USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 40
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 | Part 80 | Part 81
The first Protestant church to gain a foothold in the Crescent City was the Episcopalian, or English Protestant Episcopal church. Early in the year 1805, several Protestants met at the house of Mrs. Fourage and took steps to form a church. Other meetings followed, and on June 16, 1805, a vote was taken to decide what kind of a clergyman they should employ as pastor. The vote stood 45 for
.
331
LOUISIANA
an Episcopal minister, 7 for a Presbyterian, and 1 for a Methodist. Bishop Moore sent the Rev. Philander Chase to take charge of the church. Two wardens and 13 vestrymen were elected on Nov. 16. 1805, at which time the pastor's salary was fixed at $2,000 a year. This was the beginning of Christ church. During its early career it encountered many difficulties. Mr. Chase left after six years of faithful service, and the congregation, being without a pastor, grew listless and despondent. In 1814 Rev. Mr. Hull came, the congre- gation revived, and the work of raising funds for the erection of a house of worship was commenced. The building erected at this time was sold some years later and a new one was built at the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets. The growing business inter- ests of the city soon encroached upon the church at this place, and the congregation removed to the corner of Canal and Dauphine streets. The church is now located on the corner of Sixth street and St. Charles avenue and is known as the cathedral of the bishop. The second Episcopal church in Louisiana was at St. Francisville, where Grace church was incorporated in 1827, and the third was at Baton Rouge, though the latter was short-lived. On Jan. 18, 1830, a convention was held in Christ church, New Orleans, to consider the advisability of establishing a diocese in Louisiana, though at that time there were in the state but two parishes- New Orleans and St. Francisville. The diocese was not completely organized until Sept. 15, 1838, when the house of bishops elected Rev. Leonidas Polk bishop of Arkansas, and directed him to exer- cise his episcopal functions in Louisiana. The first convention of the diocese met in Christ church on Jan. 16, 1839. Regular con- ventions were held until 1861, when the Episcopal churches of the South "seceded," and from that time until 1866 Louisiana was an independent diocese, affiliated with none. Holy Trinity church, New Orleans, was organized in 1847 and has sometimes been called the "Mother of Bishops," because so many of its ministers have been elevated to the bishopric. Bishop Polk was rector of this church from 1855 until he entered the Confederate army at the breaking out of the war. After the war the relationship between the Louisiana diocese and the church was resumed, and since that time the church has had a steady, healthy growth. In 1906 there were in the city of New Orleans 14 churches of the Episcopal faith, and throughout the state the denomination is well - repre- sented.
The first attempt to establish the Presbyterian church in Lou- isiana was in 1817, when the Connecticut Missionary society sent the Rev. Elias Cornelius on a missionary tour through the south- west, with especial instructions to visit New Orleans. On Dec. 30, 1817, he arrived in the city, where on Jan. 22, 1818, he was joined by Rev. Sylvester Larned, and their labors paved the way for the es- tablishment of the "First Presbyterian church," the corner-stone of which was laid on Jan. 8. 1819. The building was located on St. Charles street, between Gravier and Union, where the city had generously donated two lots for a site: The edifice was dedicated
332
LOUISIANA
on July 4, 1819, and was used as a place of worship until in 1851. when it was burned, the fire being communicated to it by flying embers, from the burning St. Charles hotel. In 1840 the congre- gation in New Orleans sent the Rev. Jerome Twitchell as a mis- sionary to the district of Lafayette. The result of his labors there was the organization on Sept. 21, 1843, of the Lafayette Presby- terian church, of which he was the first pastor. This was the sec- ond Presbyterian church in the state.
A few years after the war Louisiana was divided into three presbyterics-New Orleans, Louisiana and the Red River. The first embraced all the southeastern part of the state; the second the southwestern part, and the third the northern and northwestern por- tions. In 1873 the First Presbyterian church of New Orleans cele- brated its semicentennial. It then had a membership of 648, an increase of 212 since the close of the war.
In 1906 there were 16 Presbyterian congregations in the city of New Orleans, 1 of which was for colored people, 2 German, 1 French, 1 Italian, and a Chinese mission, and according to the reports from the presbyteries the denomination is represented in all the principal towns of the state.
