USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 20
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It is probable that the Mississippi river has always been within a few miles of its present general location. Says Jenkins: "It may, however, after passing the hills at Memphis, have made its channel down and through Horn lakes and Horn Lake creek into the Yazoo river. Thence, skirting the foot-hills to Walnut hills, it was deflected by the line of bluffs in a southweserly direction to the 31st parallel, where it swept around to the southeast, if it did not find a shorter route to the sea by the way of the Atchafalava,
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or even empty its muddy waters into the Gulf of Mexico at that point; for the Mississippi river from its present mouth to the mouth of the Red river is an estuary, or arm, of the sea."
The area of the delta, assuming that it begins where the river sends off its first branch to the sea-viz., at the head of Bayou Atchafalaya-is estimated at 12,300 square miles. This would be at the mouth of Red river latitude 31 degrees, while the mouth of the mighty stream is now in latitude 29 degrees, thus extending
through 2 degrees of space. (The Mississippi Valley, Foster). The same authority computes the age of the delta at 4,400 years, on the assumption that the river advances into the gulf at the rate of 262 feet per annum-the distance from its present mouth to its supposed original mouth being given as 220 miles. The same eminent geologist estimates that the Mississippi must have been a delta-forming river at an earlier period, as is evidenced by the Loess formation which occurs along its banks, and which, at Natchez, attains a thickness of 60 feet.
The amount of sediment held in suspension by the river is enor- mous, and as determined by numerous experiments, is, by weight nearly as 1 to 1,500; and by bulk, nearly as 1 to 2,900. The mean annual discharge of water is assumed at 19,500,000,000,000 cubic feet ; hence it follows that 812,500,000,000 pounds of sedimentary matter-equal to 1 square mile of deposit, 241 feet in depth-are yearly transported in a state of suspension into the gulf. (Hum- phreys and Abbot, Physics of the Mississippi).
The mean annual velocity of the current of the river below the junction with the Ohio is 3.39 feet per second-about 21g miles per hour-but in times of flood the current attains a velocity of from 5 to 6 miles an hour. As the mighty volume of water sweeps around the great bends of the river, its surface is only slightly below the level of the alluvial banks, while a large portion of the . great alluvial plain which lines the river on either side is from 5 to 10 feet below the level of the banks. Consequently, in former times, excessive flood waters covered most of these low lands. The whole lower valley is only protected from frequent and dis- astrous inundations, and thus made safe and habitable, by means of artificial embankments or levees. Ever since the founding of New Orleans, man has waged his fight with the giant stream, the - systein of levees is ever growing more and more complete, and today almost absolute protection from inundation is afforded. (See Levees ; also Jetties.)
Mitchell, a post-village in the northern part of Sabine parish, is about 4 miles east of Converse, the nearest railroad station, and 15 miles north of Many, the parish seat. It has a money order post- office, is a neighborhood trading point, and in 1900 had a popula- tion of 32.
Mitchiner is a post-hamlet of Richland parish.
Mix, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Point Coupée parish, is about 5 miles southwest of New Roads, the parish seat and nearest railroad town.
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Moncla, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Avoyelles parish, is situated on the Red river, about 6 miles northwest of Marksville, the parish scat and nearest railroad town.
Moniteur de la Louisiane .- (See Newspapers.)
