USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 12
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The acquisition of Louisiana was received with great satisfac- tion in all parts of the United States with the exception of certain portions of New England. President Jefferson was severely criti- cized by those who opposed the purchase, and he was charged with a usurpation of authority unwarranted by the constitution. He frankly admitted that no reasoning could reconcile the transac- tion with the constitutional theories held by him and his party and was at first inclined to ask for an amendment to the constitu- tion sanctioning what had been done. But he was sustained by political friends "who believed the purchase to be justified and authorized sufficiently by the practical exigencies of the case." On July 16, 1803, he issued a proclamation calling Congress to meet in extra session on Oct. 17 to consider the cession. In his mes- sage at the opening of the extra session he reviewed the Louisiana question, and in another message on the 21st notified Congress of the exchange of ratifications. Congress acted with commendable promptness upon the president's recommendations, and on the 31st Mr. Jefferson approved a bill authorizing him to take possession of the province, which was formally done on Dec. 20, 1803. (See Transfer of Louisiana.)
The Spanish government opposed the treaty of cession on the grounds that "the French government had contracted with the king of Spain in the most solemn engagement never to alienate the
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province; and that the conditions under which France secured Louisiana by the treaty of San Ildefonso had not been fulfilled, and therefore France could not convey a good and sufficient title." Some correspondence followed, which finally resulted in the estab- lishment of the French title and the absolute right of that nation to convey the province to the United States. The territory acquired by the United States through the Louisiana Purchase now embraces the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and the greater part of Wyoming, Colorado and Oklahoma. (See also Jefferson, Thomas.)
Louisiana Purchase Exposition .- (See Expositions.)
Louisiana State Lottery .- (See Lotteries.)
Louter, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Union parish, is about 3 miles south of the state line, 3 miles northeast of Lockhart, the nearest railroad station, and 15 miles north of Farmerville, the parish seat.
Lovell, Mansfield, soldier, was born at Washington, D. C., Oet. 20, 1822, a son of Dr. Joseph Lovell, surgeon-general of the United States army in 1818, and a grandson of a member of the Continental Congress. When quite young he received an appointment to the U. S. military academy at West Point, where he graduated in 1842, the 9th class that included some of the later distinguished generals. He was commissioned lieutenant in the 4th artillery and assigned to duty with Gen. Taylor's army in Texas in 1845. At the battle of Monterey he was wounded and became aide to Gen. Quitman. Later he went to Vera Cruz and took part in the campaign from that place to the City of Mexico, where he was again wounded at the assault upon the Belasco gate. At Chapultepec he was brevetted captain for bravery. At the close of the war he com- manded a battery of his regiment for 2 years, serving in garrisons in the south and west and finally in New York, where he resigned Sept. 18, 1854. During his residence in New York, he was a mem- ber of and drilled the Old City Guard, and was deputy street com- missioner from 1868 to 1861, when he went south to tender his services to the Confederacy. He was commissioned brigadier-gen- eral, was promoted to major-general in October, and placed in command of Department No. 1. with headquarters at New Orleans. When the city was evacuated in April. 1862. he burned 15,000 bales of cotton, destroyed quantities of tobacco, sugar and molasses, the boats in port and the docks. in order to keep them from falling into the hands of the Federals. He retired to Vicksburg, where he was relieved of his command. A court of inquiry relieved him of all blame for the surrender of the city of New Orleans, but he was not restored to the field by the government. After the war he resided in New York city and engaged in engineering work until his death in June, 1884.
Lowry is a post-hamlet of Calcasieu parish.
Loyd (R. R. name Lloyd), a village in the southeastern part of Rapides parish, is situated on the Bayou Boeuf and the Southern
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Pacific and Texas & Pacific railroads, about 15 miles southeast of Alexandria. It has a money order postoffice, express office and telegraph station, and in 1900 had a population of 100.
Lucknow, a postoffice in the western part of Richland parish, is about 5 miles west of Burke, the nearest railroad station, and 8 miles southwest of Rayville, the parish seat.