The above is a brief historical sketch of the four leading Protest- ant denominations in Louisiana. There are a number of others, such as the Lutheran, Evangelical, Congregational, Cumberland Presbyterian, Christian (also called Disciples or Campbellites), Unitarians, etc., most of which have sprung up since the war. The records of these denominations are seldom published and circu- lated, hence it is almost impossible to secure authentic information concerning their development. The Congregational Year Book for 1907 reports 28 churches in Louisiana, with a membership of 1,557 ; 14 schools with an attendance of 411 pupils, and property valued at $76,325. Three of the 28 Congregational churches are in New Orleans, in which city there are 12 Lutheran, 4 Evangelical, 2 Christian, 1 Unitarian, 1 Greek, 1 Spiritualist, and 3 Christian Scientist churches, and a majority of these minor denominations are represented in the larger towns and cities of the state.
Upon the whole the Protestant religions have no cause to feel ashamed of the work they have accomplished in Louisiana, and, although more than half the people are Catholics, the state is to be congratulated on the fact that members of all religious organiza- tions work together in harmony for civic reforms, the cause of education, and the general advancement of public morality.
Provencal, an incorporated village in the western part of Natchi- toches parish, is a station on the Texas & Pacific R. R., 10 miles southwest of Natchitoches, the parish seat. It is a comparatively new town which has grown up since the railroad was built. The principal industries are saw and planing mills, as the town is located in the long leaf pine region, and many thonsand feet of lumber are shipped annually. Provencal has a money order post- office, express and telegraph facilities, several stores, and in 1900 had a population of 246.
Public Schools .- (See School System, Public.)
1
333
LOUISIANA
Puckett, a post-station in the central part of East Baton Rouge parish, is about + miles southwest of Deerford. the nearest railroad station, and 10 miles northeast of Baton Rouge. the parish seat.
Pujo, Arsene P., lawyer and member of Congress, was born near Lake Charles. Calcasieu parish, La., Dec. 16, 1861, a son of Paul and Eloise M. (LeBleu) Pujo. Ile received his education in the public and private schools of Lake Charles, studied law and was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Louisiana on Oct. 23. 1886. He began practice in Lake Charles and took an active part in the political life of the city and parish. In 1898 he was elected a member of the Louisiana constitutional convention and was a member of the judiciary committee. In 1902 he was elected to Congress from the 7th district of Louisiana as a Democrat and has been reelected in each succeeding campaign to 1908.
'Pure Food Laws .- Louisiana was one of the first states to take action in regard to the adulteration of food stuffs and drugs, manti- factured, sold or offered for sale within the state. The Louisiana legislature enacted laws to prevent adulteration several years before the crusade for pure food became general. In 1882 an act was passed providing that all articles manufactured for sale in the state, "drugs, groceries or other articles of food or drinks," must have the wholesale or retail package stamped, showing the true quality of the article. If dealers violated this law, they were subject to a fine of from $25 to $50. The law also provided that if the article was properly stamped but of inferior quality, the dealer who sold it was subject to a fine of not to exceed $100. The state board of health was to make investigations of the food stuffs offered for sale, publish a list of the articles injurious to health, and warn people against their consumption. Persons desiring to have food stuffs analyzed could take them to the board of health, but would have to pay for the analysis. All manufacturers were expected to send samples of the goods they produced to the state board of health for analysis, and the sale of oleomargarine as butter was prohibited within the bounds of the state. Penalty for the abuse of this law lay at the discretion of the court. Supplementary acts with regard to adulterations have been passed from time to time, until today Louisiana has as good pure food laws as any state in the Union.
Q
Quadrate, a money order postoffice, in the northern part of Rapides parish, is 4 miles southwest of Boyce, the nearest railroad station, and 15 miles northwest of Alexandria, the parish seat and banking town. The population was 63 in 1900.
Quarantine is a money order post-station in the southern part of Plaquemines parish, is at the head of the passes of the Missis-
334
LOUISIANA
sippi river, about 2 miles north of Pilot Town. It is the quarantine station, where all incoming vessels are inspected before going up the river to New Orleans, has a quarantine station house, several dwellings, a telegraph station, etc. Buras is the nearest railroad station.
