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SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HISTORY FOUND IN BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE
By W. T. Block
In conjunction with the microfilm of the American Press, the Southwest
Louisiana historian may wish to consider microfilm of Beaumont Enterprise as an additional
source. For many years a Lake Charles column appeared in it daily. Beginning about 1904,
the latter kept two reporters in Louisiana, one in Lake Charles, and "Prof.
Hallock," its roving reporter, on the Kansas City Southern Railroad. The following
record comes from sources that were published on the dates which appear:
"Oakdale, July 13, 1905--In 1890 the first building was erected
on the site of Oakdale, then known as Dunnville, by Mr. W. T. Dunn, who owned the site as
a homestead. In 1893 the Watkins (St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern) came in and the
name was changed to Oakdale. Its growth began in 1896 and it now numbers 500 inhabitants.
The main factors in its growth are the sawmills of Industrial Lumber Co. These mills are
each a mile distant, and many of the employees reside here.... Geographically, it is
located in Calcasieu Parish (later Allen), 59 miles from Lake Charles.
"In 1893 a building was erected to be used as a college. The
college was never a realization, but it was used as a private school for two years, and
since then for a public school. The school has two departments, which were taught last
year by Prof. T. J. Hargrove and Miss Nona Bryan. The enrollment is 150, and the term of
school was nine months. There are three church organizations - the Catholic, with Fr.
Cramer from Lake Charles; the Baptist, Rev. H. F. Killon, pastor; and Methodist, Rev.
King, missionary from Lake Charles. The Baptists have a flourishing Sunday School of 50
pupils, with W. R. Hargrove, superintendent....
"This place has ten stores , a livery stable, and two hotels,
and is the trading point of a wide scope of country... This year one car load of Irish
potatoes was shipped, and next year there will be a large acreage of this tuber planted.
Considerable cotton was marketed, and the clip of wool reached 8,000 pounds this year.
Considerable cattle are raised and sold to drovers. Land in this vicinity sells at from
$10 to $25 an acre. There are several fraternal orders, namely, Yellow Pine Masonic Lodge
#282, Henry Leggett, W. M.; Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Industrial Lodge #97, Clint
Rigsby, N. G.; Woodmen of The World, O. J. Miller, C. C.; and the Women's Circle, Mrs. O.
J. Miller, guardian... Saturday night was the installation of officers of Industrial Lodge
#97, which was organized in 1900 and has 42 members....
"Mr. W. A. Stovall is one of the few survivors of the Mexican
War... At age 16 he enlisted in the 2nd Mississippi Volunteers and served under Gen.
Taylor... At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in Co. C, 7th Mississippi... He
settled in Calcasieu Parish in 1892, engaging in the sawmill business. At present he is
proprietor of the Stovall Hotel in Oakdale... Dr. J. F. Love, DDS, attended New Orleans
Dental College. He has a large practice in Oakdale. Dr. J. D. Stalsby was born and reared
in Calcasieu Parish... He attended Mobile Medical College... Dr. E. L. Clough, physician
of Industrial Lumber Co., has a fine fruit farm of 30 acres....
"There is considerable sickness from malaria at present... A
long distance phone line has been installed, which will prove a great convenience. The
storm of Saturday night put the telegraph out of commission... Oakdale is a dry town.
"Nothin' doing in the booze line, but the boys will draw in a long breath when the
wind blows north from Oberlin.....
"DeRidder, Nov. 19, 1904--This is a comparatively new town and a
creation of the Kansas City Southern Railroad. It is about 8 years old, and has reached
2,500 population. It is the center of an excellent farming country, and one of the largest
wool centers in Louisiana, over 125,000 pounds being shipped out this year. As yet the
boll weevil has not been particularly troublesome. So far this year, 100 bales of cotton
have beeen marketed, and there are at least 300 bales yet to come in. DeRidder will be the
market for nearly 50,000 head of sheep. A large amount of ribbon cane has been raised and
hundreds of barrels of molasses will be made....
"The Hudson River Lumber Co. has a sawmill with a capacity of
150,000 feet daily, and it has a large acreage of standing timber... There are 625 square
miles tributary to DeRidder in the way of trade. Seven large general stores bear witness
to that... The fire of March 18 was not an unmitigated evil since fire brick buildings are
now taking the places of the shacks that were. An elegant $10,000 school house with a
corps of six teachers furnishes every opportunity in the educational line. The Masons and
Odd Fellows each have fine halls and a large membership. Religious services are held each
Sunday by the Methodists and Baptists....