Lucky, a post-hamlet of Bienville parish, is situated on the Louisiana & Northwestern R. R., about 15 miles south of Gibsland.
Lucy, a post-hamlet of St. John the Baptist parish, is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi river, 3 miles east of Edgard, the parish seat, and just across the river from Laplace, the nearest railroad station. It is located in one of the richest farming dis- tricts of the state, has a money order postoffice, and in 1900 had a population of 100.
Ludeling, John Theodore, jurist, was born in New Orleans, La., in 1824, a son of John Henry and Francoise Lorette Salure (de L'Ailleuse) Ludeling. His father was a Prussian officer who served under the celebrated Prussian general, Marshal Blucher, and later emigrated to Louisiana. He settled at Pointe Coupée, where he practiced law and became a judge of the district court. Subsequently he moved to Monroe, La., where John spent his boy- hood. He was educated in a Jesuit college at St. Louis, Mo., studied law after leaving college and was admitted to the bar in Louisiana. His law practice became unusually large and when Judge Hyman retired from the bench of the supreme court in 1868, succeeded him, serving from that time to 1877. He was a Repub- lican, and though his two brothers served in the Confederate army during the Civil war, he refused to do so, remaining true to his principles. Judge Ludeling married Maria, daughter of Enoch Copley, a descendant of the celebrated artist. They had four chil- dren, two daughters and two sons. He died on his plantation near Monroe, La., Jan. 21, 1890.
Ludington, a village of Calcasieu parish, is a station on the Kan- sas City Southern R. R., about 3 miles north of De Ridder. It is located in the long leaf pine region, has important Iumbering inter- ests, a money order postoffice, express office and telegraph station, and is a shipping point for a large district.
Luella, a post-hamlet of Natchitoches parish, is situated in the eastern part, about 7 miles east of Natchitoches, the parish seat. It is a station on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, has an express office and telegraph station, and is a trading center for the neighborhood.
Lula, a post-hamlet of De Soto parish, is situated on a confluent of the Sabine river in the southern part of the parish, 3 miles west of Benson, the nearest railroad station, and about 12 miles south of Mansfield, the parish seat.
Luling, a village of St. Charles parish, is located on the west bank of the Mississippi river and the Texas & Pacific R. R., 5 miles southeast of Hahnville, the parish seat. It is one of the largest and most important towns in the parish, is a supply and shipping
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point for the rich country which surrounds it, has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and in 1900 reported a population of 650.
Lumber .- Formerly the chief source of the nation's lumber sup- ply was in the short leaf pine regions about the Great Lakes. But this section is almost denuded, and of the entire available supply of timber in the United States suitable for the manufacture of lumber, nearly 70 per cent is in the Southern States. In Nov., 1903, Mr. Woodhead read a paper before the convention of the Four States immigration league in New Orleans, in which he said : "The supply of timber in the South, which is tributary to Gulf ports, is 187,000,000.000 feet. This does not take into consideration the large timber acreage of Virginia pine. There is 132,000.000,000 fect of standing pine in the four states which this league represents, most of which is directly tributary to Gulf ports. Tupelo gum has heretofore been considered of little or no commercial value and there are no reliable figures available as to this product. In the bottom lands of the Neches, Sabine, Red, Mississippi, and other rivers and their tributaries, however, there are thousands of acres which will cut many thousand feet to the acre."
Louisiana possesses a generous share of this vast forest wealth, and within recent years a large amount of capital has been invested in saw and planing mills for the purpose of converting it into lumber. The greatest timber wealth of the state lies in the large areas of pine-both short and long-leaf-and the forests of cypress. The short-leaf pine is found principally on the uplands in the northwestern part, where there are still several hundred square miles practically untouched by the axe of the woodman. The long-leaf pine is found in greater or less quantity all over the hill country, but it has two important centers. The one east of the Mississippi river includes the parishes of Washington. St. Tam- many, Tangipahoa, St. Helena and the eastern part of Livingston. The center west of the Mississippi embraces the parishes of Winn, Grant, Vernon, the western part of Rapides, the northern part of Calcasieu, and portions of Catahoula. Caldwell, Jackson, Bienville. Natchitoches, Sabine and St. Landry. The greater portion of the red cypress is found south of the Red river and west of the Missis- sippi, extending westward to the Sabine. White cypress is found in all parts of the state adapted to its growth. It is only within the last few years that cypress lumber has become known. When it was first placed upon the market dealers and builders were in- clined to reject it, but as its durable qualities and its adaptability became manifest it gained in popularity. For doors, inside finish, etc., red cypress has few equals, and cypress shingles have won favor wherever they have been introduced.
