USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 61
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engineering, civil engineering, sugar engineering, premedical, gen- eral science, commercial, philosophy and education, Latin-science, and literary. These courses are designed to be parallel and sub- stantially equivalent in training and instruction afforded. Besides the regular courses, the law department, recently created, offers a professional course of 2 years ; the school of agriculture, opened in the fall of 1907, offers a 2-years' course to students unprepared for the regular college course, and also a short course in agriculture of 10 weeks length, embracing subjects most directly bearing on practical farm work. Graduate courses of 1 and 2 years are also open to resident graduates of the university, or to graduates of any institution of equal rank.
The degree of Bachelor of Science (B. S.) is conferred upon any student who completes either the agricultural, the mechanical en- gineering, the civil engineering, the electrical engineering, the sugar engineering, the general science, or the premedical course; the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) is conferred upon any student who completes the Latin-science, the literary, the commercial, or the philosophy and education course; the degree of Bachelor of Laws (LL. B.) is conferred upon any student who completes the law course ; the degree of Master of Science (MI. S.) is conferred after 1 year of graduate study in the agricultural, general science, electrical engineering, or the sugar course ; the degree of Master of Arts (M. A.), after a similar term of study in the Latin-science, literary, commercial, or philosophy and education course ; and the degrees of Mechanical Engineer (M. E.) and Civil Engineer (C. E.), after 2 years of graduate study in the mechanical and civil engineer- ing courses, respectively.
A recent report of President Boyd thus describes the work of the 3 experiment stations: "The state station, Baton Rouge, car- ries on investigations along many lines of practical and scientific agriculture. The veterinary department was organized soon after the establishment of the experiment stations. The result of many years of observation and rescarch are available for use in teaching and correspondence. The head of the department devotes a por- tion of his time to teaching in the university, and the remainder to investigation, publishing reports of experiments, correspondence, and public lectures. The students have an opportunity to become acquainted with methods of investigation, and they take part in demonstration work, and work that is done gratuitously for the public, such as immunizing cattle from Texas fever, surgical oper- ations on animals, etc. During the past year an assistant in this department was added to the station staff. He will devote all his time to the investigation of animal diseases. The laboratory in which this work is carried on will be open at all times to the observation of interested students.
"The horticultural department was established when the experi- ment station was organized, and has carried on continuously ex- periments in testing varieties of fruits and vegetables, fertilizers as applied to fruits and vegetables, importation of new or rare
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plants, etc. In this way results have been secured for a long series of. years that afford reliable data for general deductions.
"The department of plant pathology was organized during the past year. The entire time of the head of the department is de- voted to the study of plant diseases, particularly the discases of cotton, cane and rice.
"The farm department has continued many of the lines of work previously inaugurated. The work of feeding for the production of beef and pork has been carried on on a larger scale than pre- viously, and the past year a silo was constructed and the ensilage of different crops successfully utilized in the feeding of beef cattle. The agricultural students make trips to the farm, which is a mile and a half from the university, for the purpose of studying methods of applying fertilizers, mixing fertilizers to prescribed formulae. results obtained in harvest, etc. They also have an opportunity to study the varieties of standard crops, methods of cultivation, har- vesting, etc. The station has most of the modern machinery used on a farm devoted to diversified farming ... ... .... The farm has good types of Angus and Hereford cattle, some of the leading breeds of hogs, and. in the future, will have additional animals for experiment and demonstration.
"The fertilizer and feed-stuff department is now located at Baton Rouge. This department is charged with the analysis of all the samples of fertilizers, Paris green, and feed stuffs secured by the inspectors of the Department of Agriculture. Six to seven inen are employed in this work.
"The sugar station, Audubon park, New Orleans, is devoted pri- marily to the problems of the production of cane and its manufac- ture into sugar. The investigations cover a large field of research, and are productive of much good. The 4th and 5th year sugar men spend the grinding season at this station. They assist in running the sugar-house, as well as in chemical control of all operations. The station devotes considerable attention to fruits and vegetables. This station has a great many visitors, and is constantly giving out helpful information on all kinds of agricultural subjects.
"The North Louisiana station, Calhoun, is devoted to problems of general interest that confront the hill farmer : dairying, poultry raising, etc. The station is investigating the growing of fruit and truck for market. The scientific men of all the stations aid in the farmers' institute work, and thus bring the results of their experi- ments before the people, many of whom do not carefully read the published results.