Monroe, the capital of Ouachita parish, is located on the Ouachita river, about equidistant between the Mississippi and Red rivers, in the heart of the Ouachita valley, which is one of the most produc- tive and healthful sections of the whole state. The city commands in every direction a tributary territory 75 miles in extent and as a result of its natural advantages its development along commercial and industrial lines has been rapid. Monroe was first known as Fort Miro and was settled by Don Juan Filhiol (q. v.). The fort was a square palisade that stood some distance back from the river, and here Filhiol continued to command until the United States purchased the Province of Louisiana from France in 1803. In 1807, when the Ouachita Settlement became a parish by an act of the territorial legislature, Fort Miro was selected as the seat of justice. On Sept. 5, 1811, Filhiol donated the present courthouse square to the parish judge of Ouachita, and on the same date he filed a plat or plan of the town of Miro. It went by this name until 1819, when the name was changed to Monroe, in honor of President James Monroe. The town was incorporated by an act of the legis- lature on March 14, 1820, was reincorporated in 1855, and a new charter was granted in 1871. This was several times amended and finally in 1900 a new and broader charter was obtained. At no time in the history of Monroe, has the city been a "boom town," but has had a natural and steady growth, due to its natural advan- tages and commanding position. Today it has a population of 15,000 inhabitants and is recognized as one of the most progressive cities in the state. The following religious denominations are represented in the city: Catholic, Methodist, Christian, Presbyterian, Episco- pal, Baptist and Jewish, all of which have fine church buildings, and the Catholics have a convent. Educationally, Monroe is abreast of the larger cities of the state, as it maintains without the aid of state or parish its schools for white and colored. a high school, and St. Hyacinth's academy, a private Catholic institution. Commerce and industries have grown to large proportions in Monroe since the war and its trade amounts to many millions a year. Over 800,000 tons are annually shipped in and out of the city by the transporta- tion lines by rail and water. and to accommodate this business there are 5 banks and several loan and trust associations that are important factors in the commercial and industrial life of the city. There are a number of retail establishments which supply the city and adjacent country, 4 wholesale grocery companies, 2 wholesale hardware houses, 2 wholesale drug houses, 2 wholesale liquor firms, 4 distributing stations for large packing companies, 5 yellow pine saw mills with a daily capacity of 325,000 feet. 2 cypress shingle mills with a daily capacity of 500,000, 2 cotton seed oil mills, 2 iron foundries, 1 molasses plant. 1 cotton mill with 2.500 spindles, an ice factory, 2 compresses, handling about 80,000 bales of cotton
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annually, the Queen & Crescent railroad shops, St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R. division headquarters and terminals, a brick plant of large capacity, 2 telegraph and 2 local and long distance telephone systems, three newspapers, a large, new hard wood mill, cold storage plant, hotel and office building. Transpor- tation is furnished by the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific R. R. of the Queen & Crescent system, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern, the Little Rock & Monroe, the Monroe Southwestern, and the Monroe Railway & Navigation company's line plies on the Ouachita and its tributaries. The Ouachita river, which is now only navigable about 9 months of the year, is being dammed and locked by the U. S. government. and when the work is completed will afford navigation the entire year. This improvement will be of great advantage to the Ouachita valley from the head waters to the Red river. Monroe is far ahead of many of the large and older cities of the country in the matter of municipal ownership of utili- ties. One of the first municipally owned and operated street cars was run over the streets of Monroe in 1905. on the lines of the Monroe municipal street railway, and since that time the system has been in operation with success and profit. In addition to this Monroe owns and operates its water and light plant, sewerage sys- tem, free traffic bridge across the Ouachita river and a public mar- ket. The parish fair grounds, located at Monroe, are owned and run by the street railroads, there is an amusement park in connec- tion, with a summer theatre which has a capacity of 1,500. The Progressive League. an organization that has as its object the advancement and upbuilding of Monroe, was organized in 1904 and has done much for the growth and enterprise of the city.
