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Abbuille Werisio al. PliI'LISIFE ) I VEIRY SATURDAY. W. P. EDWARDS,. .......... ........ Editor, 0. H. LABIT, ................... Publisher. SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1893 As Others See You. Mrs May Mount, who visited here a few weeks since gives her impres sions of our town and its citizens in the following article which appeared in the March issue of 'Current Top ics," and we reproduce that all may enjoy the good things it contains: "Filled was the air with a drearyT and magical light; and the landscape Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood. Peace seemed to reign upon earth, all sounms were in harmony blended; And the great sun Looked With eyes of love through the golden vapors around him; While arrayed in its robesof young green and scarlet and yellow, Bright with the sheen of the dew. each glittering tree of the forest Flashed like the plane tree the Persians adorned with mantles and jewels." One would say that America's great poet bhd visited Abbeville in the spring when he wrote these lines aboet the country in which Abbe ville rests like some fair queen a waitsng her diadem. Vermilion parish has lain like some rich but lonely meadow land for years, putting forth efforts, that have at last been crowned with sue cess, to secure a railroad through the town. The railroad has been built, and now the world says that Abbeville is "on a boom," because all its wealth of land, of culturt, of genius and of energy aire brought within feeling distance by the steel rails that from a swift link of con nection between it and the outside world. Situated on one of the most beautiful streams of which Louisiana can boast, and having water trans portatiohi to the gulf and to the Mississippi river, Abbeville has a location that many towns might on 'vy and but few possess. Vermilon Baron is a wider and clearer stream than the Teche, and appears to be deeper. It winds in and out boe tseen sloping banks covered with tall trees and bright and sweet flow ers. It is navigable for over seventy mites all the year, and it would be d:flcult to find a prettier sight than that of a steam boat rounding a bend in Vermilion Bayou. A hand menm bridge spans the bayou at Ab beville, and the t6wn stretches friendly hands across the bright wa teres to greet the newer residenees that crown the hillsides on the other side. One can scarcely call the country hilly. It is rolling-rolling on to progress and a foremost rank in the State. So beautifully cnltiva ted is the land that you are on top ef a hill without seeing how you got there, for there is no perceptible rise and fall 'n the roads, which are the best that this writer ever seen in Louisiana. The highways of the paiish are as hard and firm and .amooth as asphalt, and the hoofs of the horses ring on the level way as they would on a well paved city street. The people of abbeville feel a just pride in their roads. To begrin at the begining, however Mr. A. C. Pickett, who is a fore most wtrker in the Abbeville rail road, and who feels a deep interest in the beautiful country throughi which his line passes, handed out a ticket to that town, and I was soon speeding away from New Iberia over a magnificent farming country, which at last became outlined by miles upon miles of Cherokee- rose bedges just bursting into blossom. Branching out hrom this railroad Is the "Salt Mine road," which runs to the wonderful Louisiana salt mines -on Avery's Island. It is but a short ride from either Abbeville or New uIteria, lying midway between the two. The coun,ry along here is swept by sea breezes; the distance from the gulf varying from nin6 to thirty miles, being nearest to the gulf at Jeanerette. Avery's Week's and Jefferson's Islands are all con afected with the gulf by salt water. I On the way to Abbeville one gets a glimpse of the salt mine hills and of Joe Jefferson, the great ac-or, at whose house on the island President Cleveland stops when he wants good hunting and pleasant compan ionship. ? The pepulation of Vermilion par ish is 14,800 and its cultivated lands are valued at $19,55B.980. There are twenty-nine schools in the par ish and one traded school. A high chrool is about to be opened thoe e, Besides the other schools in Abbev-t tile, there is a boys public school and one for girls, also a Catholic, cq:vent. The school fond now in the treasury is $5883. The reason that the pari-h is in so flourishing a cendition is because the taxes arei promptly paid and well collected. One of the most prominent firms in the town is the real estate compa ny of White, Broussard & Greene. "They have on their list over thirty fine planlations for sale, including about 10,000 acres of improved prop erty. orange groves, rice, sugar and cotton plantations, cypress and pine timber, and rich open prairie land. A number of improved town lots, as well as lots open for building par poses, are in their hands for sale up on the most reasonable terms. Dr. W. D. White, the senior memw her of the firm, has lived in Abbe ville since 1860, and from that time until within a year past he sold near ly all the