History of Lafayette Parish by William Henry Perrin. From Southwest Louisiana Historical and Biographical. Pub. 1891. Submitted by J B Craven ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** LAFAYETTE PARISH-GENFRAL DESCRIPTION-DARBY'S OPINION-GEOLOGY AND SOILS-BEAU BASIN-THE COTE GELEE HILLS-PRODUCTS,ETC.- STOCK RAISING-HEALTH OF THE PARISH-EARLY SETTLEMENT-THE MOUTONS -OTHER PIONEERS-A CHARACTER-AN INCIDENT-LAFAYETTE PARISH CRFATED-CHARACTFRISTICS-LAFAYETTF VS. VERMIL- IONVILLE-THE ACADIANS-RAILROADS- SCHOOLS, ETC.-BENCH AND BAR-DISTRICT AND PARISH JUDGES-PRESENT BAR-MEDICAL PROFESSION-BOARD OF HEALTH-WAR RFCORD-THE TOWN OF LAFAYETTE-RAILROAD SHIPMENTS-CARENCRO-OTHFRTOWNS-QUEUE TORTUE SECTION-GENERAL SUMMARY,ETC. LAFAYETTE PARISH, the smallest of what are known as the Attakapas parishes, in Southwest Louisiana, lies just north of the thirtieth degree of latitude and on the fifteenth meridian of longitude west from Washington - its southern boundary being within thirty miles of the Gulf of Mexico. It measures twenty-four miles at it widest by sixteen miles at its narrowest limits and has an area of three hundred square miles. The entire surface of the parish, excluding the forest growth along its streams, is prairie; and except where it is under cultivation is covered with a rich, luxuriant and highly nutritious grass that affords abundant food for the hundreds of cattle, sheep and horses that feed upon it the year round. The prairies are everywhere beautifully interspersed with larae, round ponds, or natural pools of clear, wholesome water, that furnish an unfailing supply for stock at all seasons. The homes of the inhabitants are marked by beautiful groves or "islands" of shade and ornamental trees of several acres in extent, that furnish shade and firewood to the owners, and give to the prairie a mottled appearance that is exceedingly picturesque and attractive. The Vermilion River, a stream navigable for steamboats the year round, running north and south, divides the parish into two nearly equal parts, while the railroad from New Orleans to Houston, Texas, running from east to west, makes a second or subdivision, thus rendering ready and convenient transportation to every section of the parish. East of the Vermilion River and along Morgan's Louisiana & Texas Railroad the surface of the country is quite rolling, often culminating in hills of considerable size, which are locally known as "Cote Gelee" hills; southward the surface gradually undulates into the broad level prairies that extend to the gulf. The greater portion of these hills is devoted to agriculture and is exceedingly productive, while the level lands, though no less fertile, are used principal1y for stock raising. Immediately west of the Vermilion River and along Morgan's Railroad to Opelousas and northward, lies a section of country which, for picturesque beauty, magnificent scenery and exhaustless fertility, is perhaps not surpassed by any other section of equal extent, either in this or in any other State. This is known as "Beau Basin," and embraces an area of a score or more square miles of as desirable lands as ever Providence provided for the pleasure and profit of man. The surface is high and beautifully undulating, merging by gentle gradation westward into the vast level prairies that reach far beyond the limits of the parish. South of the Louisiana Western Railroad and west of the Vermilion River, to the Queue Tortue Bayou, the western boundary of - the parish, lie the great pasture lands of the parish; nearly level, and covered at all seasons of the year with a luxuriant grass that seems as exhaustless as it is nutritious. This section offers inducements to men of moderate means for profitable stock raising not equaled by any other portion of the State.(* Lafayette Advertiser) Mr. Darby, in his history of Louisiana, written in 1817, has this to say of the Vermilion River and the lands through which it flows: "The two vast prairies, known by the names of the Opelousas and Attakapas, extend themselves on each side of the Vermilion, through its whole traverse, from its entrance into Attakapas to its egress into the Gulf of Nlexico, the distance of one hundred miles. Wood is much more abundant on the Vermilion than along the west bank of the Teche, and though the soil may be in fertility, it is, nevertheless, excellent, and the quantity greater on an equal extent of river. There are at least eighty miles of the banks of the Vermilion, which have an extension backward two miles, which afford three hundred and twenty superficial miles, or two hundred and four thousand and eight hundred acres. "Some of the most beautiful settlements yet made in Attakapas are upon this river. From the diversity in soil and elevation there is no risk in giving the preference in beauty of appearance to the banks of the Vermilion over any other river in Louisiana south of Bayou Boeuf. If situations favorable to health, United to the most agreeable prospects, which are bounded by the horizon, should be sought after; were taste to select sites for buildings, its research would here be requited, and be gratified by the breezes which come direct from the Gulf of Mexico. Fancy itself could not form a more delightful range than the Carencro and Cote Gelee settlements. On leaving the dead level of the Teche, or the almost flat extension of the Opelousas prairie, the eye is perfectly enchanted. "If a bold extent of view can give vigor to the imagination; if the increase of the power of the intellect bear any proportion to the sweep of the eye, upon one of those eminences ought a seat of learning to be established. There the youthful valetudinarian of the North would, in the warm, soft, and vivifying air of the South, find his health restored and his soul enlarged. Astonishing as it may sound to many, I do not hesitate to pronounce this, together with the range of hills from Opelousas, as the most healthy and agreeable near the alluvial lands of Louisiana." About one-eighth of the surface of Lafayette is swamp and timbered land; the balance is prairie ana is highly productive. Fields which have been in cultivation for more than seventy years, principally in cotton and corn, are still fertile. The geological description of the soil in Lafayette parish is that it is light, loamy, mixed with sand. It is generally about twelve inches deep. It rests on a clay subsoil, which is rich in plant food, like all the other parishes in Southwest Louisiana. The fertile properties of the subsoil are only developed by exposure to the sun and mixing with surface soil. By ploughing in a crop of pease occasionally, the richness of this soil would be perpetual. Two "creole ponies" (small native horses) are sufficient to "break up" the lands and one will do the subsequent cultivation. Indeed this is the general custom among the farmers, the team meanwhile subsisting almost entirely on the native grasses. The lands do not "wash," as is so often the case in other localities, thus rendering them susceptible of unlimited improvement. Some idea may be formed of the permanence of the soil when it is stated that many farms in this parish have been in cultivation for twenty-five or thirty years consecutively - some even for fifty years - without rest, rotation or recuperation, and are yet yielding remunerative crops. While this system of cultivation is greatly to be deprecated, the statement serves to convey an idea of the intrinsic value of the lands if put under a judicious system of cultivation. Beau Basin.