USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 50
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In the liberal arts building Miss Myra Kennedy was in charge of the display, which included a relief map of the state showing the levee system; relief maps of New Orleans in 1803 and 1903;
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a model of the U. S. dry dock at New Orleans ; and various geo- graphical and historical works relating to Louisiana.
The Louisiana state building was an exact reproduction of the old Spanish Cabildo as it appeared in 1803. with the Place d'Armes (now Jackson Square) in front. The building was furnished with pictures and furniture of the date of the transfer of Louisiana to the United States (1803). In the square in front was a reproduc- tion of the equestrian statue of Gen. Andrew Jackson, and around the statue were planted orange trees, sugar-cane, sweet olives, etc. The historic significance of this building and its antique furnish- ings attracted a large number of visitors during the fair.
Sept. 14, 1904, was Louisiana day at the exposition. On that occasion the governor of the state with his staff was present and commemorative exercises were conducted at the Cabildo. Lou- isiana was awarded 15 grand prizes (the highest award), 55 gold. 76 silver, and 49 bronze medals. After the exposition the exhibits were taken to New Orleans and installed in the Washington Artil- lery hall as a permanent museum of the state's resources and products.
The next great industrial exposition in which Louisiana was represented was the Lewis and Clark centennial exposition at Portland, Ore., in 1905, where an exhibit was made under the solicitation of Maj. J. G. Lee, commissioner of agriculture ; Robert Glenk, curator of the state museum; and Prof. F. H. Burdette of the state university. As these gentlemen were all in the employ of the state there was no additional expense for salaries, and the total cost of the exhibit was about $1,800. A carload of products, literature, etc., was taken from the St. Louis collection and for- warded to Portland, the exhibit being in charge of Prof. Burdette. On Louisiana day, Aug. 17, 1905, over 1,100 Louisianians registered at the exhibit, which was awarded 23 gold medals, 23 silver medals, 6 bronze medals, and 3 diplomas of honorable mention.
By the act of July 11, 1906, the state formally accepted the invi- tation of the State of Virginia to take part in the Jamestown expo- sition in 1907, and created a commission to consist of five persons, of whom three should be the commissioner of agriculture and immi- gration, the director of the state experiment stations and the curator of the state museum. the other two to be appointed by the governor. Gov. Blanchard appointed Dr. W. C. Stubbs and Gen. T. W. Castleman, and the personnel of the commission was then as fol- lows: Col. Charles Schuler, commissioner of agriculture and immi- gration ; William R. Dodson. director of the. experiment stations : Robert Glenk, curator of the state museuin; Dr. Stubbs and Gen. Castleman. As no money was appropriated, the commission at its first meeting called on the governor for the necessary funds and $20,000 was secured from the fiscal banks. The chief item of expense was about $9,500 for the purchase of a lot and the erection of a building. Three cars were required to transport the materials for the exhibit, which occupied 4.840 square feet in the states' ex- hibit building. It embraced displays of sugar, cotton and rice cul-
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ture, similar to those at St. Louis; an educational exhibit ; speci- mens of forest products : sulphur, salt and petroleum ; oysters, and an exhibit of grasses and grains by the experiment stations. A vast amount of literature exploiting the resources of the state was distributed, and the exhibits were awarded 51 gold, 37 silver and 34 bronze medals. Of the $20,000 received from the fiscal banks, over $2.400 was returned to the state at the close of the exposition on Nov. 30, 1907. . Over 3,500 Louisianians, besides many visitors from other states, were entertained at the Louisiana building during the fair.
In his retiring message to the legislature in 1908, Gov. Blanchard said: "The president and trustees of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition to be held in the city of Seattle, in the State of Wash- ington, from June 1 to Oct. 15, in the year 1909, have invited the government and the people of Louisiana to take part in the impor- tant event and to be represented by official commissioners, by an adequate display of the arts and sciences, the resources and indus- tries of the state, and by a state building. I submit this matter to your consideration." After carefully weighing the matter, the legislature decided not to make an exhibit, although the benefits resulting from the exhibits in former expositions were of such character that many people of the state favored a display at Seattle.