Monroe, James, 5th president of the United States and one of the greatest diplomats of his time, was born in Westmoreland county, Va., April 28. 1758, of English ancestry. Mention of Mr. Monroe in a history of Louisiana is pertinent, as he was one of the plenipotentiaries that negotiated the treaty which added Louisiana to the territory of the United States. In 1776 he was a student in William and Mary college, but left the institution to enter the Con- tinental army. He distinguished himself by the capture of a British battery at Trenton : fought at Brandywine. Germantown and Mon- mouth, and was made an aide-de-camp on the staff of Lord Stirling. After leaving the army he studied law under Thomas Jefferson ; was elected to Virginia assembly at the age of 23 years ; was a dele- gate to the Virginia convention in 1788 that adopted the Federal constitution : was elected one of the first U. S. senators from that state in 1790: and in May. 1794, was appointed minister plenipo- tentiary to France. On account of his marked sympathy with the French republic, which was considered injudicious by the adminis- tration, he was recalled under informal censure, but retained the friendship of Washington. In 1799 he was elected governor of Virginia and served for three years, at the close of which he was appointed an envoy extraordinary to the French government to act in conjunction with Mr. Livingston in negotiating a treaty for the
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acquisition of Louisiana. (See Louisiana Purchase.) He was afterward prominently identified with the diplomatic relations with England and Spain, and in 1811 was again elected governor of Virginia. He resigned soon after his election to enter the cabinet of President Madison as secretary of state, and after the capture of Washington by the British in 1814 was transferred to the war department, but without relinquishing the portfolio of state. In 1816 he was elected president, and at the close of his first term was reelected. In 1823 he declared in his message to Congress. "As a principle, the American continents, by the free and independent position which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power." This has since become known as the "Monroe Doctrine." During his first administration, bitter partisan feeling was almost eradicated from American politics, and his second elec- tion was nearly unanimous, as he received 231 of the 232 votes in the electoral college, the 1 vote being cast for John Q. Adams of Massachusetts. This period has been referred to by historians as "The era of good feeling." His last public service was as a member of the convention to revise the Virginia constitution in 1829. He died at New York city, July 4, 1831.
Monroe, John T., was mayor of New Orleans at the beginning of the Civil war. On April 25. 1862, he ordered his private secre- tary, Marion A. Baker, to hoist the state flag over the city hall, although Farragut's fleet was lying in front of the city at the time. The same day the mayor met Capt. Bailey and Lieut. Perkins, who were sent by Farragut to demand the surrender of the city, and on the advice of Pierre Soule refused to surrender on the ground that he had no authority to do so as long as Gen. Lovell, the military commander, was in command of the regular military forces in New Orleans. On the 26th. Gen. Lovell having evacuated the city, Mayor Monroe called the city council together and after the meet- ing wrote a letter to Farragut, in which he said: "In pursuance with the resolution which he thought proper to take out of regard for the lives of the women and children who still crowd this great metropolis, Gen. Lovell has evacuated it with his troops and re- stored back to me the administration of its government and the custody of its honor. I have, in concert with the city fathers, con- sidered the demand you made on me yesterday, of an uncondi- tional surrender of the city, coupled with the requisition to hoist the flag of the United States on the public edifices, and to haul down that which floats to the breeze from the dome of this hall, and it becomes my duty to transmit to you the answer which the universal sentiment of my constituency, no less than the prompt- ings of my own heart, dictates to me on this so sad and solemn
occasion. *
* * To surrender such a place were an idle and un- meaning ceremony. The city is yours by the power of brute force, and not by any choice or consent of its inhabitants. It is for you to determine what shall be the fate that awaits her. * * *
I beg you to understand that the people of New Orleans, while un-
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able, at this moment, to prevent you from occupying this city, do not transfer their allegiance from the government of their choice to one which they have deliberately repudiated, and that they yield simply the obedience which the conqueror is enabled to extort from the conquered."
When Gen. Butler issued his infamous General Order No. 28 (See Butler, B. F.) Mayor Monroe protested, for which he was removed from office and placed under arrest by Butler. He was subsequently released, and on March 12, 1866, was again elected mayor of the city, but owing to the fact that it was thought he might come "within the classes of exceptions mentioned in the president's proclamation of amnesty," he was not allowed to take the office until May 15. J. A. Rozier being appointed mayor pro tem. by Gen. Canby. Mayor Monroe was removed from office on March 27, 1867. by Gen. Sheridan, who appointed Edward Heath to the vacancy. Mr. Monroe continued active in his efforts to restore the government of Louisiana to the inhabitants of the state and was one of the prominent and influential factors during the entire reconstruction period.
Montegut, a village in the eastern part of Terrebonne parish, is about 4 miles east of Quitman lake, and 12 miles southeast of Houma, the parish seat and nearest railroad town. It has a money order postoffice, a good retail trade, and in 1900 had a population of 161.
Monterey, a village of Concordia parish, is situated on the Black river, about 8 miles northwest of Fish Pond, the nearest railroad station. It has a money order postoffice and in 1900 had a popula- tion of 53.
