasion of his visit on May 1, 1901; attended the dedication exercises of the Louisiana Purchase exposition at St. Louis on April 30, 1903; and on the same date an address in French prepared by Mayor Capdevielle was read in the Cabildo at New Orleans. Mr. Capdevielle has always taken a keen interest in city affairs ; has served on the levee board ; the city park and other im- provement associations ; as a member of the Mardi Gras carnival associations ; and as an officer of the Pickwick and Opera clubs. He is now (1908) serving his second term as auditor of state.


Capital .- The State of Louisiana has shifted its seat of govern- ment six different times. When it was admitted into the Union in 1812 the capital was situated at New Orleans. The first state leg- islature passed a joint resolution declaring it expedient that the seat of government be removed "to some more convenient place" and directing that a committee, to consist of two members of the state senate and three representatives, should consider and investigate the various sites suggested, receive any donations of property which might be tendered the state, and report to the general assembly at the session. A few days later Gov. Claiborne officially approved this resolution, but no further record of it can be found, and New Orleans continued to be the seat of government for nearly 20 years thereafter. On Feb. 4, 1825, the general assembly jointly resolved that the state government be moved to Donaldsonville on or before Jan. 21, 1826, and that the governor attend to the matter of remov- ing the state archives and other belongings to the new capital. On Feb. 19 of the same year the legislature reconsidered its former action by enacting that New Orleans continue to be the seat of government until May 1, 1829, when the capital should be estab- lished at Donaldsonville. The general assembly met at the latter place in Jan., 1831, but became dissatisfied with the quarters there, and on Jan. 6 adjourned to New Orleans, where the remainder of the session was held. The sergeant-at-arms and the door-keepers of both houses, under the surveillance of the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house, attended to the matter of transfer- ring the legislative archives and furniture back to New Orleans, where the governmental headquarters were located until Mar. 9. 1846, when, in compliance with Art. 112 of the constitution of 1845, the general assembly enacted that after Jan. 1. 1849, the town of Baton Rouge was to be the capital of Lonisiana. This act also directed that the governor appoint a commission to be composed of three members to attend to the matter of selecting a suitable site from among those offered in the above named town. The capital was accordingly established there, and Art. 107 of the constitution of-1852 decreed that "The seat of government shall be and remain at Baton Rouge, and shall not be removed without the consent of three-fourths of both houses of the general assembly." On Mar. 15, the last day of the first session of 1855, it was enacted that on the first day of the general election in the following November a poll of


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the voters should be taken at every election precinct in the state for . the purpose of ascertaining as to whether or not the seat of govern- ment should be removed from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, and this act further directed that such vote was to be counted by the governor, the secretary of state and the attorney general, who were to assemble in the executive mansion on Dec. 1, 1855, for such pur- pose. The majority of the state's electors voted adversely to re- moving the governmental headquarters and the next session of the general assembly convened at Baton Rouge on Jan. 23, 1856. The capital remained at that place until after the beginning of the Civil war. When the Federal troops took possession of New Orleans in 1862 Gov. Moore retired to Opelousas, where he maintained his executive office for some time, and in Jan., 1864, Gov. Allen estab- lished his seat of government at Shreveport, which city remained the Confederate capital of the state up to the close of the war. Article 130 of the constitution of 1864 declared that "the seat of government shall be and remain at New Orleans, and shall not be removed without the consent of a majority of both houses of the general assembly." Consequently on Oct. 1, 1864. the government of the state was fully established in the metropolis of Louisiana, where it remained for more than seventeen years. A short time prior to the constitutional convention of 1879 the people of Baton Rouge offered to contribute a liberal sum of money to be used in defraying the expense of repairing the old state-house there, in case the convention should decide to reestablish the seat of government at that place. This proposition was looked upon with favor by the convention and article 150 of the organic law of the state drawn up and adopted by that distinguished body declared that "The seat of government shall be and remain at the City of Baton Rouge. The general assembly shall at its first session make the necessary appro- priations for the repair of the state-house and for the transfer of the archives of the state to Baton Rouge; and the City of Baton Rouge is hereby authorized to issue certificates of indebtedness in such manner and form as to cover the subscription of $35,000 tendered by the citizens and the city council of said city; provided, that the City of Baton Rouge shall pay into the state treasury the said amount before the contract for repairs at the state-house shall be finally closed." Accordingly the next session of the general assem- bly, the above constitutional provision having been complied with. made the appropriations necessary for the restoration of the capital at Baton Rouge. The last session of the legislature ever held in New Orleans convened in the old capital building there on Dec. 5. 1881, and adjourned sine die Jan. 4, 1882. On March 1 of that year the administrative branch of the government became fully estab- lished in the renovated capitol at Baton Rouge, more than two months in advance of the general assembly, which convened there for the first time on May 8, 1882. The seat of government has been retained there from that time to the present, and it is likely to con- tinue so by virtue of article 161 of the constitution of 1898, which


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provides, that "The seat of government shall be and remain at the City of Baton Rouge."