"The geological survey is conducted under the direction of the director of the experiment stations. The results of the survey have already been of much value in the development of our natural resources."
No feature of the university is perhaps of more practical value than the work of the Audubon sugar school. The work of this school was formerly carried on at the sugar experiment station. Audubon park. New Orleans, under the direction of Dr. William
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C. Stubbs, but was removed to Baton Rouge in 1897, where the work at the university has been considerably amplified. The school offers better training for experts in the growing and manufacture of sugar than can be found anywhere else in the world. Its grad- uates are prepared to assume the management of large factories, understand the planting and cultivation of the cane, how to har- vest it and extract its juices, and then to manufacture it by the most approved processes. Thorough instruction is offered along the lines of mechanics, chemistry, sugarmaking, drawing, and agri- culture. Upon the completion of the first 3 years of the sugar course, the sugar school has arranged a 2 years' advanced course in the above departments. Special courses are also offered to such students as are unable to complete the full course, in which they are instructed in the various branches of sugar growing and manufacture.
The student body is thoroughly representative of the whole state, and there are in addition many students from other states, as well as from foreign countries. The size and representative composition of this student body enhance the value of associations and friendships formed therein, and the institution justly prides itself on the admirable student esprit de corps which obtains. The university has accomplished much for the state in the past, and there is every reason to believe that it will accomplish much more in the years to come.
Stay, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Grant parish, is lo- cated about 3 miles south of Bentley, the nearest railroad town and 15 miles east of Colfax, the parish seat.
Steamboats .- It has been elsewhere shown under the titles "Early River Commerce" and "Rivermen." that prior to the intro- duction of steamboats on the western waters the chief means of transportation thereon consisted of keel-boats, barges and flatboats. Whether steam could be employed on western rivers was a mooted question. Its success between New York and Albany on the Hud- son river was only partially demonstrated. when the suggestion was made that a steamboat be built at Pittsburg, to conduct the trade between Natchez and New Orleans. After a thorough inves- tigation of the waters to be navigated. as an important prelim- inary to starting the work, and a highly favorable report having been rendered, Nicholas J. Roosevelt, of New York, was to super- intend the building of the boat and engine, while his partners in the undertaking, Robert R. Livingston and Robert Fulton, were to supply the necessary capital. In 1810 Roosevelt arrived in Pittsburg to undertake the construction of the first steamboat ever launched on western waters. The plan of the boat was furnished by Robert Fulton. It was to be 116 feet in length and 20 feet beam. The engine was to have a 34-inch cylinder, with boiler and other parts in proportion. Men were sent into the forest to ob- tain the boat's timbers.
The publication known as the Pittsburg "Navigator," of 1811, makes this unique comment on the intention and purpose of Fulton
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and Livingston: "There is now on foot a new method of navi- gating our western waters, particularly the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. This is with boats propelled by the power of steam. This plan has been carried into successful operation on the Hudson river at New York, and on the Delaware between New Castle and Burlington. It has been stated that the one on the Hudson goes at the rate of four miles an hour against wind and tide on her route between New York and Albany, and frequently with 500 passengers on board. From these successful experiments there can be but little doubt of the plan succeeding on our western waters, and proving of immense advantage to the commerce of our country. A Mr. Rosewalt, a gentleman of enterprise, and who is acting it is said in conjunction with Messrs. Fulton and Living- ston of New York, has a boat of this kind now on the stocks at Pittsburgh, of 138 feet keel, calculated for 300 or 400 tons burden. And there is one building at Frankfort, Ky., by citizens who will no doubt push the enterprise. It will be a novel sight, and as pleasing as novel, to see a huge boat working her way up the windings of the Ohio, without the appearance of sail, oar, pole, or any manual labor about her-moving within the secret of her own wonderful mechanism, and propelled by power undiscoverable."