Montgomery (R. R. name Machen Station), a village in the ex- treme northwest corner of Grant parish, is about 15 miles northwest of Colfax, the parish seat. Before Grant parish was created Mont- gomery was in Winn parish and had been established under the name of Creola, but in 1860 it was incorporated and the name changed to Montgomery. A mercantile house was established in the town in 1866, but many of the store buildings were destroyed in the disastrous fire of 1888. Several fraternal societies had lodges in Montgomery at an early day. In 1883, the Montgomery acad- emy was established and since the fire in 1888 a number of fine new business buildings have been erected. As the town lies in the rich Red river valley and is a station on the line of the Louisiana Railway & Navigation company, it is the supply and shipping point for a prosperous agricultural district, and is a considerable busi- ness center. having one bank, a money order postoffice, telephone and telegraph facilities, express office, etc. The population in 1900 was 158.
Montpelier, a village in the southeastern part of St. Helena par- ish, is a station on the New Orleans, Natalbany & Natchez R. R., 10 miles south of Greensburg, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and is a neighborhood trading center.
Montrose, one of the oldest and largest towns of Natchitoches
·
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parish, is situated on the Bayou D'Arbonne, about 2 miles west of . Old River, the nearest railroad station, and 12 miles south of Natchitoches, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and is located in a rich farming district. Its population in 1900 was 268.
Montz, a post-village and station in the north-central part of St. Charles parish, is on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 3 miles east of Hahnville, the parish seat.
Moore, John, politician, was born in Berkeley county, Va., in 1788. He received an academic education in his native state; moved from Virginia to Franklin, La .; served in the lower house of the state legislature from 1825 to 1834, and when Rice Garland resigned his seat in Congress was elected to the vacancy as a Whig. He was a member of the 26th and 27th Congresses, serving from Dec. 17, 1840, to 1843, and was reelected to the 32d Congress. In 1848 he was a Whig presidential elector, 'and was a delegate to the state secession convention in 1861. He died at Franklin, La., June 17, 1867.
Moore, Thomas Overton, 14th governor of the State of Louisiana, was born in North Carolina in the year 1805. The first of his an- cestors in America was a James Moore, who came from Ireland and settled in South Carolina about the close of the 17th century, and who was said to be a grandson of Roger Moore, a leader in the Irish revolution of 1641. On the maternal side Governor Moore was a descendant of William Overton, who came from England and located in Virginia during the colonial period. Gen. Thomas Overton, the grandfather of the governor, was with "Lighthorse Harry Lee" in the War for Independence, and Gen. Walter H. Overton was with Jackson at New Orleans in 1815. After attain- ing to manhood Gov. Moore came to Louisiana and located in Rapides parish, where he became a successful planter. His interest in political questions led to his being elected to state senate on the Democratic ticket, and his record as a senator was so satisfac- tory to his party that in 1859 he received the nomination for gov- ernor. He was elected by the largest majority ever given to a candidate for governor up to that time. The term for which he was elected would have expired in Jan., 1864, but when the Federal forces under Gen. Butler occupied New Orleans in the spring of 1862, a military governor was appointed and the civil government was forced to abdicate. Gov. Moore kept in close touch, however, with state affairs, and by his counsel aided his people in every possible way to bear the hardships of war and the numerous bur- dens imposed upon them. He died in June, 1876, at his home in Rapides parish.
Moore's Administration .- Gov. Moore was inaugurated in Jan., 1860, and at the same time Henry M. Hyams took the oath of office as lieutenant-governor. The new administration was assum- ing heavy responsibilities, for already the war-clouds were dark- ening the horizon. yet Gov. Moore seemed to have a full under- standing of the situation, as in his inaugural address he said: "I cannot contemplate, without the most serious alarm, the condition
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to which the Southern states will be reduced, if a political party. organized only in one section of the country, and without followers or sympathizers in the other, should obtain possession of the gov- ernment, when the only foundation on which that party rests is detestation of slavery, and when the minority slave section will be without the power to protect itself through the instrumentality of Federal authority. When that time arrives the Southern states will be practically without representation in the Federal govern- ment and the South will occupy the position of subjugated states. * *
* Louisiana does not wish to see these states severed from their present political connection. But no man who has watched the course of the public mind can fail to have observed that in Louisiana, as in the other Southern states. the progress of dis- union feeling has been marked and rapid."