The forestry section of the U. S. department of agriculture col- lected and published statistics regarding the lumber output of 1905. According to that report Louisiana stood third in the list of lum- ber producing states, being exceeded only by Washington and Wis- consin. Reports from 236 mills showed a total cut of 2,293,809,000
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feet, and the report goes on to say: "Louisiana led the cut of yellow pine with 1.737,960,000 feet, and produced in eypress 487,- 504,000 feet, 64.7 per cent of the total production." The Manu- facturers' Record, published at Baltimore, Md., shows that Louisi- ana again led in the production of yellow pine and cypress lumber in 1906. Although pine and cypress constitute the major portion of the state's lumber output, they are by no means the only forest trees that find their way to the saw mill. In 1905 the cut of cotton- wood amounted to 38,693,000 feet, and the same year the mills of the state turned out nearly 750,000,000 shingles. There are several varieties of oak and hickory suitable for carriage and wagon mate- rials, cooperage, handles, etc. ; different species of maple, elm, ash and poplar ; the sycamore, beech, black walnut and magnolia, all of which have a commercial value ; the tupelo gum, which is found in many of the wet bottoms of the state, is coming more into use .; the sweet gum is found in most of the forests, being especially plentiful along the Mississippi and in what are known as the river parishes, and the holly and sassafras are found in several localities.
A handbook issued by the board of agriculture and immigration has this to say regarding the lumbering interests of Louisiana : "As to facilities for transporting and marketing the lumber, the primitive methods of river rafting are being rapidly supplanted by the railroads and every modern appliance. There is very little timber in the state now that is not accessible to some means of transportation. With 3,000 miles of railroad, 322 miles of logging tram roads and nearly 4,000 miles of navigable streams, the trans- portation question is not a difficult one. Thus, in extent, in variety, in favor, as to locations and facilities of transportation, the lumber interests of Louisiana merit the attention of the wealthy capitalist, the competent, energetic manufacturer, and above all, the man of family who seeks to make a home where opportunity to grow up with the country' makes a small investment in the present sure capital for the future. There are hundreds of sawmills of large eut located on the several lines of railways and water courses, and enor- mous shipments are annually made to the North, East and West. and even to foreign countries, of both cypress and pine, unequaled in finish anywhere."
Luna, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Ouachita parish. is situated on a confluent of the Ouachita river, 4 miles south of Lapine, the nearest railroad station, and 12 miles southwest of Monroe, the parish seat.
Lutcher, a village situated near the eastern boundary of St. James parish, is on the Mississippi river and the Yazoo & Mississippi Val- ley R. R., about 8 miles east of Convent, the parish seat. It is one of the largest towns in this section of the state; has large lumber interests, sugar refineries, rice mills, an international money order postoffice, a bank, telegraph and express offices, etc. Lutcher is the shipping point for a large district of fine farming country, where rice, sugar, the famous Perique tobacco, and garden vege- tables are raised. The population in 1900 was 1,000.
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Lutheran Church .- (See Protestant Churches.)
Lydia, a post-hamlet in the central part of Iberia parish, is located in the midst of a rich sugar district, about 5 miles southeast of New Iberia, the parish seat, and is a station on the Franklin & Abbeville R. R.
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McCall, a village in the southwestern part of Ascension parish, is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi river and the Texas & Pacific R. R., about + miles northwest of Donaldsonville, the parish scat. It is a shipping and supply point for a considerable district, has an international money order postoffice, express office, telegraph and telephone facilities, and in 1900 reported a popula- tion of 500.