Extension, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Franklin parish, is about 8 miles west of Elam, the nearest railroad station.
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Fairmount (R. R. name Kateland), a village of Grant parish, is a station on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation com- pany 5 miles southeast of Colfax, the parish seat. A postoffice was first established here in 1879, when the town was one of the impor- tant river shipping points, and since the advent of the railroad its volume of business has increased. It has a money order postoffice, is the principal trading center for that section of the parish, and in 1900 reported a population of 150.
Fairs .- One result of the work of the board of Farmers' Institute managers of widespread benefit has been the establishment of parish fair associations. These have been the outgrowth of the Farmers' Institutes, and considerable financial aid has been rendered them by the board of agriculture and immigration through the agency of the institute corps. As far back as 1827 the need for gatherings and exhibitions of this nature was realized by prominent citizens and planters of the state; in that year the legislature passed an act incorporating the agricultural society of Baton Rouge, the object of which institution was "the improvement of agriculture, the amelioration of the breed of horses, of horned cattie and others, and in short of all the several branches relating to agriculture in
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the country." In 1833, the agricultural society of Louisiana was incorporated by the legislature with 13 directors and with authority to raise $500,000 by subscription. In this connection it was designed to conduct a model plantation, where experiments in agriculture, horse culture, etc., could be turned to the benefit of the husband- man. This movement was really an anticipation of the more recent agricultural colleges and experiment stations, and speaks well for the early enterprise and sagacity of the Louisiana legislators; but it was too early for such an enterprise to succeed. Such movements have their periods of growth, just as agricultural products do. In 1836, the West Feliciana agricultural society was incorporated, and in 1853, the South Western industrial fair association. These societies, with several others which arose at this period, were inter- mittent in their life and growth.
Of considerable importance was the Mechanics and Agricultural fair association, incorporated by legislative enactment March 1, 1861, with a capital of $150.000. The objects of this organization were "to promote improvements in all the various departments of agriculture. . the promotion of the mechanic arts,
the improvement of the race of all useful and domestic animals, the general advancement of rural economy and household manu- factures, and the dissemination of useful knowledge upon these subjects." The following were named as directors: J. G. Seymour, C. Potthoff, C. H. Slocomb, George W. Race. J. O. Nixon, Luther Homes, Charles Pride, H. R. Swasey, Lafayette Folger, Thomas N. Blake, G. W. Sizer, L. H. Pilie, D. H. Fowler, John Pemberton, F. W. Tilton, I. N. Marks, T. O. Moore, E. E. Kittridge, P. A. Root, J. H. Overton and F. Hardesty. During the war, public interest in the fairs flagged or ceased entirely; but on March 28, 1867, the association was the beneficiary of a legislative grant of $50,000, appropriated to enable the association to improve its grounds, erect necessary buildings, and make other expenditures incident to its purposes.
At the close of the dark days of the reconstruction period agri- culture revived with the other industries of the state. The State Fair association, incorporated by legislative enactment May 11, 1877, with a capital stock of $100,000, was authorized to lease, purchase and hold land, and enjoy the same rights and privileges as the Mechanics and Agricultural fair association. The objects of the association were to foster and promote improvements in all departments of agriculture, horticulture, mechanic arts and home manufactures. The members of the first board of directors were Isaac N. Marks. Albert Baldwin, William B. Schmidt, Joseph I. Day, Luther Homes, Fred Wing, J. L. Gubernator. Gus A. Breaux, H. M. Isaacson, N. E. Bailey, John Geddes, et al. Since 1906, annual state fairs have been successfully held at Shreveport, and have done much to promote the general agricultural interests of the state.
The Farmers' Institute and parish fair system originated in 1897. In 1898, six agricultural and live stock fairs were held in connec-
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tion with the institutes, viz., at Arcadia, Homer, Ruston, Calhoun, Farmerville and Minden. These fairs were open to exhibitors from the parishes in which they were held without entrance fee, and there was no admission fee for visitors. The exhibits consisted entirely of home grown products, this being a prerequisite to winning a premium. The legislature appropriated $500 for premiums, and this was divided among the different fairs, the board of agriculture usually donating $50 or $75 for each fair. This was generously increased by contributions from merchants and citizens at the places where the fairs were held. The character of the fairs and the excellence of the exhibits reflected much credit on their promoters. their parishes, and the state at large. The system under which they were held met with general satisfaction.