That which Gov. Moore contemplated with alarm came to pass. When it came to the nomination of presidential candidates in 1860, the Democratic party divided, and this lack of unity resulted in the election of Abraham Lincoln. The vote in Louisiana was as follows: Breckenridge and Lane, 22,681 ; Bell and Everett, 20,204; Douglas and Johnson, 7,625 ; Lincoln and Hamlin, - Bell and Everett were the candidates of the "Constitutional Union Party." the legatee of the Whigs and the Know Nothings. Soon after the result of the election became known, Gov. Moore called the legisla- ture to meet in extraordinary session on Dec. 10. In his message of that date he informed the assembly of the election of Lincoln and Hamlin "by a purely sectional vote, and in contempt of the earnest protest of the other section." He advised the legislature to issue a call for a state convention, to meet at once and deter- mine, "before the day arrives for the inauguration of the Black Re- publican President," upon the course that Louisiana was to pursue. "I do not think," he continued, it comports with the honor and self-respect of Louisiana, as a slaveholding state, to live under the government of a Black Republican President. I will not dispute the fact that Mr. Lincoln is elected according to the forms of the constitution, but the greatest outrages, both upon public and pri- vate rights, have been perpetrated under forms of law. This ques- tion rises high above ordinary political considerations. It involves our present honor and our future existence as a free and independ- ent people. It may be said that, when this Union was formed, it was intended to be perpetual. So it was, as far as such a term can be applied to anything human ; but it was also intended to be administered in the same spirit in which it was made, with a scrupu- lous regard to the equality of the sovereignties composing it. We certainly are not placed in the position of subjects of a European despotism, whose only door of escape from tyranny is the right of revolution. I maintain the right of cach state to secede from the Union, and, therefore, whatever course Louisiana may pursue now, if any attempt should be made by the Federal government to coerce a sovereign state, and compel her to submit to an authority which she has ceased to recognize, I should unhesitatingly recommend
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that Louisiana assist her sister states with the same alacrity and courage with which the colonies assisted each other in their strug- gle against the despotism of the Old World."
The legislature created a military board with power to organize, arm and equip volunteer companies, put the state in condition of defense, buy arms and munitions of war, and appropriated $500,000 to carry out the provisions of the act. The governor was author- ized to communicate with the governors of the Southern states with regard to the condition of the country. An election was ordered to be held on Jan. 7, 1861, for delegates to a state convention, which was to assemble at Baton Rouge on Jan. 23, and appropriated $25,000 for the expenses of such convention. (See Secession.)
On Jan. 23, 1861,-the same day the convention assembled-the general assembly met in regular session. In his message Gov. Moore stated as his opinion that the Southern states would not be allowed to separate themselves peaceably from the Union, and that an attempt would be made to coerce them into remaining mem- bers of the Federal compact. "I have therefore determined." he said, "that the State of Louisiana should not be left unprepared for *
the emergency. * * In accordance with an arrangement en- tered into with the commanding officer, in the presence of a force too large to be resisted. Baton Rouge barracks and arsenal, with all the Federal property therein, were turned over to me on the 11th and 12th instant, and on the 13th the Federal troops departed. About the same time state troops occupied Fort Pike on the Rigo- lets, and Forts Jackson and St. Philip on the Mississippi river ; and such other dispositions were made as seemed necessary for the public safety." The action of the executive in taking posses- sion of the United States property in Louisiana was subsequently approved by the legislature. and on the 31st the U. S. mint and custom house at New Orleans were quietly taken possession of by the state authorities. At that time there was in the mint the sum of $118.311, and in the sub-treasury $483.984. A few days later the Federal government presented a draft for $300,000, which the sub- treasurer declined to honor, because "the money in my custody is no longer the property of the United States, but of the Republic of Louisiana." The matter was finally adjusted by an ordinance of the convention authorizing the payment of drafts drawn prior to the passage of the ordinance of secession, the drafts drawn by dis- bursing officers, out of funds standing to their credit, not to ex- ceed $306,592, and the sum of $31.164, to the credit of the postoffice department was to remain subject to its draft.
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