plantation that changed hands thereabout charging nothing at all for his services. Dr. White is a very fine looking man and a most delightful conversationalist. Well versed on all subjects of interest and a perfect epitome of useful and a musing information, a visit to the town would be incomplete without forming his acquaintance. The doe tor has been mayor of the town, of which he is now an aldermen, and has occupied the office of coroner for fifteen years. The second member of this big firm is Mr: L. Odilon Broussard, a young moan of brilliant attainments. He was elected to the office of depu tv sheriff at the age of 19 years. He is superintendent of education, notary public, owns a drug store and is secretary of the Abbeville Building and Loan Association. The third member of the firm is Bon. J. Nelson Grrene, a very young man, whose career is a le markable succession of successes He holds a very high place in the public esteem of his townspeople, and in Apr;l, 1892, was elected jus tice of the peace. He is 22 years of age, and is a native of Abbeville. He is Secretary and treasurer of the branch office of the New Orleans New bouth Building and Loan Asso eiation, and is in the law office of Mr. Walter A. White. The father of this talented young lawyer came from Iltinois.jn 1868. The real estate changes in Vermil ion are most interesting, Five years ago Mr. Lastie Brousesard, who has been clerk of the court for twenty six years, bought some land twenty miles west, on the .opposite side of Vermilion bayou, for whteh he paid $450, selling it last year for $5760 with no improvements upon it. Three years ago he bought 6000 acres at three dollars an acre, and disposed of nearly all of it at from $8 to $10 an acre. The price on the remainder has gone up to $12. Five ye: rs ago Mr. Odilon Brous. sard refused 2000 acres of land at two dollars an acre, which was sold the other day for $10 dollars an acre. The country is rolling and its rece ords show that it has "the best roads and bridges of any parish in the State." The parish was former. ly entirely devoted to the raising of stock in immense quantities' and it is only in recent years that much at tention has been given to farming. This year the assessment of the par ish will be raised two and * half millions of dollars. One of the main business houses in the town is that of Hob. O. Bour. que, a former mayor and now a mem her of the town council and treasur er of the Building and Loan Asso ciation. This gentlemen has been fifteen years in business, and is a na tive of Vermilion, in which parish he has a fine and well stocked farm. Mr. Bourque owns a good deal of real estate and both improved and unimproved town lots. His big general merchandise house carries a stock of hardware, farm implements, crockery, grocers ies, shoes, dry goods, millinery and farm produce and garden seeds. He is an enterprising man, and as Abbeville is fortunate in possessing many such, it is on a very swift road to a grand success. Mr. A. J. Godard's drug store and bank are situated near the ele gant court house, facing a town square. He has lived ten years in the parish of Vermilion, and is a na. tive of the town of Lafayette. Mr. Goddard does a large banking bus iness, and at present he is the only bank in the town. He has owned a drug store for two years, but finds dealing in real estate more profita ble, as the delightful climate of Ab brville, with its cool sea breezes, drives all sickness far from the par ish Mr. Goddard stands foremost with the men who are pushing for ward the interests of that maggifi cent section of country and bidding the home seeker a hearty welcome to one of the loveliest parishes in the d.ate of Louisiana. The large establishment of Mr. M Fischer on Main street, at once at tracks the att4tion of the visitor. Its big windows display a full stock of the latest modes in millinery, dress goods and notions, while its commodious interrior is separated into departments for ready made clothes, gentlemen's furnishing goods, shoes, fancy articles, trunks and dry goods. Mr. Fischer renders his store more attractive by giving a fine crayon picture to every customer who buys goods to the amount of fifteen dol lars. Main street is one of the most attractive boulevards in the town; it was formerly known as Rue des Beaux Ares. On it are situated a number of handscme private resit dences, among them the lovely home of Dr. W. White, Mr. Conelly and Mr. Edwards, also the Catholic con vent, church and rectory. Mr. Fis cher opened his store on Main street in September, 1892, but he has re sided in the town for thirteen years. Mr. Frank L. Wall, who has the best hotel in the town, habs for fif tcen years past cultivated a large farm some few miles from Abbeville where he made his home aftee com ing from Woodville, Miss. Farm life did not agree with Mr. Wall,s health, so that, with the aid of his lovely wife, and beautiful young daughter, he has turned his town residence into one of the most home like and pleasant hotels that it could be any one's good fortune to dwell in. Emdowered,in trees and flowers, it is an inviting spectacle to the traveler, and the