"The Sante Fe is on the eve of building through here, the
terminal being Kirbyville, Texas, and Alexandria, with a tap running to Leesville and
south to Carson... An ice plant of large capacity is one of the industries. Electric light
has been put in use in part of the town, and in the near future will be in general use.
There is a bank here, which is a solid institution....
"The future of this town is assured, and that fact is
appreciated by outsiders who are coming in daily with a view to investment... During the
month of October (1904), 280 cars of lumber were shipped out. Considerable cotton came in
today. The prices range from 9 to 10 cents a pound... The Nelson hotel is deservedly
popular with the traveling public....
"There is an iron foundry which is prepared to turn out castings
of all kinds... The DeRidder Foundry and Repair Co. Ltd. is incorporated for $20,000. The
present plant represents $8,000 (investment), and is well-equipped for any work required
here. When running full-time, it employs ten men. J. W. Terry is president; D. L. Peyton,
manager; L. Sessions, secretary; they will complete the plant soon.....
"Merryville, Nov. 2, 1907; May 1, 1908--For a year past,
Merryville has been on a boom. Hundreds rushed here, and the town was filled with scores
of transients who came without any object in mind. These, as a matter of course, 'faded
away,' but their places are taken by a 'go-ahead' class of citizens...
"Notwithstanding, many new buildings have been erected, and the
end is not yet in sight. As in the case of all Western Louisiana towns, the sawmill
industry supports it... Fifty years ago, there were settlements in this vicinity, and much
of the adjacent territory has been farmed for years...
"A $12,000, two-story school building, size 64'x76 feet, has
just been completed. Seven school rooms, auditorium, office and library are located on
both floors. Prof. L. L. Squires of Lake Charles has been selected for school principal...
"A fine new Baptist church, size 236'x66 feet, has just been
completed, capacity 300 persons. A private telephone system has just been added, and Clara
McCall has just opened a millinery store in the Windham building. First National Bank of
Merryville opened on Oct. 1, 1907, with $30,000 subscribed capital, in a new building at
the intersection of the town's main streets.....
(In 1907, there were four principal sawmills at Merryville, namely,
C. L. Smith mill, capacity 50,000 feet daily; Baxter mill, 15,000 feet; J. E. M. Hennigan
combination mill, 15,000 feet; and Sabine River mill, 30,000 feet daily.)
"Fisher, Mar. 5, Aug. 5, 1905; Jan. 12, 1908--This company has
at this place one of the finest lumber propositions in Louisiana... This is one of two
mills owned by 4-L (Louisiana Long Leaf), the other being at Victoria, Louisiana...
"No expense has been spared in the equipment... The office is a
model as to arrangement and contains a fine vault. One is struck with the quiet that
pervades as he realizes the enormous business that is being transacted... The commissary
is conveniently arranged and carries a well-selected stock of goods...
"The Fisher Hotel, belonging to the company and managed by --
Stervant, leaves nothing to be desired as a caravansary (inn). It is known to all the
traveling public as he best between Beaumont and Shreveport. A handsome church and school
house along modern lines are a part of the plant. The whole place is brilliantly lighted
by electricity...
"With its new hardwood mill, oak and ash flooring are one of the
company's products. This company has recently erected at Fisher, La. a hardwood mill known
as No. 2. The other mill, known as No. 1, is used for sawing long leaf yellow pine. This
new mill is undoubtedly the finest hardwood mill in the state. It is located 1 1/2 miles
west of the old mill, and its dimensions are 46 by 176 feet, two stories high. It has a
daily capacity of 65,000 feet....."
"Ludington (1 1/2 mi. N. DeRidder), Nov. 19, 1904; Feb. 13, May
7, June 25, Nov. 19, 1905--The Ludington sawmill is the only mill in West Louisiana that
has two double-cutting bandsaws. A 48" Goldings and Lewis gang saw will be installed
at once... Friday is what the boys call "good Friday" (payday), which comes
every other Friday...This will throw in into circulation $30,000 {Note: Ludington paid its
employees twice monthly in currency, not mill checks.}...