This pioneer steamboat of the west was christened the New Orleans, and after making the descent of the Ohio and Mississippi as far as Natchez, she there landed in Dec., 1811, took on lading and passengers for the first time, and then continued her journey to New Orleans, arriving at the latter place Jan. 12, 1812. Com- manded by Capt. Baker she shortly after ascended the river to Natchez, and commenting on this first up-stream trip the Louisiana Advertiser was enabled to state that "she can stem the current at the rate of 3 miles an hour : she went from the city of Houma, 75 miles, in 23 hours." She continued to run as a packet between New Orleans and Natchez for more than a year, when she met with the misfortune of being wrecked upon a snag near Baton Rouge. The "Navigator" wrote of her, "her accommodations are good, and her passengers generally numerous; seldom less than 10 to 20 from Natchez, at 18 dollars a head, and when she starts from New Orleans, generally from 30 to 50, and sometimes as many as 80 passengers, at 25 dollars each to Natchez. The boat's receipts for freight upwards. has averaged the last year 700 dollars, pas- sage money $900-downwards $300 freight. $500 for passengers. She performs 13 trips in the year, which at $2.400 per trip, amounts to $31.200."
In the years that followed, steamboats on the Mississippi and Ohio rapidly multiplied. Sharf's History of St. Louis gives a long list of 60 pioncer steamboats, built for the trade on the western waters, prior to the year 1820. The great majority of these were built for the New Orleans and Louisville trade, but it is a note- worthy fact that they were built at widely distant points, ranging all the way from Pittsburg to New Orleans. Still another inter- esting fact is the large number of persons who were willing to
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embark their capital in the new enterprise, few names reappearing as owners in any two boats. Fulton and Livingston, who built the New Orleans, did not long continue in the business after the courts refused to confirm the monopoly they claimed, of the ex- clusive right to navigate the Mississippi for a term of 25 years.
The second steamboat built was the "Comet" of 25 tons, owned by Samuel Smith and constructed at Pittsburg by Daniel French. The little boat made a voyage to Louisville in 1813, and to New Orleans in 1814. She then made two trips to Natchez, when she was sold and her engine was put into a plantation where it was used to drive a cotton-gin. Her time, from New Orleans to Natchez, a distance of 285 miles, was 5 days and 10 hours, which was then considered a remarkable run. The third steamboat, built like the two earlier ones at Pittsburg, was the "Vesuvius," of 340 tons. She was built by Robert Fulton and owned by a company of men residing in New Orleans and New York. Under the command of Capt. John De Hart she first arrived at New Orleans on May 16, 1814, and was the first boat to attempt the ascent of the Mississippi above Natchez. She started from New Orleans for Louisville, June 1, 1814, and grounded on a bar 700 miles up the river, where she lay until December, when the river rose and floated her off. She then returned to New Orleans, arriv- ing in time to be pressed into service by Gen. Jackson, who was then repelling the British invasion. She afterwards ran as a packet between New Orleans and Natchez, then entered the Louisville trade, and was finally libeled by her commander and sold at public auction in 1819. The fourth steamboat was the "Enterprise," of 45 tons, built at Brownsville, Pa., by Daniel French, under a U. S. patent granted to him in 1809. She arrived at New Orleans Dec. 14, 1814, Capt. H. M. Shreve, and was employed by Gen. Jackson in the work of transporting troops and military stores for the defense of the city, being the first steamboat ever used on western waters to expedite military movements for the national defense. In May, 1817, she left New Orleans for Pittsburg, and arrived at Shippingport on the 30th, 25 days out. being the first steamboat that ever arrived at that port from New Orleans. As a result of this voyage New Orleans was now brought 2 months nearer Pitts- burg, and Capt. Shreve of the Enterprise was acknowledged the father of steam navigation on the Mississippi. The Enterprise also shortened the time from New Orleans to Natchez by almost a day, the "Comet's" time of 5 days and 10 hours being reduced to 4 days, 11 hours and 20 minutes. The fifth steamboat was the "Aetna," 340 tons, built at Pittsburg and owned by the same com- pany as the "Vesuvius." She made Her first voyage to New Or- leans in 1815, arriving at that port April 25, under command of Capt. R. De Hart, and then also entered the Natchez trade. She later made 6 trips to Louisville commanded by the same officer. The sixth steamboat was the "Zebulon M. Pike." built by Mr. Prentice, of Henderson, Ky., in 1815. She first arrived at New Orleans Oct. 2, 1816, Capt. Benj. Borth, and deserves especial