Quarantines .- Owing to the prevalent belief that the epidemics of yellow fever, with which New Orleans had been frequently vis- ited prior to the year 1821, had been caused by the importation of the disease from the tropics, the state legislature of that year pro- vided for a quarantine station at English Turn, a point about 18 miles below the city on the Mississippi river. The same legislative enactment provided for the detention of infected vessels at the sta- tion, and also for the establishment of a board of health, which was to have strict surveillance of all matters pertaining to the quarantine. The year 1821 was marked by a noticeable diminution of the epidemic so that the advocates of the importation theory pointed with pride to this fact as a result of the measures of protec- tion which had been adopted, but as the three succeeding years wit- nessed frequent visitations from this unwelcome guest. the legis- lature early in 1825 repealed the law of 1821, and ordered the quar- antine ground for buildings sold.
On Mar. 15, 1855, the legislature provided for the establishment of three stations-one to be situated on the Mississippi river not more than 75 miles below the city, another on the Rigolets, and the third to be established on the Atchafalaya river at a point 2 miles below Pilot's station, on Max bayou. An appropriation of $50,000 was made for the establishment of these stations. The same act also created a state board of health which was to have absolute supervision of such stations, and a resident physician was thereby placed in charge of each. The administration of quarantine con- sisted in the detention of infected vessels at the stations for periods of at least 10 days, the removal of the sick to hospitals, and the cleansing and fumigating of the vessels. In opposition to public opinion caused largely by the epidemic of 1858 which cost over 4.800 lives, the board of health continued its regulations, and the year 1859 witnessed a distinct diminution in the number of deaths from this terrible scourge. On March 3. 1857, Congress appropri- ated $50.000 for the erection of suitable buildings at the stations. upon the condition that the state would cede the necessary ground to the United States. In February of the succeeding year the legislature made the requested cessions and exempted the grants from taxation. On March 18, 1857. an act providing for the more complete management of the stations was passed by the legislature. and among other things it provided that fees were to be charged for the health certificates issued to ship masters by the resident physicians. During the Civil war the Federal blockade proved an effectual barrier to yellow fever, and for a number of years after- wards but little attention was given to quarantine matters. In 1885, in order to make disinfection more certain, a large vat was con- structed on the wharf at the quarantine station, into which was
335
LOUISIANA
placed many gallons of mercuric chloride. All clothing and bed- ding, the fine apparel of first class passengers, the foul and greasy clothes of firemen and engineers, mattresses, etc., were all immersed in this solution, with the result that all came out bedraggled and - ruined. At first the articles thus treated were returned to their respective owners in a moist, and often in a wet condition. To remedy this evil drying racks and pipes were erected. The great value of heat recommending itself as a superior substitute for mer- curic chloride the drying room was in 1886 converted into a heat- ing chamber. Mercuric chloride was, and has been retained as a part of the process of disinfection of the interior of vessels, ballast, etc., and for such goods as will not bear heat without destruction. The insufficient method of fumigating vessels by the means of generating sulphur fumes at first employed was in 1885 replaced by a fan and tube system, by which every nook and corner of the vessels were reached, and the often contaminated and infected at- mosphere in the holds was displaced by fresh air charged with a germicidal agent. An act of the legislature of 1884 established another station on the Southeast pass, at the mouth of the Missis- sippi. It also authorized the governor to attempt to secure a lease of U. S. government land if in the opinion of the members of the board of health it should be deemed expedient to place the pro- posed station thereon. If in the opinion of the board it should be advisable to locate the station on state land such premises were thereby appropriated by this act. The new station was finally located on state land and an enactment of the legislature author- ized that the station on the Mississippi be moved further down the river, as it was believed that such a change would greatly alleviate the danger of communicating the disease from an infected vessel to the adjoining shores. The provisions of the act were carried out under the supervision of the board of health, the station located about 25 miles further down the river than was the former one. This act also provided that all fees collected from ship masters should be set aside as a specific fund, which should be known as a "quarantine trust fund." and which should be devoted exclusively
· to the maintenance of the various stations. In 1907 Gov. Blanchard sold the quarantine stations to the U. S. government. In his official message to the state legislature on May 12, 1908, he says: "Under authority vested in me by law I negotiated the sale of the state's maritime stations to the Federal government for the price of $100,- 000. The only one of these stations that amounted to anything was that at or near the mouth of the Mississippi river. The gov- ernment of the United States obligated itself to maintain at these stations a scientific quarantine service at its own expense and with- out any charges whatever to shipping seeking ports of the state. This sale was effected a year ago at which time I turned the sta- tions over to the officials of the Federal government, and ever since they have conducted most successfully maritine quarantine in the waters of the state. The price of the sale, $100,000, has not yet been paid owing to troubles affecting the title to some of the lands
336
LOUISIANA
constituting the station property near the mouth of the Mississippi river. I have had correspondence about the title with the Federal authorities and the attorney-general of the state. I have also put upon the work of straightening out the titles the chief clerk of the state land office. As soon as these troubles are eliminated the pur- chase price of the stations will be paid by the Federal government, the money for such purpose being already in the hands of the secretary of the treasury at Washington."