-This place, called by the early Acadian settlers "Pritty Basin," is a beautiful spot, where a stream forms nearly a circle, surrounded by hills covered with luxuriant vegetation, and the whole studded with magnificent live-oaks. Says the late Mr. Dennett in his book: "It is twelve miles from Vermilionville (Lafayette), to the Carencro crossing, and about four miles from the road to the eastern boundary of the parish. The lands near Vermilionville are nearly level, but produce well. A few miles north, between the roads and the bayous, the surface becomes beautifully rolling. The gentle slopes and long, tortuous ravines may be ranked with the most beautiful landscape scenery in Attakapas. Here we find some of the pleasantest building sites in this enchanting country. The swells are like the heaving bosom of the ocean after a storm. Descending into the ravines, one feels as though he was in a trough of the sea, soon to rise up again on the mountain wave and look out on the green ocean. The cottages of the farmers are many of them neat and comfortable. The green pastures, fat cattle and fine fields of cotton and corn, in their proper season, indicate a rich soil and a prosperous population. Shade trees and clumps of timber add greatly to the beauty of the scenery. The fields are generally enclosed with nice fencing of cypress and the lands were formerly pretty well ditched. The country is airy and pleasant and it is extremely healthful, as will be shown further on." The Cote Gelee hills form a rather picturesque spot in this parish. They form a section about twelve miles across, lying on the road from Vermilionville to New Iberia and between the Bayou Tortue and Vermilion River. The soil is rich and productive, the country beautifully rolling and undulating, with deeper ravines and higher swells than in Beau Basin. The farmers are thrifty. Pretty dwelling houses are seen in every direction, almost hidden in groves of lelima trees, and many of the landscape views are beautiful. The country is open, airy and healthful. It is admirably drained; the soil is rich and mixed with enough sand and vegetable loam to make it easy of cultivation. No portion of the South enjoys better health than this immediate section. The Cote Gelee hills received their name from the following circumstance - Cote Gelee, in English, means frozen, and it is related that the neiorhborhood took that name from the scarcity of timber growing there when first known to the whites, and in consequence of which the early settlers sometimes suffered with cold. Hence, Cote Gelee, or Frozen Hills. Products of the Parish. - On the subject of the products of this parisn the Lafayette Advertiser descants as follows: The staple products of the soil are cotton, corn, cane and rice, while potatoes, peas, pumpkins, melons, etc., are produced in greatest abundance. Vegetables of all kinds grow remarkably well and of enormous size. Indeed, a very profitable business could be established almost anywhere along the lines of rail roads through this parish in raising vegetables for the New Orleans and Houston markets. Irish potatoes especially could be thus raised most profitably, as they are grown here in the greatest perfection, making two full crops annually, and are not subject to any known disaster. Owing to indifferent cultivation the average yield of cotton is not more than half a bale to the acre, but there is no reason why twice that amount should not be raised on every acre planted-some farmets making even more than that amount in propitious seasons. The average production of corn can safely be put down at twenty bushels to the acre, while many planters double this quantity annually. This is the proper latitude for cane, and but for the scarcity of fuel, away from the water courses, would be the leading staple product of the soil. Cane is as easily cultivated as Indian corn, but owing to this scarcity of fuel, its cultivation; to the present time, has been confined mostly to lands adjacent to timber; though many farmers raise enough to make their sugar and syrup for family use, after deducting one-half as toll for its manufacture. Since the advent of railroads, however, it is fair to presume that central mills will be erected soon by capitalists in different sections of the parish, for the manufacture of sugar on equitable terms to small farmers, and thereby in a few years develop this, the most remunerative crop grown on our soil. One and a half hogsheads of sugar per acre is considered an average yield. Owing to the enormous cost of machinery for preparing rice for market it has not been cultivated heretofore for exportation. An abundance is raised for home consumption without the labor of cultivation, the practice being with a small ditch to drain any convenient pond that happens to be within one's enclosure, plough, sow the seed, and close the drain to retain subsequent rains and gather what is needed for family use at harvest time. In this simple and inexpensive way every farmer's table is abundantly supplied with as good and wholesome rice as can be found in the markets of the world. A first class rice mill located at the parish site would stimulate this industry into marvelous proportions, and at the same time prove a safe and lucrative investment to the capital thus invested. Twenty-five bushels of rough rice per acre might be relied on as an average yield. It is confidently predicted that this branch of agriculture will in the near future become a source of immense revenue to the parish. The following is given as the crop raised by a single white man in Lafayette parish in one year: "He cultivated fourteen arpents and made eight and a half bales of cotton and 450 bushels of corn. He paid but $17 for help during the season. Two negroes on the same plantation the same year made five bales of cotton apiece and about 300 bushels of corn apiece. Francis Como made nine bales of cotton and plenty of corn for all domestic purposes, and almost entirely without help. Three men cultivated eighty arpents of land, with four Creole mules and two Creole ponies. Nearly half of the field labor of the parish is now performed by white men. Before the war about seven-eighths was performed by slaves. The best yield of corn per acre is about sixty bushels; of sweet potatoes, about 300 bushels," Upon stock raising in the parish, the Advertiser has this to say: Thus far in the history of the parish, stock raising has been more certain, satisfactory and profitable than any other pursuit-cattle and horses being the principal stock raised for market. These are raised with little risk and no expense to owners, save the labor of branding and marking-being kept the year round on native grasses upon open lands, without a dollar's expense for feeding or pasturage. Nearly every farmer owns a herd of cattle, that furnish him not only milk and meat, for family use, but quite a revenue also, in the annual sales of calves and yearlings, which bring good prices on the prairies, for the New Orleans market. Good and durable horses are raised without expense or trouble in the same way. These horses, though small and inferior, are, nevertheless, very hard and durable-serving all the purposes of the farm-and can be bought in any number at very moderate prices. Hogs also thrive well here, but, owing to the difficulty of curing and saving bacon, little attention is paid to them, further than keeping enough to furnish lard, and, occasionally, fresh pork for home consumption. Sheep husbandry is still in its infancy; though enough has already been done to take the business out of the domain of experiment and place it safely upon the basis of an established industry; and is already paying the few thus engaged in it handsome and remunerative returns. A judicious system of crossing imported stock on the native breeds of all kinds would add greatly to the wealth of this business. Unfortunately, however, little attention has been bestowed in this direction heretofore by owners, and the stock of the country, in consequence, is much inferior in grade to what the