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mention as the first boat which ascended the Mississippi above the mouth of the Ohio, and the first to touch at St. Louis. The seventh boat was the "Dispatch," 25 tons, built at Brownsville, Pa., by the owners of the "Enterprise." The eighth boat was the "Buffalo," 300 tons, built at Pittsburg by Benjamin H. Latrobe, Sr., the distinguished architect of the national capitol at Washing- ton, D. C. The "Washington," 400 tons, a two-decker built at Wheeling, made the round trip from Louisville to New Orleans twice in 1816-17, and first convinced the still skeptical public that steamboat navigation would succeed on western waters. She was commanded by Capt. Henry M. Shreve and first arrived at New Orleans Oct. 7, 1816. The time consumed during her second round trip between Louisville and New Orleans was only 45 days, which opened a new era to western commerce. The following is a list of other pioneer steamboats which arrived at the port of New Orleans prior to July, 1818: "Franklin," Capt. E. Young; "Con- stitution," Capt. R. P. Guiard ; "Harriett," Capt. I. Armitage ; "Ken- tucky," Capt. B. Bosworth ; "James Monroe," Capt. J. A. Palfrey; "George Madison," Capt. J. A. Holton ; "Vesta," Capt. J. Shackle- ford; "Gov. Shelby," Capt. John T. Gray; "Gen. Jackson," Capt. D. Whiting; "Cincinnati," Capt. C. Paxon ; "Ohio," Capt. H. M. Shreve ; "Napoleon," Capt. J. Gregg ; "Eagle," Capt. N. Berthoud.
Prior to 1818 the steamboats were chiefly designed for the recep- tion of freight, and possessed few conveniences for passengers. These first boats were built after the models of ships, with deep holds; had low pressure engines and heavy machinery, were use- less in low water, and very hard to propel against the current. "In order to attain greater speed, the builders soon made the boats long and narrow, but it was not until they came to the decision that boats would run faster on the water than in it and began making them flat and broad, that they finally got a boat capable of carrying 1,000 tons, when drawing only 4 feet, and when empty 21/2 feet. Then with a high pressure engine at each wheel they. could make unprecedented speed. Although the price of passage did not exceed hotel rates, more bountifully filled tables were not to be found on land and the boats were marvels of splendor in their appointments. The chief improvement made in the river steam- boats was in placing one large wheel at the stern of the boat en- tirely behind the hulk and with long paddles the full length of the beam, operated by donble engines and quartering cranks." (His- toric Highways, Hulbert.) The "General Pike," built at Cincin- nati in 1818, was the first steamboat on western waters built for the exclusive convenience of passengers. Her accommodations were ample, her apartments spacious and convenient. She measured 100 feet keel, 25 feet beam, and drew only 39 inches of water. Her cabin was 40 feet in length and 25 feet wide. At one end were 6 staterooms, at the other 8. Between the 2 staterooms was a saloon 40 by 18 feet, large enough for 100 passengers.
Before the year 1830 the Ohio and Mississippi rivers became lit- erally covered with steamboat fleets and they soon became a com-
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mon sight on every deep tributary of these streams. . In 1834 the number of steamboats on western waters was 230, and in 1844, 450. . Their average burden was 200 tons cach, making an aggre- gate of 90,000 tons, which at $80 per ton was $7,200,000. By the official returns of 1842 it appears that the whole steamboat tonnage of the United States was 218,994 tons, divided as follows: South- west, 126,278; Northwest, 17,652; Seaboard, 76,064. From which it appears that two-thirds belonged to the West, and more than one-half to the Southwest. The steamboat tonnage of the Missis- sippi valley (1842) exceeded by 40,000 tons the entire steamboat tonnage of Great Britain (1834). During the decade 1840-50 the river steamers began to assume the colossal proportions and per- fection of equipment which entitled them to the designation of floating palaces. Many of the finest and largest boats of this ante- bellum period were built at St. Louis, and to illustrate their great carrying capacity, in Jan., 1846, the magnificent steamboat "Maria," from St. Louis, arrived at New Orleans with a record cargo of 4,058 bales of cotton. Even today, when the relative importance and glory of the river traffic has waned, the steamboats of the Mississippi retain many of their distinctive points of excellence. A trip upon the small ones is still a delight, while the fortunate occupant of a state-room on one of the great floating palaces ply- ing between New Orleans and St. Louis or Cincinnati is furnished with every convenience and luxury of a first class hotel; especially have the stewards on these boats maintained their world-wide repu- tation for providing an unexcelled table d'hote. The dust, noise and cramped conditions incident to railroad travel are entirely absent. and in the handsomely appointed saloons extending the entire length of these vessels, every opportunity is afforded for recreation and enjoyment. From the decks may be viewed the ever changing and beautiful panorama of the river scenery, while the numerous stops at the various towns and landings lend interest and variety to the voyage. To one descending the lower Mississippi by steamboat for the first time, the picturesque character of the region is a constant revelation. The population on both sides is so dense as to form almost a continuous town, and stretching back into the interior, one can view the highly cultivated, rich alluvial lands, one long procession of fertile plantations, growing sugar- cane, rice, corn and tobacco. From the occasional bluffs thriving cities look down upon you, while scores of little cities are safely ensconced beneath you, protected by the great levee embankments. and so far below the decks of the stcamer as to afford an intimate view of the life going on within them.