The institute corps was also instrumental in organizing perma- nent parish and district agricultural fairs. In 1902 associations or clubs had been organized in the parishes of Lincoln, Jackson, Winn, Union, Caldwell, Pointe Coupée, Avoyelles, Grant, Sabine, Vernon, Bienville, Lafayette, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Bossier and Claiborne. Agricultural, parish and district fairs were held dur- ing the autumn of 1902 at Farmerville, Ruston, Clinton, Mineral, Calhoun, Homer, Arcadia and Lake Providence. The following were organized to be held in 1903: Jonesboro, Winnfield, Colum- bia, Pontchatoula, Greensburg, Franklinton, St. Martinville, New Roads, Marksville. Colfax, Many and Leesville. In his bulletin, the commissioner of agriculture makes the following statement : "It was my privilege to pay an official visit to all these fairs except two, and representatives of the department visited these. It was my observation that their scope and usefulness are annually increasing. The result of the stimulus given is apparent in every line of agricultural production ; especially is this noticeable in the matter of more and better live stock and a greater diversity of farm products. The ladies, too, have caught the spirit of rivalry and competition and vie with each other in their excellent exhibits of fancy work, butter, preserves, pickles, jellies, etc. The fairs were all well attended, well conducted and productive of social inter- course, good feeling and good fellowship, and their social and educational value was everywhere apparent."
Within the past few years other fair associations have been organized and a marked improvement has been shown in the num- ber and quality of exhibits and the general interest displayed. The system will be completed by the establishment of central fairs in different sections of the state, and by the award of more liberal premiums. These fairs develop a keener interest in the premiums which are awarded at the state fair. and the latter being held after most of the local fairs are over, the state exhibition gives an opportunity for bringing together the premium exhibits from every section of the commonwealth.
Fairview, a money order post-hamlet, in the eastern part of Concordia parish, is on the Mississippi river. about 3 miles south-
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east of Fish Pond, the nearest railroad station. The population in 1900 was 153.
Faliah, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Washington parish, is about 9 miles south of Franklinton, the parish seat, and most convenient railroad station.
Farmers' Alliance .- The first society or association to bear this name had its origin in New York abont 1873. Three years later county alliances were organized in Texas, and in 1880 these were incorporated into a state alliance. In the meantime the New York organization had spread rapidly westward. It differed from the Texas alliance, in that it was an anti-secret society, the other being a secret and benevolent organization. In 1887 there were over 100,000 members in Texas, and at the same time Louisiana had a Farmers' Union with about 10,000 members. These two bodies united and secured articles of incorporation in the District of Co- lumbia under the name of the National Farmers' Alliance and Co- operative Union. In the meantime a kindred organization, called the Agricultural Wheel, an ontgrowth of the old Grange move- ment, had taken root in several of the Southern states. On July 28, 1886, delegates from the state wheels of Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas met at Litchfield, Ark., and formed the National Agricul- tural Wheel, which was also a secret society. In Oct., 1889, a con- solidation of the national alliance and the national wheel was ef- fected under the name of the National Farmers' Alliance and Indus- trial Union. The purposes of the order, as expressed in its declara- tion of principles, were :
"1. To labor for the government in a strictly non-partisan spirit, and to bring about a more perfect union of all classes.
"2. To demand equal rights for all, and special privileges for none.
"3. To approve the motto 'In things essential, unity ; and in all things, charity.'
"4. To develop a better state, mentally, morally, socially and financially.
"5. To strive constantly to secure harmony and good-will to all mankind, and brotherly love among ourselves.
"6. To suppress personal, local, sectional and national preju- . dices, all unhealthy rivalry, and all selfish ambition.