Quebec, a village in the central part of Madison parish, is situ- ated on the Tensas river and the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific R. R., about 6 miles west of Tallulah, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, express and telegraph offices, and is the trading center for a considerable district.
Quimby, a post-hamlet of Tensas parish, is situated near the northern boundary on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern R. R., about 20 miles north of St. Joseph, the parish seat. It has telegraph and express offices, and some retail trade.
Quitman, a little post-village in the western part of Jackson par- ish, is a station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., about 8 miles southwest of Vernon, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express offices, and is a trading center for the neighborhood.
R
Raccourci, a post-town of Pointe Coupée parish, is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi river, 3 miles northeast of Lacour, the nearest railroad station and about 10 miles northwest of New Roads, the parish seat. It is a landing on the river and the export depot for a large cotton district, hundreds of bales of cotton being shipped by. steamboat to New Orleans annually. It is an old town, has schools, churches and stores, and is a trading center for this part of the parish. The population in 1900 was 100.
Raceland, one of the largest towns of Lafourche parish, is on the Bayou Lafourche and the Southern Pacific R. R., about 16 miles southeast of Thibodaux, the parish seat. It has a bank, a money order postoffice. telegraph and express offices, telephone facilities, churches, schools, mercantile establishments and sugar industries, and is the center of trade and shipping for a rich sugar district. The Lafourche is navigable beyond this point for many months of the year, and during that time, steamboats run to New Orleans, by way of Lockport and the canal. The population of Raceland in 1900 was 500.
Railroads .- On Jan. 20, 1830, the Louisiana legislature granted a charter to the Pontchartrain railroad company, which was organ- ized for the purpose of connecting the city of New Orleans with Lake Pontchartrain. The incorporators named in the act were Martin Duralde, Maurice W. Hoffman, Edmund Forstall, M. S.
.
337
LOUISIANA
Cucullu, Charles Watts, S. J. Peters, James Hewlett, Thomas J. McCaleb, Carlisle Pollock, Joseph Le Carpentier, John L. Lewis, l'eter Ogier, Henry Ende. "and such other persons as may here- after be associated with them." The capital stock was fixed at $1,500,000 which might be increased by the president and board of directors, whenever they deemed it necessary, by the issue of additional shares. . The company was authorized to construct a harbor, piers, etc., in Lake Pontchartrain, and was given the ex- clusive privilege of using and conducting the road from New Or- leans to the lake for a period of 25 years. This road, less than 5 miles in length, was opened in April, 1831, and during the next few years charters were granted to a number of companies to construct railroads in various parts of the state.