Capitol .- When Louisiana became a state the old territorial government house was employed as the state capitol, as it was for many years thereafter. The first legislative appropriation for the erection of a state-house was made on Feb. 19, 1825, when $30,000 was placed at the disposal of the five commissioners, authorized by the same enactment, who were to attend to the matter of select- ing a site and "letting the contract" for such a building at Donald- sonville. But, as recorded in the article on "Capital," the existence of Donaldsonville as the seat of government was short-lived and in the early part of the year 1831 the seat of government was re- turned to New Orleans. That the legislature had entirely given up the idea of again employing the old state-house at Donaldsonville is manifested by the fact that on March 30, 1833, it was enacted that all right, title and interest in the state-house property at the last named place be donated to the parish of Ascension to be employed as a seminary of learning.


That the capitol at New Orleans was not very commodious is evinced by the legislative act of April 2, 1835, which directed that the governor, state treasurer, secretary of state and the engineer in charge, should constitute a commission to attend to the matter of altering, repairing and enlarging the building, for which they were to have at their disposal $15,120.50, and that they were also to look after the matter of reroofing "the two public offices in gov- ernment square," for which $2.187 was appropriated. On March 27, 1843, the legislature appropriated $2,000 to render the buildings on the state-house square more "suitable and convenient for the use of the officers of the state. and to supply them with the necessary, furniture." On Jan. 23, 1847, the legislature of the preceding year having enacted that the seat of government be transferred to Baton Rouge in accordance with article 112 of the constitution of 1845, an appropriation of $100.000 was made which was to be paid in five installments, viz .: $20.000, Mar., 1847: $20,000, June 1, 1847; $15,000, July 1, 1847 : $20,000, Oct. 1, 1847 ; and $25,000 on Jan. 1. 1848. This act also directed that the commissioners, whose appoint- ment had been provided for at the session of 1846, should proceed to select a site for a state-house at Baton Rouge, and that they should also attend to the matter of "letting the contract" for the erection of such structure. On March 16, 1848, the general assem- bly placed $100,000 more at the disposal of the commissioners, one half of which was to be available for the completion of the building proper and was to be payable as follows: $15,000, July 1 : $15.000, Sept. 1 ; and $20,000 on Nov. 1, 1848. The other half of this appro- priation was to be employed for the embellishment of the interior of the structure and was to be available in the following manner : $20,000, April 1 ; $15,000, July 1 : and $15,000 on Oct. 1, 1849. Great credit is due the three commissioners-Senator Maunsel White and Representatives Walter Brashear and D. D. Avery-for the assid- uous enterprise which they displayed in looking after the details


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in the erection of this capitol, which was located upon a site con- taining 120.000 square feet of ground, generously contributed to the state by the citizen of Baton Rouge, overlooking the Mississippi river, the building being less than 120 yards from this historic waterway. Dec. 1, 1849, was the day set for the dedication of the new structure, and the citizens of Baton Rouge had subscribed several thousands of dollars that the official opening might be attended with suitable and imposing ceremonies. But only eight days prior to the day set for this event the city was visited by a most disastrous fire, nearly one fifth of the municipality being completely devastated. Upon the thoughtful and generous suggestion of Isaac Johnson, then governor of the state, and Gov .- elect Joseph Walker, a large part of the above mentioned subscription was diverted to a more worthy cause-the aid and relief of the numerous victims of the fire-hence the dedication of the new state-house was not at- tended with the pompous ceremonies which had been originally planned. In the summer of 1857 the capitol was equipped with a modern gas lighting plant, for the installation of which the legisla- ture of that year had appropriated $3,500.


Soon after the reoccupation of the capital city by the Federal forces, just a few days previous to Christmas, 1862. Gen. Cuvier Grover indiscreetly quartered some negro troops in the capital, and some of these while in the act of preparing their supper on the evening of Dec. 28, accidently set fire to the building. The dili- gent cooperative efforts of the municipal firemen and the Federal soldiers arrested the progress of the flames, however, and the build- ing was not greatly damaged. But at about 4 o'clock of the follow- ing morning a fire was discovered in another portion of the build- ing. and as it had then gained considerable volume the heroic ef- forts of soldiers and civilians were without avail and it was com- pletely destroyed. Among other severe losses the fine state library. the value of which was estimated at $80,000, was utterly annihi- lated. As the state was then too deeply engrossed in the throes of the great Civil war the capitol was not immediately rebuilt .. Later on the government was housed in leased quarters at Opelousas and Shreveport, the state government recognized by the national ad- ministration being established at New Orleans. At a session of the general assembly. held at Shreveport, $3,000 was appropriated on June 20. 1863. for the rental of rooms which were occupied as state offices and legislative halls. Although the constitutional con- ventions of 1864 and 1868 specifically designated New Orleans as the capital of the state. the state-house grounds at Baton Rouge were retained in the state's possession, and on April 4, 1865. a legislative enactment provided that a state gardener. to have gen- eral charge of the premises was to be employed, at a salary of $720 per annum.