natural advantages and conditions justify. The market price of stock cattle, in herds, is about ten dollars per head, including calves under one year old, not counted. Cows with calves can be really bought for fifteen dollars to twenty dollars, according to quality-the latter figure being the ruling price for choice animals. Beeves sell for twelve dollars to twenty dollars. Work oxen, well bioken to field or road, demand forty dollars to fifty dollars per yoke. Stock horses, in droves, can be had for eight dollars to twelve dollars. Well broke horses sell for twenty dollars to fifty dollars-while a few that are choice for the saddle or harness command a higher figure. Hogs have fittle market value, being plentiful and cheap. Sheep can be bought at one dollar and a half to two dollars and a half per head, in sufficient numbers to begin the business on a small scale-not being many for sale. Before closing this subject, it might serve to demonstrate the profitableness of stock raising, to give a simple illustration of what is being done here constantly by stockmen: A good brood cow is bought for twelve dollars to fifteen dollars, which yields almost certainly a calf annually. This calf, at six or eight months old, brings just as certainly five dollars to eight dollars on the prairie, without one dollar of expense. These prices are based on actual sales made throughout the parish and may be verified at any time by those seeking investment. The good health of Lafayette parish is shown in stock as well as in the people. Horses, cattle, mules, hogs,'etc., are generallv healthy; no blind staggers, murrain or hog cholera. Bees thrive well in the parish. The China and Catalpa trees grow rapidly, make fine shade trees and excellent firewood from the yearly trimmings of the China groves. Close pruning does not injure these trees. Limbs grow out ten feet long and as large as a man's arm in a single year. They are easily propagated from seed. The healthfulness of this section is no matter of wonder when we come to consider the wonderful climate, which is here exceedingly temperate, the thermometer rarely going below freezing in winter, and snow is seldom seen. The evidence of the mildness of our winters is the fact that cattle which run at large over the prairies, unfed and unprotected, remain fat and marketable all winter. In summer the thermometer seldom goes above ninety degrees, and the heat is always tempered by the cool, refreshing breezes from the gulf, rendering the climate altogether free from that sultriness so much complained of in other localities, even of the same latitude. The nights here in summer are truly delightful, being always cool and invigorating and requiring a light covering for the sleeper's comfort. This is a wonderful as well as agreeable surprise to those accustomed to spending their summers in the interior. Early Settlements.-The first settlers in what is now Lafayette parish were Acadians, and came with the first influx of those people from Nova Scotia to Louisiana. An historical sketch is given of the Acadians in a preceding chapter of this work, and to it the reader is referred. With the ancient Acadians were mingled a few immigrants direct from France. The first white settlers here located in the Carencro district, and in the Cote Gelee Hills, along the Vermilion River. As early as 1770 Andrew Martin took up land in what is now the third ward of this parish, though he had been in the country several years before. There is not much doubt but that he was the first white man in this immediate section. He was a strange compound of white man by birth and Indian by adoption, so far as living among them and of hiring them to herd his cattle. He was an exile from his native Acadia. He hunted in the Indian chase, talked in their dialect, and when they attempted too much familiarity he slew them, and his good wife was its brave a man as himself, as the following incident will show: Mr. Martin was a large stock raiser, his flocks covering thousands of acres of the prairie lands, and he often hired Indians to herd them. Once when he was sick in bed, attended by his good wife, an Indian came to his cabin and asked for "Tafia," meaning whiskey. Mrs. Martin refused to let him have it, but he swore by the "graves of his fathers" that he would have Tafia or he would kill the sick man, and, drawing a large, ugly-looking knife, made at him. But the "pale faced squaw" was equal to the occasion. She seized, from the mortar standing near, the heavy pestle used to crack the corn for their coarse bread, and struck the savage a terrific blow, which crushed his skull, killing him on the spot. Mr. Martin has left many descendants in the parish where he lived out a long life, who are among the most respectable people. Hon. M. C. Martin, who, has been a member of the Legislature several terms, and also the present clerk of the court, are descendants of the old pioneer. John and Marin Mouton settled in Carencro district during the decade, perhaps, of 1760. They were the sons of Salvator Mouton, an exiled Acadian, who settled, it is thought, in Pointe Coupee parish, about 1737. John Mouton had been trading with the Indians and was greatly beliked by them, as he always a dealt fairly. He wore a homespun Caluchon (cap) made of wool, of a yellow color and knit by hand. His brother wore a chapeau (hat), and his descendants to this day are called "Chapeaux Moutons." John Mouton was a remarkable man in many respects, large of stature, good-natured, never got angry, and treated everybody well. He was illiterate, but not ignorant, but of a very philosophical turn of mind, never allowed anything to disturb his social or mental equilibrium. It is said he never whipped a "nigger" in his life, something that could be said, perhaps, of few of his contemporaries, though he owned many slaves. He used to buy all the negroes that ran away from their owners and took refuge in the swamps. As soon as they learned he had bought them they immediately would come out to him. When the parish was organized he donated land for various purposes, both public and private. He left a large family, and among them are many of the substantial and professional men of the country. The Babineaux were also early settlers in Carencro district. The Breaux settled near where Lafayette stands. The Thibodeaux settled in the Frozen Hills, also Gaurhept Broussard dit Beausoliel. He attained the appellation of "Beausoliel" on account of his smiling face and the genial expression with which he met everybody. He was commissioned Captain Commandant of the Attakapas district in 1765. Following is a copy of his original commission: [This commission appears in French and in an English translation in the book] COMMISSION OF CAPTAIN COMMANDANT OF MILITIA FOR THE HERE NAMED GAURHEPT BROUSARD SURNAMED BEAU SOLEIL. Charles Phillipe Aubry, Knight of the Royal and Military Order of St. Louis, Commandant for the King of the Province of Louisiana: In view of the proofs of valor, fidelity and attachment in the service of the King which the herein named Gaurhept Broussard, surnamed Beau Soleil, Acadian, has given on different occasions, and of the honorable testimonials which the Marquis of Vandreuil and other Governors General of Canada, have accorded him in consideration of his wounds and of the courage which he has given proof of in different affairs against the enemies of His Magesty. We appoint him Captain of Militia and Commandant of the Acadians, who have come with him from England to settle on the land of the Acutapas; having no doubt that he will always comport himself with the same zeal, and the same fidelity, in the service of the King; and being persuaded that he will always show his fellow countrymen a good example in wisdom, virtue and religion, and attachment of his Prince. We enjoin on the herein mentioned Acadian inhabitants to obey him, and lend an ear to all which he will command them in the service of the King, under penalty of disobedience. We direct the officers of the troops kept in this Province to have the said Gaurhept Broussard, surnamed Beau Soleil, recognzed in designated capacity of Captain Commandant of the Acadians, who are going to establish themselves among the Acutapas, and of all those as of right shall appertain. In faith of which we have signed these presents, and to them have affixed the seal of our arms, and our secretary has countersigned the same in New Orleans, at our hotel, April 8, 1765 [signed] AUBRY Countersigned by Monseigneur Joukie Copied by J. O. Broussard Commandant Broussard was the progenitor of the Broussard family in Southwest Louisiana. He has left a large representation of descendants to perpetuate his name. A Character.