The principal railroad companies incorporated between 1830 and 1840 were as follows: The West Feliciana, March 25, 1831, with a capital of $150,000, to construct a road "from the Mississippi river at or near St. Francisville to the boundary line between Louisiana and Mississippi, on the most practicable route to Woodville, Miss." The New Orleans & Carrollton, Feb. 9, 1833, with a capital not to exceed $300.000, and the charter privileges were limited to 50 years. The Clinton & Port Hudson, Feb. 9, 1833, with a capital of $100,000. though the president and directors were given power to increase the stock by the issue of 1.000 additional shares of $100 each. The St. Bernard railroad company, chartered March 10, 1834, with a capital stock of $50.000, was authorized to build a line "from the Mississippi river to some suitable point on the bayou Terre aux Boeufs in the parish of St. Bernard." The New Orleans & Nash- ville, Jan. 30, 1835, to build a road "from the city of New Orleans to any suitable point on the boundary line between the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, to the end that the same may be con- tinued in the direction of the city of Nashville, Tenn., whenever the assent of the state of Mississippi, or other states through which the road must pass, shall have been obtained." The total capital stock of this company was fixed at $6,000.000, to be forever exempt from taxation, other property to be exempt for 20 years. On March 10, 1835, a charter was granted to the Atchafalava railroad and banking company, with a capital stock of $2,000,000, divided into shares of $100 each, for the purpose of building a railroad "from a point on the Mississippi river in the parish of Pointe Coupée to a point at or near the courthouse in the parish of St. Landry," the corporate privileges to extend to Dec. 31, 1885, the road to be com- menced within 2 years and completed within 7 years, or the charter was to be forfeited. This company was also given power to estab- lish and conduct branch roads, and was required to establish branch banks at New Orleans and Monroe within one year from the time it began operations. The Red River railroad company was char- tered on April 2. 1835, with a capital of $300.000, "to construct a railroad from the courthouse square in Alexandria, to and by Cheneyville, thence to Bayou Huffpower and as much farther as the company deems advisable, provided it does not interfere with
338
LOUISIANA
the Atchafalaya railroad and banking company." Exclusive privi- lege was granted for a term of 50 years, at the end of which time the property of the company was to be turned over to the state. On the same date the Plaquemine railroad company was incor- porated with a capital of $20,000, "to lay out and construct a rail- road in the plantations within the parish of Plaquemines. The Springfield & Liberty, incorporated on March 2, 1836, with a capital of $150,000, which might be increased to $300,000, was authorized and given the exclusive privilege to build a road between Spring- field, La., and Liberty, Miss., or to the Mississippi line if the legis- lature of that state refused the company the right to run the line to Liberty, the charter to become forfeit if the road was not com- menced within 3 years. On March 7. 1836, a charter was granted to the Livingston railroad company to build a line from Alman's bluff on the Amite to the headwaters of Bayou Colyell. In con- sideration of exclusive privileges the company was to commence the line within 3 years or the charter was to be null and void. Two days later the Lake Providence & Red River company received a charter from the legislature to "run a railroad from at or near the town of Providence, on the bank of the Mississippi, in the parish of Carroll, to a point on the Red river between the Great Raft and Natchitoches." The authorized capital of the company was $2,000,000. The Baton Rouge & Clinton company was incorporated on March 11, 1836, with a capital of $600,000, and was granted "all the powers and rights necessary to construct and keep in repair a railroad from Baton Rouge to Clinton." The following day the Iberville railroad company received a charter "to run a railroad from the village of Plaquemine to the head of safe steamboat navi- gation on the Bayou Plaquemine," the capital of the company being fixed at $150,000, with the privilege of increasing it "not to exceed 500 shares of $100 each at any one time." The Madisonville & Covington company was incorporated on Feb. 25, 1837, with a capital of $150,000, divided into $50 shares. Its road was to com- mence "at some point, at or near the mouth of the Tchefuncte river, on the western side of said river, and from thence proceed on the best practical route through or near Madisonville and Jef- fersonville to Covington."
Few of these early railroads were built in accordance with the terms stipulated in the acts of incorporation, the charters being obtained in many instances as a basis for speculation. A mere glance at the early lists of incorporators of Louisiana railroads dis- closes the fact that a few men were apparently engaged in the business of promoting these schemes, as their names appear as directors or stockholders in several different companies. With a laudable desire to give to the people of the state the advantages of railroad transportation, the legislature sometimes unwisely author- ized the state to aid in the construction of roads, either by the , purchase of stock or by issuing or indorsing bonds. A notable instance of this character was in the case of the Clinton & Port Hudson road, which was chartered on Feb. 9, 1833, as above stated.
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.