Ascending the river to New Orleans by way of the Gulf. the scenery is less picturesque, but is sufficiently varied and attractive. Passing through the Jetties, "the greatest engineering enterprise of the age, and by Port Eads, built in the midst of a wild country. neither land nor water, but a mixture of both." one passes for 20 miles between shores which are little more than narrow strips of mud, separating the river from the waters of the gulf. "As you
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ascend higher you pass the quarantine station, and Forts St. Philip and Jackson, which protected New Orleans against the Federal fleet for several months, but were finally passed by Farragut, and the city captured. Above this is Buras settlement, with its acres of orange groves, the finest and handsomest in the state, worth from $500 to $1,000 an acre. Then comes the rice country, around Point à la Hache, with hundreds of small farms, managed by creole farmers; the grandest sugar plantations in the state, which make Plaquemine parish the sugar bowl of Louisiana. In the distance is the Crescent City, never looking more beautiful than when thus seen from the river, its long front of 12 miles, full of steamers and ships, and barks of every nation. As the highest part of the city is that directly on the river, and it falls as you go towards the lake, you can look down from your vessel upon the streets and avennes. A river parade shows you the entire city, for New Orleans clings to the Mississippi, and is a narrow fringe along that river, seldom running back over one or two miles. You pass the battle ground of New Orleans, the Jackson monument, the Chalmette national cemeteries, the slaughter-house, U. S. bar- racks, Jackson Square, the cathedral, Canal street, all the railroad depots of the city, for all the lines have their freight directly on the river front, in elose propinquity to the wharves, the elevator, the upper eity, or Exposition park, and finally Carrollton; while on the western bank of the river will be seen Algiers, Freetown, Gouldsboro, Gretna, and other suburban villages, with their doek- yards, railroad repair shops, foundries, and mills."
To illustrate the rapid improvement in speed gained by steam- boats as time rolled on, it may be observed, that whereas it took the "Comet" 5 days and 10 hours in 1814 to make the run from New Orleans to Natchez, in 1844 days were no longer needed in computing the time, the "Sultana" having made the run in 19 hours and 45 minutes. This time was beaten by the new "Natchez" in 1853, and the "Princess" in 1856, both of which consumed only 17 hours and 30 minutes. It was not until 1870 that this time was again shortened, when the "Natchez" and "Robert E. Lee," during their celebrated raee from New Orleans to St. Louis, made a new record of 16 hours, 36 minutes, and 47 seconds. To test her capac- ity for speed, the "Duke of Orleans" in 1843 made the record time of 5 days and 18 hours from New Orleans to Cincinnati; the "Charles Morgan." in June, 1877, made the run to Cincinnati in 6 days and 11 hours, including time consumed in making 42 land- ings, and a delay of 31/2 hours at the Louisville canal : the "Thomp- son Dean" made the run in April of the same year in 6 days and 19 hours, after a loss of 14 hours in the canal and 17 hours at way landings; in 1881 the "R. R. Springer" came through from New Orleans in 5 days, 12 hours and 45 minutes' running time. while in March, 1881. the "Will S. Hays" made the run in 6 days. 17 hours and 10 minutes, though she made 51 landings to discharge freight, and was otherwise delayed. In 1817 it took the "Enter- prise" 25 days, 2 hours and 4 minutes to make the run from New
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