USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 38
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
The convention was well attended and the resolutions adopted urged upon the planters of the entire cotton growing section of the country "the folly of pursuing the old methods of planting mostly cotton, to the exclusion of cercal and other crops, and upon such planters as individuals and citizens, to set the personal example of raising first such crops as will give support to home and family, and then to plant sufficient cotton to furnish the luxuries of life." Another convention of cotton growers, held at Shreveport in Jan., 1895, advocated the same policy, and further adopted a resolution "that it is the sense of this convention that the legislatures of the cotton growing states make appropriations with a view of creating a fund to be paid to the successful inventor of a plantation cotton- seed oil mill." On Dec. 14, 1897, a convention of cotton growers assembled at Atlanta. Ga., several states being represented. At this convention the initial steps were taken to organize the South- ern Cotton Growers' association. the principal objects of which were to be the protection and promotion of the cotton industry. The delegates present favored a reduction in the acreage to keep up the price of the staple, opposed gambling in futures, and recom- mended the extension of the organization to all sections of the cotton belt.
There is no doubt that the influence of the cotton growers' asso- ciation has been to diversify the agriculture of the South, but with the influx of immigration and the opening of new farms the produc- tion of cotton has gone steadily forward until the crop of 1899 was larger by 2,000.000 bales than that reported by any previous census, Louisiana's share of it being 709.041 bales. Of the 115,969 farms in the state. 88.328 produced more or less cotton. The acreage was 1.376,254, the largest in the history of the state up to that time, and the value of the fiber (at the low price of 7 cents a pound) was $23,523.143, in addition to which the sum of $3.481,669 was realized from the sale of the seed. The proximity of New Orleans -probably the greatest cotton market in the world-to the cotton fields of the state has encouraged the growing of this crop, and the chances are that in the realm of Louisiana agriculture cotton will be king for years to come.
Cottonplant, a post-hamlet of Caldwell parish, is situated on a branch of Bayou Castor, about 9 miles west of Columbia, the parish seat and nearest railroad station.
Cottonport, an incorporated town of Avoyelles parish, is situated in the southwestern part. in a rich cotton country, from which it takes its name. It is on the Texas & Pacific R. R., about 12 miles south of Marksville, the parish seat, is a prominent shipping point,
314
.
LOUISIANA
has a money order postoffice with 2 free rural delivery routes, a bank, express office, telegraph and telephone facilities, and in 1900 had a population of 505.
Cotton Seed Oil .- According to Darby's Emigrant's Guide, pub- lished in 1818, the London society for the encouragement of the arts, manufactures and commerce, learning that oil might be ex- pressed from cotton seed, and that after the extraction of the oil the residue afforded a good food for cattle, offered in 1783 a gold medal to "the planters in any of the British islands of the West Indies who shall express oil from the seed of cotton, and make from the remaining seed, hard and dry cakes for cattle." Darby docs not mention that any planter ever claimed or received the offered medal. In 1799 William Dunbar, a planter of the Natchez district, made an attempt to manufacture oil from cotton seed, but his ex- periments ended in failure. About the same time a Dr. Hunter of Philadelphia, Pa., took a lot of machinery to New Orleans with a view of establishing an oil mill there, but for some reason he failed to carry out his intention. The first distinctive cotton seed oil mill in the United States was built at Natchez in 1834, but it was not a commercial success. Similar attempts were made at other places in the cotton growing states, and by 1840 several mills had been erected. But the quantity of oil produced was very small and the process of extracting it so expensive that none of these mills proved to be a good investment. In 1847 an effort was made to establish a mill at New Orleans-in fact a mill was erected-but the under- taking was attended by no better results here than it had been else- where. It is related that Frederick Good of that city used to show his friends an ounce bottle of the crude oil which he said had cost him $12,000."