kind, welcom inlg faces of Mr. and Mr. Wall are all that is needed to make a fair pic ture complete. The Building and Loon Associa. tion showed its pr·ospteous condition by its last annual dividend, which was 63 per cent. The company has been in existence since 1890, and has now $20,000 worth of property mortgaged to it It is officerrd by Dr C. J. Edwands, prc-ideat; Mtr. iL. Odilon Broussard, sccreta.y; Mr. L. Broussard, Sr., vice president; Hon. Ophilas Bourque, treasurer, Mr. L: O. Brcunsard, Sr,, attorney Mr, W. B. White, notary. A new bank has just been organ ized by a stock company which will begin operations in about a month. It includes a big capital stock, and some very prominent men are at its head. Two new railroads are about to be built through the town, . one of them is the Abbeville, Laf&yette & Gulf Railroad, connecting the great Southern Pacific system, which has extended to Abbeville, wi.h the gulf This new road will open up all the beactiful Louisiana gulf coast to settlement. Another big establishment in Ab bevillc is that of Mr. Eraste Mouton .a native of the parish. Mr. Mou ton has the only telephone office in Abbeville, which has a connection with tenor twelve towns, and also has the contract for carrying the mails, which before the coming of the railroad he sent by stage across the country, For four years be has had a large livery and feed stable and sells horses, besides his other business. Mr, Mouton is a promi nent business man, and has been very instrumental in building up the interest of his native place. Abbevillo has a good Methodist and Roman Catholic Church. The clergyman of the Methodist church is a fine orator, posses-ing besides a splendid barytone voice, and as his wife's is a magnificent contralto, their singing would be a rare ac quisition to church or opera, There are among the associations of the town one Masonic lodge, two of the Knights of Honor, one Cath olic Knights of America, one W. C. T, U., one Ladies' Aid of the Meth odist Church. three good fre com panics with handsome engines, and one book and ladder company. The ladies of Abbeville have organ ized an association to erect a fine high school building. With the public-spirited and gallant gentle. men ot Abbeville to back them in the undertaking, the speedy erection of the school house is a foregone conclusion. Mr. Oscar Pipes, owner of the Abbeville Star, one cf the brightest and most ably edited weekly sheets published in the State, is, in addition to his editorial labors, a leading basiness man of the town, represent. ing some of the largest iusurance companies in the country, and taking an active part in all undertakings tending to the growth and develop ment of Abbeville. Besides the 2750 or more acres of cane harvested last season, the rice crop of the parish was so large that farmers are not done shipping it yet. The cotton area was 7500 acres; corn, 17.700; potatoes, 400; oats, 100; rice. 3500, and the acreage for rice during this year will be about one-third greater. As an instancd of the sugar cane yield in this parish, a man made 180 tons of cane on six acres of land, sit uated on the right bank of the bayou. His cane receipts are evidence enough of the truth of this state cnllt. Three brick yards and a large sugar reilnery, besides other manu factories, give employnment to a number of workmen. One of the industries of Vermilion parish is the weaving of the beauti ful Attakapas cloth, for which this section of the country is famous. The traveler who goes once to this country will be won by its sweetness, and will sometimes seek a home where: "Not Art, bhut Nature traced these lovely lines, And carved this graceful arabesque of vines; Enter! the pavement, carpeted with leaves, Gives back a softened echo to thy tread! Listen! the choir is singing; all the birds In leafy galleries beneath the eaves. Are singing!" Welcome. Police Jury Proceedings. Abbeville, La. April 4th, 1393. The Police Jury in and for the parish of Vermilion met this day in regular session-Present, J. T. Brous sard, president, and Messers J. Alce Leblane, Jules Thibodeaux, G. God chaux, Martin Sarver, Ernest Brous sard and A. LaCour.. The minutes of the previous meet ing were read and approved. On motion duly seconided and ad opten the Police Jury suspended the regular order of business to permit Mr. A G. Maxwell to read a com munication relative to the proper working otthe road unear his plan. tation which was laid over until the Jury meeting. The .ury then resumed the regular ordefof business The committee appoiinted on bridge at Perrry submitted a report and bill of cost for same and the same was ordered paid. AI ORDINANCE. Authorizing road overseers to re move obstructions from public -roads through Vermilion Parish, and laying costs for same on prop erty holders, and providing for collecting of same. Whereas: There are divers per sons in the parish of Vermilion, who have plrced or failed to remove ob. structions from the public rands as laid out, and now a part of the par ish records: Therefore be it resolved by the Police Jury of the parish of Ver milion acting for and under the name of said parish. in regular