- About this time came to the settlement one Leon Latiolais, who became a large stock raiser. He familiarized himself with the country, and it was said he knew every acre of land between here and New Orleans, as most men knew the ground in their dooryards. He was a strange character. Could trace his course over the prairies by the stars, or through the forests by the bark of the trees, with as perfect and unerring accuracy as the mariner follows his compass over the trackless ocean. He was shrewd, active, alert, and rich in animal life and vigor, with most of his natural faculties cultivated almost to the perfection of the smell of the Siberian bloodhound. He served in the war of 1812, and at the battle of New Orleans General Jackson wanted a man acquainted with the country to carry an important message (written) to one of his officers across the tangled swamp. His comrades recommended Latiolais to the general and the latter sent for him. Jackson scrutinized him from head to foot, and asked Can you carry it? "Yes," answered Latiolais. Said Jackson: "If the enemy catch you will you give them the message? " "If they get it," said Latiolais, "they will have to take it out of my belly," meaning that he would eat it before he would let them have it. He was entrusted with it and delivered it safely to the officer. The following incident of Latiolais is related by an old citizen. On one of his trips to New Orleans Latiolais was accompanied by a Frenchman of noble blood but of very dark skin. A merchant with whom Latiolais had some dealings asked him where he got that handsome mulatto. Latiolais, seeing a good chance for a practical joke, answered that he had raised him from a boy, but, said he, "- the ____ cuss thinks I am his father, and has got so saucy I would like to get rid of him" "What will you take for him? " asked the merchant. "Eight hundred dollars," was the reply. "I will give it," said the merchant. The money was paid over, and, cautioning the merchant not to say anything to the "nigger " until next morning, he went away presumably to attend to some business. That night Latiolais left for home. The next morning the merchant, armed with a policeman, went to the Frenchman's "tavern " and knocked at his door. Surprised at being aroused at so early an hour, he got up and admitted his visitors, when the merchant ordered him peremptorily to dress. The Frenchman demanded wherefore he should dress, and the merchant told him he was his (the merchant's) property, as he had bought him from Latiolais and paid for him. The Frenchman sent for Latiolais, but only to find he was gone. It was several days before the Frenchman found a voucher who could satisfactorily identify him. As soon as he was liberated he set out for Lafayette with blood in his eye, determined to kill Latiolais. He arrived in a great rage and proceeded at once to Latiolais' cabin with a small park of artillery, but Latiolais peeped out through a crack and laughed at the titled son of a nobleman, armed as he was, until he laughed himinto a good humor. He then invited himinto his cabin and they both partook of a bountiful breakfat together. Other settlers came insoon after from France, and after the transfer of Louisiana to the United States a number of American settlers located. After the battle of New Orleans, in 1815, settlers from the States came in and settlements rapidly increased. Characteristics.--The general history of the parish has een peacable and moral to a high degree. But back before the war, along in the fifties, a lot of lawless characters banded tgether and depredated upon the people until patience ceased to be a virtue, and the law-abiding men formed themselves into a vigilance committee for the purpose of ridding themselves of the bandits. The people organized under Gov. Mouton and other prominent leaders. In the summer of 1859, a battle was fought on the Bayou Queue Tortue, which fortunately proved bloodless, which routed the bandits so completely they never rallied again, a full account of which is given in the chapter on St. Martin. Organization of Parish. -- The parish of Lafayette, as a municipal body, dates back to 1823. It then embraced within its limits the present parish of Vermilion. The act, dated January 17, 1823, for the ofrmation of Lafayette is as follows: Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana, in General Assembly convened, Taht the parish of St. martin is and shall be, by the present act, divided, and a new parish be formed out of the western part of the said parish, which shall be called and known by the name of the parish of Lafayette. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the division line between the parish of St. Martin and Lafayette shall commence at the northern boundary of the county of Attakapas, at the junction of the Bayou Carencro with the Bayou Vermilion; thence down said Bayou Vermilion with its meanderings to the lower line of lands formerly claimed by Leclerc Fusilier; thence along the lower line of said tract of land, forty French arpents; thence along the back lines of the tracts of land fronting on the left or east bank of the Bayou Vermilion, to a point marked G on the division line run by WilliamJohnson, parish surveyor of State; thence east to the west or back boundary line of lands claimed by the heirs of Alexander Chevalier Declouet; thence in a direct line till it intersects the northwestern boundary of lands formerly claimed by Francois Ledu, at a point marked I ont he plan of the division line run by William Johnson aforesaid; thence along said Ledu's boundary to the Bayou Vermilion; thence as the Bayou Vermilion meanders to the junction of the Bayou Tortue with the Bayou Vermilion; thence up the Bayou Tortue as it meanders to the bridge over said bayou near the plantation of Louis St. Julien; thece along the line run by WilliamJohnson aforesaid to Lake Peigneur; thence southnine degrees, ten minutes east to the Gulf of Mexico. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That allt he part of the country of Attakapas, west of the line described in the second section of the present act, shall form the parish of Lafayette, and the remainder of the space formerly comprehened in the parish of St. Martin shall compose the parish of St. Martin. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the parish of Lafayette shall form a part of the fifth judicial district, and that a District Court shall be held there on the last Monday of November of the present year (1823) and on the last Monday of May and November of every subseuent year. When Lafayette was organized the parish seat was established at a place called Pin Hook, at the present bridge across the Vermilion River, about twomiles south of the twon of Lafayette. It remained there, however, but a short time when it was removed to Lafayette, where it has since remained. The land upon which the court house stands was donated to the parish by John M. Mouton. A court house was built on the lot thus donated soon afterward, and in 1859 it was replaced by the present one. In 1886 fire-proof vaults for the preservvation of the records were built at a cost of forty-five hundred dollars. The parish hail is n the court house lot and is a $12,500 building. The present town of Lafayette was incorporated as Vermilionville, after the regular preliminaries of laying out, etc., by act of the Legislature, dated March 11, 1836. The act required that on the first Monday in May of each year there should be elected five councilmen, who should form a municipal government, and that to be eligible to that position they must be twenty-one years old and the bona fide owners of at least three hundred dollars' worth of real estate within the limits of the town, and that voters should possess the same qualifications in order to be legalized voters in such elections. The act of 1836 was annulled by an amended act passed March 9, 1869, and among other provisions was one requiring the city council to consis of a mayor and seven members. The following gentlemen hae served as mayors since that time: Alphonse Neven, 1869-70; W. O. Smith, 1870-71; Wm. Brandt, 1871-72; W. O. Smith 1872-73; Auguste Monnier, 1873-75; John O. Mouton, 1875-76; G. C. Salles, 1876-77; John O. Mouton, 1877-79; John clegg, 1879-81; M. P. Young, 1881-84; W. B. Bailey, 1884 to the present time. In 1884 that section in the old charter os 1869, relating to the name of the town and its boundaries, was abolished and a new charter adopted. The name of the town, among other changes maed, was changed from Vermilionville to Lafayette, in order that the name of the capital might agree with the name of the parish. In 1833, the first notary public was appointed for the parish by act of the Legislature. The eastern half of the parish is divided by the Vermilion River, and the northern part of it is known as the Carencro district. The name of Carencro comes down from Indian tradition. They had a legend in their tribes that at Beau Basin, a beautiful place described in a preceding page, there died a mammoth or mastadon, and although an almost innumerable number of carrion crows (buzzards) came to the feast, it took them so long to devour the huge beast that the surrounding country took the romantic name Carencro. The town of Carencro takes its name from the Carencro district. Many of the people of Acadian descent have progressed little since their ancestors left their old homes in Nova Scotia, but are just as primitive as they were in that cold, sterile country. Their financial condition makes little difference; they are still primitive and simple. A late writer(*Catherine Cole, in New Orleans Picayune) thus describes them from actual observation: "An Acadian farmer, with his land, his two hands, a plow, a spinning wheel and a home-made loom is independent of the world. It often happens that the only money he spends during the year is for coffee, but oftener than not he pays even for this indispensable in eggs or moss. I have many times of late, in some country store, seen a farmer's wife come in and exchange three or four eggs for an equivalent in green coffee. "I went the other day to one of these sweet and simple country homes, and was received with the somewhat solemn, dignified and courtly hospitality that characterizes the native French farmer when his castle is invaded. Soon after entering we were handed a cup of black coffee. The pot is always on the hearth. There are many such homes in the State. They are a part of Louisiana as it is. In the fields around the house were small crops of cotton, cane, rice, corn, sweet potatoes, and a row of tobacco, and flanking the field was a strip of swamp, furnishing the family with fuel and lumber. The rice the farmer threshes and cleans himself, the corn is pounded for meal in a wooden mortar, the sweet potatoes are stored in a bin for the winter, the cotton is picked and ginned by the wife, seeding it with her fingers. It is she who spins it and weaves it into cloth, which she dyes with peach tree leaves and indigo, and of this she makes clothing for her family, blankets for her beds, curtains for her windows, and a covering for her floor. The patch of cane gives the family sugar and molasses. From his stock of horses the farmer cuts hair from their manes and tails and weaves it into ropes, horse collars and harness. His beds he makes of the moss gathered in the swamp; and his wife milks her cows and makes an occasional pat of butter by shaking the cream in a bottle or gourd. The man cures his own tobacco, and if you visit his little home made of cypress logs and a mud plaster mixed with moss and kneaded by the feet of himself and his neighbors, he will offer you all these home-made hospitalities. Yet this is the man who is said to be unprogressive. But while his crops prosper, his fruit and nut trees yield, his cattle remain fat, and his young family healthy, who can wonder that he is content? The only good this family lack is education and books. As for pictures they are in the sky that smiles above them, repeated in the lake at their feet. In a simple way he lives in peaceful plenteousness, and A life is sweet to him." Lafayette parish is about as well supplied with railroads as any parish in Southwest Louisiana. Says the Advertiser of a few years ago: There are two lines of railroads, viz: Morgan's Louisiana & Texas, running from New Orleans, passes through the parish, and is completed and equipped to Opelousas, about twenty-five miles north of Vermilionville. The northern terminus of this road will be at Shreveport via Alexandria. This road is in the hands of contractors and is being pushed forward with much speed. The other line of road is known as the Louisiana Western, having its eastern and western terminus at Vermilionville in this parish, and Orange, Texas, respectively. At the latter place it is in connection with the road to Houston. Both of these roads are now included in the Southern Pacific system. By a judicious and equitable system of tariffs both these roads are destined to be among the most profitable railways in the South. There is at present but one line of steamboats plying in the Vermilion River, making weekly trips to and from Morgan City. Under an act of Congress appropriating funds for the improvement of this stream, the United States engineers are preparing to begin the work, and when completed, will doubtless invite other lines of steamers into the trade. Schools and Population.-A writer on the subject of population, school , and church facilities, says: The population of the parish, according to the census of 1880, is 7185 whites and 6115 blacks. Total, 13,300. A majority of the white population are Creoles; being descendants of French ancestry. There are many Americans, who are also natives of the soil, and a few have moved here since the war. The Creoles are generally engaged in farming and stock raising, living strictly within their means, in a plain, unostentatious style, and independent of the outside world. They have for the most part eschewed education, have been indifferent to progress and averse to innovations upon ancestral customs; but withal, peaceable, law-abiding and proverbially hospitable. There are many of them, however, who are not only highly educated and adorning the various professions and trades, but who are also laboring for the development of the educational interests, the sciences and arts, and the opening up of our common country. The masses of the native born American here are contented with the merest rudiments of education, and have been more loth, if anything, to move forward upon the scale of human progress than their Creole brethren. When it is