The great trouble with these pioneer mills was the lack of suit- able machinery, especially some kind of a machine for removing the linters. The hullers were so imperfect that but little over half the oil was extracted. In 1855 a man named Knapp invented a ma- chine for separating the hulls from the kernels, and in the same year the manufacture of the oil was established for the first time in this country on a profitable basis, the first really successful mill be- ing erected then by the Union Oil company of Providence, R. I. The company then organized is still in existence as a part of the American Oil company. The father of the industry in the South was a Mr. Aldige of New Orleans, who visited Europe, where oil was manufactured from Egyptian cotton seed, and obtained models for his crushing machinery. In 1860 there were 7 mills in operation in the United States. Then came the Civil war, during which the business was prostrated, but while the Southern ports were in a state of blockade necessity forced the use of oil cake and meal as food for cattle. In this way a new value of the by-products of cotton seed became known, and since the war this knowledge has been made to contribute to the general economy of wealth. The 'census report for 1900 says: "The result is that from a product that was deemed a nuisance in 1857 there was produced in 1900 a
315
LOUISIANA
value of $42,411,835, and only 53.1 per cent of the available raw material was utilized."
Some idea of the growth of the industry since the war may be obtained by a comparison of the census reports. Twenty-six mills were reported by the census of 1870; ten years later the number had increased to 45; there were 119 reported in 1890, and 357 in 1900. In 1905 the total number of cotton seed oil mills in the United States, as reported by the department of commerce and la- bor, was 715. In the census of 1900 reports were received from 21 Louisiana establishments showing an annual consumption of 250,- 983 tons of seed, the average price for which was $11.29 a ton. From this quantity of seed were manufactured 9,692,640 gallons of oil, 91,348 tons of cake and meal, 114,446 tons of hulls, and 3,067 tons of linters. The values of these products were as follows: oil, $2,222,762; cake and meal, $1,715,424; hulls, $278,650; linters, $172,- 055, or a total value of $4,397,881, the greater portion of which for- merly went to waste. In the manufacture of these products Louisi- ana stood fourth in the list of states, being outranked only by Texas, Mississippi and Georgia in the order named.
Edward E. Lemmond, of the De Soto cotton oil company of Mansfield, La., in an article published in the Shreveport Times in 1906, in speaking of the mills then in operation, says: "These mills may be divided into two classes-the independent mills and those in combines. The number of independent mills exceed those in trusts, and are principally owned and controlled by individuals forming stock companies. Great many of the independent mills have fertilizer plants in connection with the main factories and use a portion of their cotton seed meal as a nitrogenous ingredient in preparing a fertilizer for the local trade. Their products are prin- cipally sold through the broker to the fertilizer, manufacturer, re- finer and exporter. The larger cotton seed oil companies are the Southern cotton oil company of New York, controlling more than 120 mills; the American cotton oil company of New York, and the Interstate cotton seed crushers' association, having about 500 mem- bers. All of these are engaged in manufacturing everything ob- tainable from cotton seed."
Briefly described, the process of manufacture is as follows : Upon reaching the mill the seed is screened to remove all foreign sub- stances, such as sand, sticks, leaves, pieces of bolls, etc. After be- ing thus cleaned it goes through the delinting machinery, which removes all the short fiber or lint that remains clinging to it after ginning. From the delinter the seed passes to the grinders, where it is cut into pieces, after which it is run through a revolving screen, so constructed that the kernels drop through the meshes, while the hulls roll out at the end of the screen as "tailings." Sup- plementary shakers make the separation more complete. The clean kernels are then heated and subjected to a heavy hydraulic pressure to extract the oil, which is the most valuable product of the cotton seed. The average yield of oil per ton of seed is about 38 gallons, though actual analyses show that a ton of well matured seed con-
316
LOUISIANA
tains over 50 gallons, and it is probable that through the use of in- proved machinery this amount will ultimately be attained. The first refining process eliminates the water, sediment and alkali, and changes the crude oil into what is known as "summer yellow oil." By chilling this oil until it is partially crystallized, the stearin is separated by presses, and "winter yellow oil" is obtained. The stearin is utilized in making butter and salad oils, etc. Summer yellow oil is also mixed with a small quantity of fuller's earth and filtered, the refined product being known to commerce as "summer white oil," from which is obtained lard compound and cottolene. The residue obtained from the refining processes contains 50 per cent or more of fatty acids, and is known as "soap stock." Mixed with animal fats it makes a fine grade of laundry soap, and it is also used in making cylinders for phonographs. By treating the sum- mer yellow oil with sulphuric acid a white oil is obtained which is known as "miners' oil," as its chief use is to mix with petroleum for miners' lamps.