meet ing assem!bled this 4, day of April 1893, do by this ordinance instruec authorize and empower in conform ity with sec., 3386 R, S: and re-en- acted under acts of 1880, all road, overseers duly appointed and quali fied throughout said parish to re move all obstructions which may have been placed, or tailed to be re moved from the public roads throughout the parish aforesaid. The cost of removal to be defray ed by the person or persons so oh structing said roads, the same to be recovered by suit or otherwise be fore any Judge or Court of compe tent jurisdiction. The aforesaid or dinance shalf take effect immediate. ly after its passage and adoption. J. N. Williams, J. T, Broussard Clerk. President. On motion of Mr. Godchaux, resolved that the road overseer for the 7th dist. 3 ward, be and is here by instructed to remove all obstruc- tions which Mr. David Meaux may have on the public road as surveyed and laid out by Judge W. W. Ed wards as per ordinance of Police Jury adopted. April 4th 1893,sec by Mr. Sarver-Adopted. On Motion of Mr. Lacoar the road overseer (Symmeon Broussard) 1 dist. 7th ward is authorized to re move the obstructions belonging to C. 8, Smith on public road in the 7t_ ward as per ordinance of this Politei3ry, adopt ed April 4th1 seconded by Mr harver and adopti On mnot-fo of Mr Jules Th1 deanx, the road overseer of the $i dist 2 ward is hereby instructed t remove the ohbtructious on the pn lic road in the 2 ward belonging Melssle Joseph and Auguste Lan4r.A in pursuance of an ordinance adopt ed by this Police Jury April4I: 1893, seconded by Mr Sarver a*. adopted. Ou motion of Mr J Aled Lebtla the road overseer (Emtauael Delano, in lst ward be uand is herebyi:i; structed to remove the Olbsruetio on the public road as laid unt b Messrs W. P. Edwards anda .: Montagne JIr in said ward, said oa. stuctiut ons belnging to MvesersV.y Hauce, Edgar and 'Irasioou Romrp* in pursuance of ordinance of l'ol*i: Jtuy adopted April 4:h 1893,~. conded by Mr Sarver and adopted.4; Mtr John Botdreaux is hereby a.: thorized to notily the oLersoft 1. & V. R R. to have a .it crositg placed on the public rots as laid out across said IR. R. 'The following report ofJury i Freeholders was plresented and ai motion duly seconded and adopta the same xwa accepted and deelarec4 a public road, to wit: (reportwli appear next week) A pe ttioc num urously signed s:k ing the appointment of a jury a freeholders to trace a public road i. the 2ntd ward to enalde the set.rl of naid ward in travel to and free w:as received and on motion of At Jules Thiloe'e.wx the lotl~6 i gentlemen were appointed on`i jury to wit" J N Williams, Jul* Thibodeaux, Eloi HarJinggton, DIi*, Primeaux, Chas Fredrick and kCh Dtuas-Adopted. / Mr Eli Montagne Jr dyster spector, appeared . before the Po Juty and read his roport show. numbers of surveys made t amouats received in coapenett for services rendered, which re ' was received and ordered fied. O(i motioo of Js Alcd Leblaue, *r, solved that Mr Noah Bundoiu, r overseer 2nd dist I ward be aut he eby instrncted to retuove fencing belonging to Mrs E1~lt Dillon wife of Philip Reaux,.ai obstructing the public road, in soance ol ordinance adopted V' Police Jury adopted April 4th l Seconded uy Mir Sarver andad ed. *A petition numerouniy signed as ing the placing of Fra:ncois lBr quet on the panper lint was pftaflet ed, the said petition was uejeetedb reason that said arpplicant s a. resta4 dent of the town of Abbeville saa4 said corporation is comuupelled ua4.t the law to aid and esupport tl paupers. Whereas there is now oa tb pauper last of this parisbh one lhbst Meaux and wheaeaE: ti said beu.'" ticiary having s a. who arefpufiuies.u; ly auwe fiuanciatly to support ti`i tather. Resolved that: this of said Dosite Meaun be.n isideilri by ordered stricken from said * -Adopted. The petition of Mrs 4ee4dias a, taid and others asking for the lay-' ing out of a public road aoro s the lauds of C M Burt and others }2tat2 ward was received, but aad ieti1 was taken thereon, On motion duly secondtd s;u adopted the treasurer be and is hereM by instructed to place to the eredit of the Civil ,Expense fund allhtd* money now in the treaiiryte tohe credit of the license fund. On motion of E Brou~Xa#ro tkh following gedtlemea were appohit' ed a jury of Freeholders, vies-, similar one formerly appointed, t trace a public road leading from th the public road atnorthera boandar of the lands of Francois Bfousat;r 6th ward running theses is a tAb erty direction to the bayou 14 Maneho, to wit: Felix Brouit ' Francois Fredrick, Ernest Brotd Hebrard Nunez, Francois R Broaun sard and Ursiu Langlinci seco ed by Mr Leblanc aid adopted. On motion of Mr Jules Thibodeaa a committee as follows was app9ni ed to investigate the drainage of t road near the 16th see in the 2 ward to wit; Valerien Landry, N Williams and Jules Thibode Messrs J T Broussard and G Godehaux were added to the A beville bridge committee and committee are hereby authorized have said bridge repaired at tl earliest convenience. On motion duly seconded adopted the Jury then adjourned the next regular meetin,. J. N. Williams, J. '1. Brons -. lerk. P