McCoy, a village of Caddo parish, is situated in the northwest corner near the Texas and Arkansas boundaries. It has a money order postoffice and is the shipping point for the northwestern part of the parish, as it is on the Kansas City Southern R. R.
McCrea, a post-hamlet of' Pointe Coupée parish, is situated on a confluent of the Atchafalaya river, about 3 miles southeast of Odenburg, the nearest railroad station and 25 miles northwest of New Roads, the parish seat.
McDade, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Bossier parish, is on the Red river and the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navi- gation company, about 18 miles southeast of Shreveport.
McDonogh, John, philanthropist, was born in Baltimore, Md., Dec. 29, 1779, and while still in his boyhood entered the counting- house of a flour merchant in that city, where he remained until 1800, when he became a resident of New Orleans. He has been described as "tall. fine-looking, liberally educated, refined, and with the best of social credentials." Within 10 years after coming to New Orleans he had laid the foundation of his fortune. At the time of the British invasion, in the winter of 1814-15, he distin- guished himself by his bravery and generosity in the defense of his adopted city. In 1817 he left New Orleans and took up his residence upon one of his plantations, where the town of McDon- oghville is now situated. Prior to that time he had been some- what prominent in the social life of the city, but after retiring to his plantation hie devoted himself assiduously to his business enterprises, spending but little money, and in time he became known as "McDonogh the miser." There is a rumor that this change was caused by a disappointment in love, but it is not well authenticated. For some time Mr. McDonogh was engaged in sugar planting, and later became a large manufacturer of brick. The profits derived from his undertakings he invested in real estate, which constantly increased in value, until at the time of his death his wealth was estimated at several millions of dollars. He died on Oct. 26, 1850, and was buried on his plantation in a
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tomb that had been erected under his supervision. His will was dated Dec. 29, 1838-the day he was 59 years of age. By its pro- visions a certain amount was set aside for the support of his sister Jane, after which all the estate was to be managed as a whole, the income to be dispensed in charity as follows: One-eighth of the net income to the American Colonization Society annually for 40 years, though the amount paid to the society in any one year should not exceed $25,000; one-eighth to the city of New Orleans to found an asylum for the poor, the annual payments to continue until the sum of $600.000 had been paid; one-eighth to the Society for the Relief of Destitute Orphan Boys of New Orleans until the aggregate reached $400,000; one-eighth to establish a farm school near Baltimore, Md., then of the towns and villages of Maryland, and afterward of the maritime cities of the United States. The income from the other half of the estate, and after the above provisions had been carried out (which he estimated could be done in 50 years), the income of all the estate should be used to establish and maintain free schools for the education of the poor. Several of the public school buildings in the city of New Orleans have been erected with funds provided by Mr. Mc- Donogh's munificence. It is said that in his will the only recom- pense he asked was that "as a small favor the little children shall sometimes come and plant a few flowers above my grave." On Dec. 29, 1898, was dedicated the McDonogh monument in Lafayette square-a monument paid for entirely by contributions from the school children of the city. On "McDonogh Day," a day set apart for the purpose, all the pupils of the public schools visit this monu- ment and each one places upon it a small garland of flowers, so that by the time all have made their contributions the statue is completely buried by the floral decorations. Mr. McDonogh insti- tuted a system of gradual emancipation among his slaves, of which he owned quite a number. In 1841 he sent 80 of his manumitted slaves to Liberia. In his will he provided for the freedom of all the others, except a few recently acquired, and these were to be liberated later. His executors, in carrying out this part of his will, sent another cargo of negroes to Liberia in 1858.
McDonogliville, a village of Jefferson parish, is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi river a short distance above New Orleans and 3 miles east of Gretna, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, several large mercantile establishments, good schools, a number of churches and in 1900 had a population of 600.
McDougall, a post-hamlet of Washington parish, is situated in the southwest corner on the Tchefuncte river, about 10 miles south- west of Franklinton, the parish seat and most convenient railroad town. It is in the great pineries east of the Mississippi river and in 1900 it had a population of 40.