Cotton seed oil was first exported from the United States in 1870, the value of the oil exported that year being a little less than $15,000. At that time the oil was regarded only as an adulterant and was used chiefly in France, Holland and Italy for that pur- pose. Since then it has rapidly gained ground upon its merits, as may be seen from the fact that in 1901 the exports amounted to 49,356,741 gallons, valued at $16,541,321. Alfred A. Winslow, U. S. consul at Valparaiso, Chile, in a report at the beginning of the year 1909, says: "The countries supplying the most of the cotton seed oil are Italy and the United States, which have supplied about 75 per cent of the table oils for Chile during the years 1905, 1906 and 1907, of which from 75 to 80 per cent was cotton seed oil, I am led to believe. Quite a portion of that from the United States was pure cotton seed oil put up in tin cans. A large portion of this is mixed with imported olive oil and sold in these markets as pure olive oil, according to the best information I could get. *
* * The open- ing for the sale of more cotton seed oil in Chile seems good. The Chilean people are fond of salad oils, and many of them are satis- fied with the cheaper grades, and are in no way opposed to cotton seed oil under some other name."
According to the same authority the sales of American cotton seed oil in Chile increased from $84.206 in 1905 to $405,226 in 1907. Vice-Consul-General Oscar S. Heizer of Constantinople reports sales of American cotton seed oil in that city amonnting to $260,- 000 for the year 1908, and adds: "It is thought that, owing to a poor olive crop, these figures will be about doubled during 1909." With these conditions prevailing in foreign countries, the future of American cotton seed oil is assured, and a product which was once regarded as a nuisance will become a source of even greater reve- nue to the Southern states than it is at present.
Cotton Valley, a village in the northwestern part of Webster ' parish. is a station on the Louisiana & Arkansas R. R., about 16 miles northwest of Minden, the parish seat. It is the shipping point
,
317
LOUISIANA
and supply town for a rich agricultural district, has a money order postoffice, an express office. telephone and telegraph facilities, and in 1900 had a population of 40.
Cottonwood, a post-village in the southwestern part of Vernon parish, is situated about 6 miles west of Neame, the nearest railroad town. In 1900 it had a population of 60.
Couley, a post-village in the western part of Winn parish, is about a mile east of Saline lake, 8 miles south of Coldwater, the nearest railroad station, and 15 miles southwest of Winnfield, the parish seat.
Council, Superior .- (See Superior Council.)
Counties .- The first legislative council of the Territory of Or- leans, which convened in New Orleans on Dec. 2, 1804, divided the territory into the twelve following counties: Orleans, comprehend- ing all that portion of the territory situated on both sides of the Mississippi river, from the Balize to the beginning of the parish of St. Charles, including the parishes of St. Bernard and St. Louis; German Coast, including the parishes of St. Charles and St. John the Baptist, commonly termed the first and second German Coasts; Acadia, composed of St. James and Ascension parishes, ordinarily known as the first and second Acadian coasts; Lafourche, embrac- ing the parishes of Assumption, Iberville, St. Gabriel and as much of St. Bernard as is situated within the Territory of Orleans : Point Coupée, made up of the parish of St. Francis; Concordia, including all the territory lying within the following boundaries, to-wit: "Beginning at the mouth of the Red river, then ascending the same to the Black river, then along the Black river to the Tensa river, along the same to the Tensa lake, thence by a right line easterly to the Mississippi river, and thence down the same to the point of beginning ;" Ouachita, including the territory known in those days as the Ouachita settlements: Rapides, embracing the settlements of Rapides, Avoyelles. Catahoula, Bayou Boeuf and Bayou Robert : Natchitoches, including the parishes of St. Francis. Opelousas and St. Landry; and the county of Attakapas, including St. Martin, commonly known in those days as the parish of Attakapas. On March 16, 1809, the legislative council of Orleans passed an act to . the effect "that the line dividing the county and parish of Natchi- toches and the county and parish of Rapides shall intersect the Red river at the confluence of the Rigolet de Bon Dieu, and shall run from thence on the west in a direct line to the nearest corner of the county of Opelousas, and on the east side to the nearest corner of the county of Ouachita. so as to include, in the county and parish of Rapides, all of the settlements below the Rigolet de Bon Dieu on the Red river." Two days later the council passed an enactment "to remove certain doubts as to the northern limits of the county of Concordia." to-wit: "In place of running east from Tensa lake to the Mississippi river, the line shall continue northerly. so as to include the inhabitants lying on and in the vicinity of the west side of the Mississippi, as far north as Walnut hills, thence down the said river to the place of beginning."