That Louisiana. soon after the cessation of hostilities, was sorely in need of more spacious and ample quarters for the housing of her state departments and the sittings of the legislature, is evinced in the fact that in the latter part of the summer of 1865 arrangements


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were made whereby the historic Mechanics' Institute in New Or- leans was to be leased to the state at the rate of $8,000 per annum. But much reconstruction and repair work was necessary to put the building into the proper condition, and on Dec. 18, 1865, the legis- lature appropriated $7.050.10 to defray the expenses incurred there- by. However, the authorities were not satisfied with these quar- ters for any length of time, and on Feb. 28, 1867, the legislature concurrently adopted a resolution which set forth that "the Me- chanics' Institute, in its present condition, does not afford the necessary accommodations which the legislature and the state offices require; that the mechanics' society be required and em- powered to make the necessary repairs, and to finish all of the rooms throughout the said building, the same to be ready for occupancy on or before the first day of Nov., 1867." The same enactment appropriated $15,000 for the performance of this work. But upon the completion of the task prescribed in the above resolu- tion the quarters were still inadequate, and in the early '70s it became necessary for the state to lease rooms elsewhere for the quartering of various offices. On Feb. 10, 1873, it was legisla- tively resolved that Attorney General A. P. Field be appropriated the sum of $1,200 per annum with which to defray the expense of leasing outside quarters for his department.


In the early part of the year 1875 the state authorities began casting about to find a suitable site upon which to construct a capi- tol. But becoming aware of the fact that the old St. Louis Hotel could be had at a moderate figure the legislature, in Feb., 1875, authorized the purchase of this hostelry, the sum of $250,000 being appropriated for that purpose. The governor vetoed the bill, but the general assembly passed it over the veto and it became a law without his signature. This building continued to be the capitol until after the seat of government had been returned the Baton Rouge, when it was sold by order of the legislature of 1882.


After the last named city had been designated as the capital of the state by authority of article 150 of the constitution of 1879, and after that municipality had paid into the state treasury the $35,000 which had been promised in the constitutional convention, the legis- lature on April 6, 1880, appropriated $141.000 for the reconstruc- tion of the old capitol at Baton Rouge, one-half of which sum was to be available during the year 1880 and the other half during the following year. On April 10, 1880, it was enacted that a commis- sion, to be comprised of the governor, who was to act as the ex- officio chairman thereof, the lieutenant-governor, two commission- ers to be elected by the state senate from among its membership, and three representatives selected by the lower house, was to have general supervision and charge of all the details in connection with the renovation of the building. An additional appropriation of $126,302.17 was granted on Dec. 19, 1881, to be at the disposal of the above mentioned commissioners, the same enactment also authorized that $4.000 be available for the purpose of defraying the expense of returning the state's archives to the new capitol, and it


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provided $1,275 for insuring the latter. On June 30, 1882, a final appropriation for the completion of the state-house was made in ยท the sum of $36,700, the administrative offices of the state were established there on March 1, 1882, and the general assembly was convened there for the first time on May 8, of the same year.


Louisiana solons have taken as much pride in maintaining in a modern and "up-to-date" style, the capitol and the grounds there- about, as they have in enacting progressive legislation for the gen- eral welfare of the commonwealth. During the forepart of the year 1894 the state-house was wired and fixtures were installed, that the state departments and legislative halls therein might be illumi- nated by electricity, for which the general assembly, on July 7 of that year, appropriated $1,086. In the month of June, 1906, a fire broke out in the senate chamber, and before it could be checked wrought no little damage, leaving the offices immediately underneath exposed to the elements. On June 29 of that year, the legislature concurrently resolved that the governor, within 48 hours, advertise for bids for the restoration thereof, and that he be authorized to accept or reject any such bid. On the second day of July, 1908, the legislature passed an act to the effect that the horticulturist and director of the state experiment stations be att- thorized to beautify the state-house grounds, and those about the governor's mansion, and that he have at his disposal the sum of $1,500 per annum, for two years, to defray the expenses. On the same day $2,380.21 was appropriated to pay the state's pro rata of the amount due the Bitulithic company of Nashville, Tenn., for installing the smooth, durable and substantial pavement on those streets surrounding the grounds.


The present capitol is one story higher than its predecessor, and is a fine gothic structure, with circular turrets which risc from the ground and crown the extremities of the building, and smaller tur- rets which top the larger ones. Situated as is this edifice, on the wooded highland overlooking the "Father of Waters," it reminds one of the days of chivalry and feudalism, when the majestic and stately turreted castles were wont to play a leading role in the civil and military affairs of the world.




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