considered, however, that this entire country has been almost wholly isolated from the outside world for many generations-far away from the great highways of travel-in addition to a rich soil and a bountiful Providence, administering to all their material interests, with little exertion on their part, it is not to be wondered at, that such circumstances thus combined should beget an indifference to outside progress, or moral and mental advancement. It is but just to state, in this connection, that a new era is beginning to dawn upon us. The liberal views now entertained and manifested by all classes on state education and internal improvements; the advent of railroads, with their accompanying industries and civilizing influences, certainly augur an early and radical change in the customs and manners of a people every way endowed by nature and ancestry for higher and nobler attainments. We have a few private schools, taught by competent teachers, that are open ten months in the year, while the public schools at the present are only open about half that length of time. The educational interest, as previously foreshadowed, is yet in its incipiency, but bids fair to be fully developed at an early day. There are some twenty public schools in the parish. They are in charge of a parish school board, of which H. E. Toll is clerk and superintendent. The convent at La Fayette, in charge of the Catholic sisters, is an excellent school for young ladies. There are other select schools in the town and the parish. The prevailing religious denominations are: Roman Catholics, Methodists and Presbyterians, with a few Baptists and Episcopalians yet unorganized. There is no spirit of intolerance ever manifested, and every one may worship God after the dictates of his own conscience without fear or molestation. Bench and Bar.- Under the Constitution in force in 1823, when the parish of Lafayette was formed, the corps of parish officers consisted of a parish judge and a sheriff. The judge had jurisdiction over all matter in the parish, both civil and criminal. The first parish judge was Brashear. He served a number of years, when he was succeeded by Hon. C. M. Olivier, who filled the place until the law was changed to district judges. The first judge whose name occurs on the records is that of Henry Brice, in 1841. Although of different districts Judge Brice and Judge George R. King seem to have presided over the court at Lafayette alternately until 1852. Judge J. H. Overton was, in that year, elected judge of the fifteenth judicial district, and presided here until 1854. Overton was a man of fine qualities and a good judge. Hon. Lucius Dupre was elected judge in 1854. He was a brilliant attorney, an able advocate, and had few equals as a public speaker. He was afterward a member of the Confederate Congress. In 1857 Hon. Barthelmy A. Martel was elected, and served until 1864. He had climbed up from the bottom through considerable difficulties, and although in many ways illiterate, yet, through his sense of the law, he filled the position with general satisfaction. Ex-Gov. Mouton was elected judge in 1864, but his term was cut short by the civil war. He held his last term in 1865. Court was then suspended in the parish until 1866, when, at the November term, we find Judge Adolph Bailey on the bench of the Lafayette court. He died in office in 1868. Judge Bailey was a native of the parish, and a graduate of Yale College, and withal, one of the most learned men this part of the country ever produced. Judge J. M. Porter was elected judge in 1868, and served until his death, when George E. King was appointed to fill out the unexpired term of Judge Porter, but never held court in this place. Eraste Mouton was appointed judge in 1871, and afterward elected, and served until the time of his death in 1878. He was of the most brilliant judges that ever sat on the bench of this district. E. E. Mouton was appointed in 1879 to fill out the unexpired term, and was subsequently elected to the office, which he held until his death. Judge John Clegg was then appointed to fill the vacancy. In 1884, C. Debaillion was elected judge, and was reelected in 1888. He resigned, and N. N. Edwards was appointed to serve until an election could be held. In 1890 the present judge, Orther C. Mouton, was elected. There seems to have been something of a fatality among the judges of this judicial district, that so many of them died in the harness. It would have been but human nature had it created a superstitious feeling and excited a reluctance in others to accept a place which indicated an almost certain doom to the acceptant. The former practitioners of the bar of Lafayette, and who have passed F away, were M. E. Girard, R. C. Crow, Wm. Mouton, V. Cornier, and Gov. Mouton. The following compose the present bar, Ex-Judge Debaillion, L. Tansy, Charles D. Caffrey, Julian Mouton, Edward G. Voorhies, and William Campbell. In politics, the parish has heretofore been Democratic, and every voter casts his vote at the polls with as much freedom as can be done anywhere in the world. Medical Profession.- Among the early physicians of Lafayette parish were G. W. Mills, who died in 1856; N. B. Erwin, died in 1867; Dr. Drouin, died 1863; Dr. Gonzet, died in 1872. It has been rather difficult to obtain data sufficient to compile a lengthy sketch of these early practitioners. Among the present medical profession are Drs. J. D. Trahan, Thos. B. Hopkins, A. Gladu, D. Berand, H. D. Guidry, N. P. Moss, Franklin Mouton, and Dr. Mudd. Most of these gentlemen are sketched in the biographical department of this volume. The Board of Health is composed of Dr. J. D. Trahan and the police jury, which at present are as follows: Alfred A. Delhomme, first ward; Ford Huffpauir, second ward; C. P. Alpha, third ward, and president; 0. Thriat, fourth ward; J. G. St. Julien, fifth ward; C. C. Brown, sixth ward; R. C. Landry, seventh ward; A. D. Landry, eighth ward, and R. C. Grieg, clerk. War Record.-The war history of Lafayette parish was highly creditable to the people of the parish. The first body of troops that went from Lafayette consisted of about twenty-five men, who went to St. Martinsville, and joined Capt. Alcibiades DeBlanc's command. The first full company from here bore the name; of the Acadian Guards, and were officered as follows: Alfred Mouton, captain; Wm. Mouton, first lieutenant; Polk Bailey, second lieutenant, and Thelismar Comeaux, third lieutenant. Upon the formation of the Eighteenth Louisiana Regiment, the Acadian Guards became Company I, and Alfred Mouton was promotsd to colonel. The regiment received its baptism of fire at Shiloh, where Gen. Mouton was wounded. He afterward was promoted to brigadier general, and transferred with his brigade to the Trans-Mississippi Department, where it became part of Gen. Dick Taylor's division. Gen. Mouton was afterward killed in the battle of Mansfield. The next company organized in the parish was under Capt. Eraste Mouton; _______ Eastin, first lieutenant; Wm. Campbell second lieutenant, and Ernest Matrin, third lieutenant. The next company was organized by Capt. W. C. Crow; A. Moss, first lieutenant; Pancross Rein, second lieutenant, and Joseph Louvier, third lieutenant. The two last companies mentioned were attached to the Twenty-sixth Regiment, and Capt. Crow became its Lieutenant-Colonel. No other full companies were raised in the parish, but a number of recruits went to fill up companies elsewhere. Town of Lafayette.