An ordinance by the territorial governor, W. C. C. Claiborne, on
318
LOUISIANA
Dec. 10, 1810, created an additional county, to-wit: "I do hereby order and ordain that so much of the territory of Orleans as lies south of Mississippi territory, and eastward of the river Mississippi, and extending to the Perdido shall constitute one county, to be known by the name of Feliciana."
The legislative council on March 11, 1811, enacted that "the limits of the county of Concordia shall continue from Tensa lake to Bavou Macon, and ascending the said bayou, which shall be the dividing line between the counties of Concordia and Ouachita, to the 33d degree of north latitude. thence east to the Mississippi river, and thence down the same to the place of beginning.
On Sept. 5, 1812, the legislature, in order that the limits of the county of Natchitoches might be more definite, enacted that this county be bounded "on the north by the 33d degree of north lati- tude, on the south by the county of Rapides, and on the east by the county of Ouachita. and on the west by the Sabine river and a line running north from the 32d degree of north latitude on the said Sabine river to the point where it intersects the northernmost part of the 33d degree of latitude.
A legislative enactment of Feb. 29, 1816, more definitely estab- lished the boundary between Opelousas and Rapides counties by "a line to commence above the mouth of Elm bayou on Bayou Crocodile, so as to include the settlements on each side of the said Eim bayou, thence by straight line to the upper end of the ripple on the Bayou Boeuf : thence across the same to the head of Huff- power's bayou, so as to include the settlements on each side of the said bayou."
By the act of Feb. 7. 1817, the boundaries between the counties of Opelousas and Attakapas were defined as follows: "beginning on the right bank of the Chafalava river at a point where it is inter- sected by the south boundary of township number 7, south of the 31st degree of north latitude, thence with said township line due west to the bayou known as the bayou Portage of Fusilier, then up the said bayou to the northeast corner of the land conceded to Charles de Villiers. the title whereof has been confirmed to him by a certificate of the land commissioners for the western district, marked B, number 173: thence along the upper or northeast boundary of the said tract to the river Teche; thence up the Teche to the junction of Bayou Fusilier: thence up the latter bayou to the Vermillion river: thence along the Bayou Vermillion to the mouth of the Bayou Carancrow; thence up the latter to the north- east corner of the land of Augustine Nizat ; thence by a right line to the head of the Bayou Queue de Tortue; thence down the said bayon to the river Mermentou, by its most western branch to the sea : that part of the country to the right of the said line from its departure on the Chafalava river being hereby declared to be with- in the county of Opelousas, and that to the left of said line being hereby declared to be within the county of Attakapas."
Courts .- While Louisiana was still a French colony, judicial functions were exercised by the Superior Council, whose jurisdic-
.
319
LOUISIANA
tion at least in the later period was chiefly appellate, and by numer- ous inferior courts, possessing both civil and criminal jurisdiction. From the judgment of the inferior tribunals, an appeal lay to the Superior Council at New Orleans. The French administrative and judicial system was superseded in the time of Gov. O'Reilly by the Spanish system, and there was established in the king's royal name a city council, or cabildo (q. v.), for the administration of justice and order.