"7. To visit the homes where lacerated hearts are bleeding, to assnage the sufferings of a brother or sister, to bury the dead, care for the widows, educate the orphans, exercise charity toward of- fenders, construe words and deeds in their most favorable light,
. grant honesty of purpose and good intentions to others, and pro- tect the principles of the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union until death."
One of the first steps of the order was to establish exchanges or purchasing agencies, with a large paid-up capital stock, through which the members of the alliance could purchase implements. machinery and supplies at wholesale prices. As soon as the bene- fits of this plan became apparent, the membership began to increase,
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new alliances were formed, and in a short time every state in the Union was well represented in the organization. The plan of the alliance in laboring "for the government in a strictly non-partisan spirit" was to agree upon needed reforms, then try to influence the existing political parties. to declare in favor of the reforms and secure the necessary legislation to bring about the desired results. If this plan failed the alliance stood ready to place its own candi- dates in the field. At the annual convention, held at St. Louis, Mo., in Dec., 1889, the Knights of Labor were taken into confederation, the name of the National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union was adopted, and the convention authorized the establishment of national headquarters at Washington, D. C.
The order now began to have a political significance. In the gen- eral elections of 1890 Alliance tickets were placed in the field in a number of states. In Kansas and Nebraska the Alliance elected a majority of both branches of the legislature, and held the balance of power in the general assemblies of Illinois, Minnesota and South Dakota. Nine members of the lower house of Congress were elected, and Kansas, South Dakota and South Carolina sent Alli- ance men to the U. S. senate. Encouraged by the results of this campaign, the organization grew more aggressive, and the annual convention which met at Ocala, Fla., in Dec., 1890, adopted a plat- form demanding the abolition of national banks and the substitu- tion of legal-tender treasury notes for national bank currency ; that Congress should pass laws prohibiting the dealing in futures of all agricultural and mechanical productions: the free and unlimited coinage of silver ; the enactment of laws to prevent the alien owner- ship of land; the reclamation of all lands held by railroad companies and other corporations not actually used by them, such lands to be held for actual settlers: the issue by Congressional authority of a sufficient amount of fractional paper currency to facilitate exchanges through the mails; for government control of all means of trans- portation and communication, and if this plan should prove insuffi- cient, then absolute ownership of all railway and telegraph lines, etc. The convention gave approval to the sub-treasury bill then pending in Congress-a bill which provided that whenever any county could show agricultural products amounting in value to $500,000 in any one season, the government should establish a sub- treasury, or an agricultural warehouse, within the limits of such county, to enable the farmers to deposit therein their surplus pro- duce and receive therefor treasury notes equal to 80 per cent of its value.
The only general election in Louisiana in 1890 was for members of Congress. For these the Alliance made no nominations, but the organization came into prominence in the campaign for the elec- tion of state officers in April, 1891. At the same election the con- stitutional amendment relative to the Louisiana lottery was to be voted on, and in the fall of 1890 the anti-lottery Democrats and those of that party who belonged to the Alliance reached an agree- ment by which they were to work for the election of anti-lottery
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delegates to the Democratic state convention, who would also vote for the nomination of a fusion ticket, which was to be headed by Thomas S. Adams, the president of the Louisiana State Alliance, as the candidate for governor. In opposition to this arrangement a large number of "regular" Democrats favored the nomination of ex-Gov. Samuel D. McEnery. The convention was called to meet on Dec. 16, 1890, and in the primaries it developed that there was to be a bitter contest between the two factions. The anti-lottery people, in order to strengthen themselves, persuaded Mr. Adams to permit the nomination of Murphy J. Foster for governor and accept a place on the ticket as the candidate for the office of secretary of state. Some other Alliance men were nominated and the ticket thus chosen was elected in April. This was the only instance in which the Alliance achieved any political distinction in Louisiana. When the People's party absorbed the Alliance in 1892 most of the Southern members opposed such a policy, and from that time the order commenced to lose prestige. On Aug. 2, 1892, the State Union met at Monroe. In his address President Adams recom- mended that no political resolutions be passed, and the convention accepted his suggestion. "To do good work in our ranks," said he, "we must try to capture the next Democratic state convention in that party's ranks." But the capture was never made.