- When Lafayette, or Vermilionville, as the town was originally known, was laid out is not known. It has been a town for three-quarters of a century, or perhaps longer. Its situation near the center of the parish, at the junction of the Alexandria branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad and the main line. It is one of the growing towns of the State. Its population is not far from three thousand souls and is steadily increasing. It has railroad connections and advantages enjoyed by few towns. It is situated on the Southern Pacific, one hundred and forty-four miles from New Orleans and two hundred miles from Houston, which gives it most excellent advantages in matter of transportation. The projected Louisiana Central Road will connect the town with Baton Rouge. The distance to Port Allen, opposite the capital, is fifty-seven miles. Two regular passenger trains each way a day on the main line from Lafayette, and besides four or more freights and the trains on the Alexandria branch. The railroad company here have an extensive round house, coal bins, tanks, etc., and the number of employes exeeed fifty men. An excellent hotel and eating house, perhaps one of the most commodious on the Southern Pacific Railroad, is located here. The Southern Pacific handles a vast amount of stock, which necessitates stock pens for resting at different points, and Lafayette has the most extensive pens for this purpose. Lafayette is the natural center of a large and rich agricultural district, regardless of parish lines. Lands as fertile as any in Louisiana or in the world lie all around it. The prosperous parish of Vermilion on the south is tributary to it, and doubtless, at no distant day, will have a branch railroad from Lafayette to Abbeville. The town of Lafayette is advantageously situated for manufacturing enterprises, but capitalists have not yet discerned its capabilities in this regard. It may be said that three railroads radiate from Lafayette, north east and west. A cotton seed oil mill, or a cotton compress or a rice mill, or planing mill, sash and blind factory, together with many other enterprises, would remunerate the investors. There are within the corporate limits two brick yards, and within a mile of the court house is probably the largest and most complete cotton gin in Southwest Louisiana, which is owned and operated by Grace Brothers & Pellerin. The town is well supplied with churches of the various denominations, numbering three white and three colored. The Catholic church is the largest in members and wealth; the ground belonging to it was donated by John M. Mouton, and the first building was erected in 1822. Father Peyrette was rector from 1824 to 1840; Father Pgbeuprez, from 1840 to 1842; Father A. D. Migret, 1842 to 1853; Father Dechaignon, 1853 to 1856; Rev. S. G. Fattier, 1856 to 1865; Rev. Gustave Roussel, 1865 to 1872 ; Father Gonelle, 1872 to 1881. Father Fourge located here in 1881 and is the present rector. He is just completing the handsome church. The three altars were shipped from Belgium, and the beautiful bell, weighing three thousand and ninety pounds, was placed in the church through his influence. The congregation numbers about seven thousand. The pastor, Father Fourge, is a native of France, and has done much for the church and Congregation. The town is also well supplied with schools, public and private, secular and sectarian. The Mt. Carmel Convent is a large and handsome building, and would ornament any town. It is considered one of the best schools for young ladies in the State. There are, likewise, in the town lodges of Masons, Knights of Honor, Knights of Pythias and Knights of Labor. A special to the New Orleans Picayune, from Lafayette, dated January 29, 1891, says: A short time since Mr. Israel Falk discovered near the surface of the earth a small deposit of petroleum on his property near the railroad depot and within the city limits. In hopes of finding the oil in paying quantities he has been drilling down to considerable depth, and yesterday, having bored some fifty feet, was rewarded by the discovery of a solid bed of coal equal in quality to the best sold. Mr. Falk will immediately sink a shaft and fathom the extent of the deposit. He is certain that he has made a valuable find of coal if not of oil. The latter still comes to the surface in small quantities and tests about sixty per cent. kerosene and small particles of naphtha. Railroad Shipments.-The following shipments were made at Lafayette by rail from September 1, 1886, to August 31, 1887. These have increased rapidly since then: Bales of cotton ..................................................... 29411 Car loads of cotton in seed ............................................ 66 or 66o tons, or pounds .......................................... 11320,000 Cotton seed, ten car loads, or pounds .............................. 200,000 Hides, pounds ....................................................... 40,300 Corn, car loads ......................................................... 3 Brick, car loads ....................................................... 23 Barrels of honey ..................................................... 7 1/2 Barrels of tallow ........................................................ 9 Barrels of potatoes .................................................... 100 Barrels of molasses ...................................................... 7 Bales of moss .......................................................... 25 Sacks of wool ........................................................... 11 Sacks of paper junk .................................................... 12 Barrels of pecans ........................................................ 4 Eggs, dozens ....................................................... 108,710 Poultry, dozens ..................................................... 29,392 Scrap iron, pounds .................................................. 42,655 Scrap brass, pounds .................................................. 4,325 Empty oil barrels ..................................................... 401 Empty bottles, barrels ................................................. 154 Mattress moss, bundles .................................................. 10 Freight Received-Lumber, 316 carloads; stock received, fed and watered, 3517. Shipped from Vandenbaumer's switch: cotton in seed, 504,254 pounds. From Gerac Brothers' gin: 930,150 pounds. From J. E. Mouton's switch, (Alexandria, switch): cotton in seed, 609,000. Broussard Village - Another of the important centers of the parish is Broussard, on the main line of the Southern Pacific, six miles from Lafayette. It is the shipping point for a large section of country, and the center of the Cote Gelee Hills section. It is beautifully and attractively laid out, with broad streets, and lots are worth from thirty-five to fifty dollars. The depot grounds are shaded by handsome live-oaks, and are ample for all purposes. There are several general stores at Broussard, as extensive and complete as ordinarily found in country towns. The leading business men are. Ray & Son, Ed. St. Julien, F. B. Grevanberg and Ulysses Bernard. It is furnished with a town hall, drug store, wheelright shop, lumber vard, and the usual businesses to be found in a live, wide-awake business town. Yhere is also a cotton gin in the town, and three others within a mile. Land in the immediate vicinity of this place is worth from twenty to thirty dollars, and there is little for gale at that price-very few are willing to sell at all. It is noticeable that some of the most successful planters in the parish live in close proximity to this point. Among these may be mentioned Valsin Broussard, J. G, St. Julien, Martial Billaud, A. A. Lobbe, Albert Landry, R. C. Landry Joseph Girouard, Therence Girouard, Demas Bernard, and others. The people around Broussard are universally prosperous and contented. Thev not only make their crops of cotton and abundant supplies of corn, but they reap no small profit from eggs, chickens and turkeys, and other produce of that character. They are industrious, thrifty and happy, and well do they deserve it. The following table of shipments for the pastyear from this point speaks for itself: 3842 bales cotton, 48 car loads cotton in seed, 69 hogsheads of sugar, 3o barrels of molasses, 184 sacks of rice, 57,785 pounds hides, 54722 pounds wool, 59,653 dozen eggs, 3112 coops chickens. Also shipped from Oak Hill and Landry's plantations, on Cote Gelee, 150 bales cotton and 70 hogsheads sugar; and from Martial Billaud's plantation, 74 hogsheads sugar. Carencro.