After Louisiana was acquired by the United States and became the Orleans Territory, Gov. Claiborne announced at first that he intended to leave the administration of the province as it had existed under the Spanish domination. Fortier says, however, that as Laussat had abolished the cabildo and established in its place a municipal body, the officers of the principal, provisional, and or- dinary alcaldes were wiped out, and there only remained, therefore, in the city of New Orleans the governor and the alcaldes de barrio with judicial functions. Hence, Claiborne established Dec. 30, 1803, a Court of Pleas, composed of seven justices. "Its civil juris- diction was limited to cases which did not exceed in value $3,000, with an appeal to the governor in cases where it exceeded $500. Its criminal jurisdiction extended to all cases in which the punish- ment did not exceed a fine of $200 and imprisonment during 60 days. The justices individually had summary jurisdiction of debts under the sum of $100, but from all their judgments an appeal lay to the Court of Pleas.
By act of Congress, March 26, 1804, relating to the Territory of Orleans, "The judicial powers were vested in a superior court and such inferior courts and justices of the peace as the legislature of the territory might establish." The superior court was to con- sist of three justices, one of whom was a quorum. There was like- wise established a district court, to consist of one judge, who was required to hold four sessions annually in New Orleans. The judges of the superior court and the justices of the peace were to serve four years. The legislative council at its first session estab- lished certain courts of inferior jurisdiction, and for each of the 12 counties into which the territory was divided, the governor was to appoint a judge, who was to act as justice of the peace, and might also appoint as many other justices of the peace as he saw fit. On June 20, 1805, the council also established a Court of Pro- bate for the territory. In ' March, 1805, Congress passed another act further providing for the government of the territory, whereby the judges of the superior court were to be appointed by the presi- dent of the United States, with the advice and consent of the sen- ate, said judges to hold office during good behavior. The courts were furnished with interpreters of the French, Spanish and Eng- lish languages.
The first constitution of the state vested the judicial power in a supreme court and such inferior courts as the legislature might establish. The supreme court was given appellate jurisdiction only, and in civil cases an appeal lay where the amount in con-
-
-
320
LOUISIANA
troversy was $300 and upwards. The court was to consist of not less than three nor more than five members, a majority to form a quornm, and the salary of the judges was fixed at $5,000 per annum. The state was divided into an Eastern and a Western district, and the court was to sit in both New Orleans and Opelousas. After the period of 5 years, the legislature was given the power to designate another seat for the court than Opelousas. The legislature organ- ized a supreme court of 3 members, the first justices being Hall, Matthews and Derbigny.
The act of Congress admitting Louisiana to statehood also pro- vided for the appointment of a U. S. district judge, who was to hold four sessions of court at New Orleans each year.
By the constitution of 1845 the judicial power was vested in a supreme court, in district courts and in justices of the peace. The supreme court was made to consist of a chief justice and three asso- ciate justices, appointed by the governor for a term of 8 years; it was to sit at New Orleans and elsewhere as determined by the justices ; the district judges were to hold office for six years. The result was a great simplification of the judiciary system of the state, whereby there was created in place of the former numerous courts three degrees of jurisdiction-the inferior courts, or justices of the peace ; the district courts, and the appellate or supreme court.
The constitution of 1852 made the offices of the judges, including those of the supreme court, elective ; the membership of the supreme court was increased to five, and the state was divided into four judicial districts, in each of which one of the justices of the supreme court was required to sit.
During the military administration of Gen. Shepley, courts of justice were established in New Orleans. Gen. Shepley revived three of the civil district courts, and criminal jurisdiction was vested in a provost court. On Jan. 1, 1863, a provisional court went into operation. "It had been constituted by President Lin- coln, and consisted of a judge appointed by the president, with power to appoint all other officers. The judge was Charles A. Peabody of New York, and he and all the other officers of the court were men from the North. The powers and jurisdiction of the court were unlimited. In April, 1863, the supreme court was reor- ganized with Charles A. Peabody as chief justice, and later a court of criminal jurisdiction, a probate court and recorders' courts were opened. Outside of the city there were parish courts of general jurisdiction. It was fortunate that the number of provost courts in the parishes was at last diminished : they had been but too often incompetent, despotic, and corrupt." (Fortier, His. of La., Vol. 4, p. 38.)
Under the constitution of 1868 the judicial power was vested in a supreme court, district courts, parish courts and justices of the peace.
The constitution of 1879 extended the judiciary system of the state by the creation of certain new tribunals known as courts of appeal, and directed the legislature to provide for their organiza-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.