Farmers' Institutes .- A system of Farmers' Institutes of ines- timable value to the farmers of Louisiana was inaugurated by the state board of agriculture and immigration in 1897. During the summer of that year 20 of these meetings were held, by means of which the farmers came in contact with one another and with teachers whose special qualifications and experience enabled them to be of great assistance in the solution of the farmers' problems. At these institutes, which had an estimated attendance of 3,000 persons, lectures were delivered, questions asked and answered, and discussions participated in, during the course of which much valuable information was elicited of practical use to the farmer in his everyday work. The gist of these papers and talks was pub- lished in the Farmers' Institute Bulletin, which was freely dis- tributed over the state. This general plan lias since been followed with most satisfactory results. The meetings have been continued into the fall and parish fairs and stock shows held in connection with them. Agricultural and truck growing societies have also been organized in a number of parishes. "The Farmers' Institute has been found to be a cheap, practical and available arrangement, at which agricultural knowledge can be presented, explained and discussed. Here each farmer attending has opportunity to state his difficulties, draw upon his brother farmers' experience and reduce to an available form in his own mind for future use the in- formation and experience given." To effect a permanent organiza- tion, the following board of managers was appointed by the bureau : the president of the Louisiana state university and agricultural and mechanical college: the commissioner of agriculture and immigra- tion, and the director of the state experiment stations. The com-
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missioner of agriculture and immigration was made institute conductor.
The first Louisiana institute conductor, J. G. Lee, opened the several institutes by a clear and forceful statement of the object of the system, a practical school for farmers, the growth of the insti- tute system in other states, and the need of a permanent organiza- tion in Louisiana. His remarks were enthusiastically received and a gratifying result of his labors was the increase in a year of the number of institutes held from 20 to 28 and the increased attend- ance from 3,000 to 17,663. The first towns in which institutes were held were Hammond. Lake Charles, Crowley, Lafayette, Opelousas, Abbeville, New Iberia, Baton Rouge. Columbia, Mer Rouge, Mon- roe, Vernon, Ruston, Farmerville, Arcadia, Homer, Minden, Winns- . boro, Jennings, Mansfield and Grand Cane. In the following year were added the towns of Benton, Jewella, Athens, Pollock, Bas- trop, Calhoun, Coushatta, Many, Greensburg, Amite and Leesville. Three sessions were usually held in a day and the meetings con- tinued from 1 to 3 days. The institute corps was composed of pro- fessors from the Louisiana state university, the state normal school, specialists from the state experiment stations, practical, successful farmers and public-spirited gentlemen whose interests in the work prompted them to enlist their valuable services. A special feature of the institutes of 1898 in northern Louisiana was the introduction of hill-side ditching, which has for years been successfully prac- ticed in Georgia. This method was explained and demonstrated by a farmer from Georgia, who had employed it with good results using only homemade instruments. During the first two years further extension was prevented by the rigid quarantine regula- tions necessitated by a threatened epidemic. Nevertheless agricul- tural and stock fairs were held in connection with the institutes at Arcadia, Homer, Ruston, Calhoun, Farmerville aud Minden.
During the next 4 years the number of institutes increased to 45, held in 41 different parishes. The total attendance in 1902 was 13,245. The institute had by this time established itself as a per- manent feature of agricultural education and its social opportuni- ties were also greatly appreciated by the farmers and their wives. A good roads movement had been inaugurated, and institutes held in the parishes where large sugar and cotton plantations were located, as well as among the tillers of smaller estates. In 1902, in the interests of facility and economy. the work was divided into three districts, each in charge of an institute corps. In the 1st district the institutes were conducted by Prof. W. R. Dodson, assistant director of the state experiment station; in the 2nd, by Prof. H. A. Morgan, entomologist of the state university and agri- cultural and mechanical college: in the 3d, by Dr. W. H. Dal- rymple, veterinarian of these two institutions. Special institutes were conducted by Dr. W. C. Stubbs, director of experiment sta- tions. During the season of 1902, the institute corps had as mem- bers, in addition to the Louisiana specialists, George E. Scott,
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