- The town of Carencro is an incorporated village, situated on the Alexandria branch of the Southern Pacific, seven miles from Lafayette. There is no prettier site for a town nor one with more solid advantages than comprised in this place. The name Carencro, originally applied to this entire section of the country, as stated in a preceding page. Carencro is the shipping point for a large scope of country, nearly all of which is cultivated in corn, cotton, cane, etc., and there can be no question as to the quality of the land; indeed, much of it is above the average. Among the leading merchants are the Brown Brothers, Jacob Mitchell. D. Daret, A. G. Guilbeau, G. Schumler, C. Micou and J. C. Martin. It has a good hotel, town hall and all the other appurtenances of a first-class country town, including a cotton gin and two good lumber yards; also a well organized hook and ladder company. There are two private schools in the town, and two public-one white and one colored-and a Catholic church. Under the management of a good mayor and council, the peace and quiet of the town is well maintained, and the streets are kept in good condition. Lots are worth from one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars, and the land in the vicinity is worth from fifteen to thirty dollars per acre, according to improvements. Among those near the town owning large plantations are Mrs. Z. Broussard, Dr. R. J. Frances, Mrs. 0. C. Mouton, Louis Roger, Mrs. F. Abadie, C. C. Brown, St. Clair Kilbrist, V. C. Dupois. L. J. Arceneaux, etc. Tributary to Carencro is the section of country known as the Beau Basin neighborhood, which is described in a preceding page. The following is a table, of shipments given by the railroad company: POUNDS. WORTH. Cotton ................................. 10,335 ............. $85,081.25 Seed cotton ............................ 12,230 .............. 29,767.50 Cotton seed ............................. 5,880 ............... 1,470.00 Sugar .................................. 50,000 ............... 2,625.00 Green hides ............................ 51,900 ............... 2,895.00 Dry hides ............................... 5,000 ................ 500.00 Wool .................................... 9,000 ................ 900.00 MOSS ................................... 28,000 ................. 475.00 Corn ............................................................. 840.00 Eggs .......................................................... 7,000.00 Chickens ....................................................... 1,250.00 Scott Village.- This is exclusively a railroad town, having sprung into existence since the building of the railroad. It is, however, a vigorous youngster, with a promising future "anent" it. There are several wide awake business men to be seen about the depot, and a large number of neighboring planters make their headquarters there. Among them may be mentioned Alex. Delhomme, A. D. Beaudreaux, L. G. Breaux, Robert Thomas, D. Cayret, Nathan Foorman, Ambroise Chasson, Severin Duhon, N. M. Dugat, Hugh Hutchinson. The land around Scott is all susceptible of cultivation and is highly fertile. Shipments from this point consist of rice, corn, wool, chickens, eggs, etc. The leading merchants are Alciade judice, Jules Gendry, Marcel Sonnier, Martin Begraud, all of whom seem to be prosperous. Looking out from Scott in any direction the eye will be greeted by lovely groves of shade trees, consisting of oak and China trees. About a mile south of this place is Isle Navarre, a grove of live-oaks of stately proportions and venerable in appearance, unsurpassed in the South, excepting perhaps those of the Exposition grounds at New Orleans. The most disconsolate people around this thriving place are the doctors, who have literally nothing to do, it is so exceedingly healthy. The Queue Tortue is a section of Lafayette parish that is thickly settled. There are many fine farms and stock pastures, and many blooded horses, cattle and hogs are raised by the planters. Alexander Huffpauer, Isaac Forman, Benj. Spell, Vital Cormier, Ford Silas Hines, Preston and Golden Huffpauer have fine farms there. Dr. M. L. Lyons, Dr. A. 0. Clark, and Mr. Ford Huffpauer are engaged in stock raising. On the Bayou Vermilion, south of the bridge, are some sturdy and industrious planters. Most of them ship by boat, and at the various landings of Whittington, Trahan, D. Broussard and 0. Broussard. There was a total shipment of two thousand five hundred bales of cotton during the past season, and also a large quantity of poultry and eggs, hides, etc. Royville is situated in the southeast part of the parish. The name of its post-office is Youngville, and it is twelve miles from Lafayette. It is happily situated, in that a large number of prosperous planters resort there for business, religious worship and other purposes. It is located but two or three miles from the Vermilion line, and nearer still to Iberia and St. Martin parishes, and draws a great portion of its business from those parishes. It enjoys the advantage of having two shipping points, the Bayou Vermilion and the Southern Pacific at Broussard, being four miles from each place. It has a very pretty Catholic church, at which worship a congregation more numerous than at any other church in this part of the State. There are several excellent stores, two drug stores, a large hotel and hall, private and public schools, three wheelwright and blacksmith shops, etc. There are three large cotton gins near the town. There are many well-to-do planters in this neighborhood. The extensive plantation of Mrs. M. M. Cade is within a mile of this point. Other large planters and land owners are P. B. Roy, E. Prineaux, Mrs. D. Roy, Martin Veret, Ros LeBlanc, Ed. Faber, B. F. Flanders, Mrs. Olivier Blanchet, 0. Theriot, Alex. Langhnais, Charles Dorby, etc. The last named is a colored man, working two hundred acres of land, which he cultivates to good advantage. There is probably more wealth represented in this town than any place of the same population in the State. Town lots are worth from $50 to $60; lands are worth from $20 to $30 per acre. Lafayette has two excellent newspapers for a town of this size, which is a good sign of the enterprise and progressiveness of the people. Nothing does more for a community than a live, wide-awake newspaper. Printers' ink judiciously bestowed is the very best advertisement a country can have. The oldest paper is the Lafayette Advertiser, which was established September, 22, 1865. Mr. Wm. B. Baily, the present editor and proprietor became connected with the paper as a partner during the next year, and three years later he became sole owner. He has edited and published it from that time to the present. The Advertiser is a live, energetic weekly paper, conservative, though strictly Democratic. It is especially devoted to the interests of the section of country in which it circulates. The Attakapas Vindicator made its bow to the public on the 27th of March, 1890. It was established by Mr. Oscar L. Alpha, and is a four-page weekly paper, Democratic in politics and progressive in its views. Mr. Alpha is also owner and proprietor of the Acadia Sentinel, which is published in the town of Rayne, of which more in the chapter on Acadia parish. Perrin.