McEnery, John, lawyer, soldier and unrecognized governor of Louisiana, was born in the State of Virginia in 1833, and was of Scotch extraction. He was educated at Hanover college, Hanover,
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Ind., and later graduated in law at New Orleans, La. After his admission to the bar he began practice at Monroe, and was for a time registrar of the land office, but was removed by President Buchanan because he had supported Stephen A. Douglas for the presidential nomination in 1856. When the Civil war began Mr. McEnery enlisted in the Ouachita Rifles and was twice promoted for gallantry. Ilis service was chiefly in Virginia and the Carolinas. Upon his return to Louisiana after the war was over, he was appointed judge of the 12th district, and in 1866 was elected to the legislature. When that body was dissolved by Gen. Sheridan's order Judge MeEnery returned to his home and was not especially active in political matters until 1872. when he became the candidate of the Democratic and Reform parties and the Liberal Republicans for governor. There is no doubt that he received a majority of the legal votes cast at the election, but through the manipulation of the returns by the returning board and the interference of the courts his opponent. William Pitt Kellogg, was declared elected. For a time the state of Louisiana had a dual administration-one headed by McEnery, governor de jure, and the other by Kellogg. governor de facto. After more than a year of conflict. McEnery surrendered the state capitol and government buildings to the Federal authorities on Sept. 17. 1874, and returned to his law practice. He died in New Orleans, March 28, 1891.
McEnery's Administration .- Gov. John McEnery was inaugu- rated on Jan. 14. 1873. The Mechanics' Institute, which was then used for a state house, was in the hands of Gov. Kellogg and his party so the oath of office was administered to Gov. McEnery at Lafayette square, where a large concourse of people had assembled to witness the ceremony. An impartial investiga- tion of the facts relating to the election of 1872 leaves no doubt that McEnery was fairly elected. though he was never recognized as governor by the Federal authorities. The dispute as to which was elected-Kellogg of McEnery-is treated in the article on Returning Boards. On the 15th McEnery issued a proclamation forbidding the payment of taxes to persons appointed by Kellogg, and a few days later took steps to enroll and organize the militia. At a mass meeting held on March I resolutions were adopted protesting against Kellogg's administration being upheld by. Fed- eral troops, and asking that martial law be established until the general government could bring about a new reconstruction of the state. On the 6th an effort was made by the citizens to get possession of the police stations, but it was defeated by the police. reinforced by U. S. soldiers. The same day armed police took pos- session of the Odd Fellows hall, where the McEnery legislature was in session, arrested the members of the general assembly and marched them to the guard house. McEnery wrote to Gen. Emory to inquire "whether or not the action of the Metropolitan police force of this city in the seizure of the Odd Fellows hall this morn- ing and the armed prevention by said force of the assembly of the legislature of the state in said hall meet with your countenance
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and approval, and whether or not the U. S. forces under your command will support the armed occupation of that building."
In his reply Emory stated that the seizure of the Odd Fellows hall was without his knowledge, but declined to express any opinion as to the justice of the act. He enclosed a copy of a tele- gram from the president, directing him to see that no violent interference was made with the Kellogg government, which he was instructed to recognize, and said that if the act of seizing the Odd Fellows hall was by direction of Kellogg, "and if any violence is used to interfere with this act, I shall most assuredly consider it my duty, under my instructions, to use the whole force of the United States at my disposal to prevent such violent interference." Gov. McEnery then isued an address to the people of the state, in which he reviewed the report of the Congressional committee, and then said: "It has even been intimated that the government de jure does not command the support and approval of the people of the state, because this government is unwilling to defy and unable to overcome the power of the United States. Because of this unwillingness and inability, the stupendous falsehood is pro- claimed that the people of Louisiana voluntarily submit to and acquiesce in this usurpation. If we resist the executive of the United States, which with arms defends this usurpation, we are rebels; if we do not resist it, we submit to and acknowledge its authority and power. * * * We appeal to our brethren in the other states for their sympathy and support of a position which they are all interested in maintaining, thus vindicating a cardinal principal of our political system. We have no hope or means of defense against the wrongs done us. We can only assert our rights, refuse submission to usurpation, and abide the judgment of the American people in our case."
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