"The Ludington mills are models in every particular... In an
incredibly short time, they have transformed a very large area of pine forest into a
perfectly laid-out and well-built village. Sewers and water extend to every house and the
grounds are beautifully laid out. Arrangements have been perfected for the erection of a
handsome school building and a church...
"A magnificent road is being built to DeRidder, 1 1/4 miles
distant, where the three fine autos of the city of Ludington can be used... The fact that
Bon Ami, DeRidder, and Ludington being only 4 miles apart, and DeRidder its central point,
with its fine Ford's Opera House, makes it especially pleasant...
"The town is beautifully laid out, every provision having been
made for water and sewerage. Arc and incandescent lights render the streets brilliant at
night, and good sidewalks make all parts of town easy of access in all kinds of weather. A
post office has been installed... A park has been laid out for shade and ornamental
trees... Ludington boast a first class baseball team....
"Pickering, Jan. 1, 1905--Pickering, a town of 2,000
inhabitants, is situated in Vernon Parish... All the interests of the town center around
W. R. Pickering Lumber Co., for it was that company that created it...
"Its sawing capacity if 200,000 feet. It has two single-cutting
band saws, and one Curtis-Dixie circular saw, 15 planers, and 2 edgers. It has just
completed four fine brick dry kilns, capacity 150,000 feet...
"It has 8 miles of tram track, four locomotives, and 29 log
cars. There are 285 men on the payroll, and to house them requires 162 buildings. The
company has a well-appointed dispensary under Dr. J. S. Branch, and a substantial school
building. There is a large commissary attached... and a complete system of electric lights
and water works are established....
Mansfield, May 30, June 1, 2, Oct. 19, 1908--Mansfield had no sooner
been incorporated, which was in 1845, than she had a newspaper... The first paper was the
Mansfield Advertiser, Roland Cole, editor. This was followed by the DeSoto Columbian, and
it in turn by the Mansfield Eagle, W. F. Bennett, editor. These papers were published
before the Civil War...
"The Mansfield Times was then launched by Messrs. Duke and
Clarkson, and later the Manfield Reporter by J. T. McClanahan. J. E. Hewitt started the
DeSoto Democrat, which will be 18 years old on July 8, 1908. In 1890 McClanahan began the
Mansfield Journal, which is the oldest paper in town. In 1894, the Mansfield Progress was
first published, which is still in existence. In 1906 Hewitt started the DeSoto
Enterprise, which is still being published (1908)...
"The DeSoto Lumber Co. and Central Lumber Co. have large plants
and put a large sum of money into circulation The DeSoto Foundry and Machine Shop does a
very large business... Mansfield permits no liquors to be sold in its borders....
"Socially Mansfield has the advantage over every town between
Beaumont and Shreveport. It is a very old town and has been noted for its culture,
refinement, and educational advantages. The Mansfield Female College has been a great
factor in promoting educational advancement in all this section. The public schools are
the best... and two banks of known stability are in evidence.....
"Fullerton, Apr. 14, Aug. 19, Sept. 22, Nov. 17, 1907; Feb. 27,
June 26, 1927; American Lumberman, Nov. 1, 1907, Mar. 17, 1923; Gulf Coast Lumberman, May
15, 1927--This magnificent plant of Gulf Lumber Company is located in Vernon Parish on
Sects. 32, 33 of Township 6... The plant has been laid out with the greatest care by a
most competent engineer, and when completed... a town of 3,500 people will spring up as if
by magic. There will be two immense sawmills, 250 feet apart...
"Seven hundred men will be required to man this plant when both
mills are in operation. This will insure for Fullerton a population of 3,500...The
stumpage (uncut logs) of this plant is 146,000 acres. This is equivalent to two billion
feet and will make its life for thirty years (actually 20 years)....
"Two miles south of Fullerton (at Rustville) is the company's
turpentine plant... There are 25 men employed at present, and in a short time, that number
will be augmented to 150... A. Badin is superintendent here and John Ginn is assistant
superintendent....
"(20 years later) A memorable event took place at Fullerton, La.
this morning, May 6, 1927. At that time they ran onto the carriage and turned into lumber
the last log of their once great stand of over two billion feet of long leaf trees... The
last tree was cut two weeks before the mill closed, then the log pond was drained to
obtain the sinker logs... The residents of this town have already begun to scatter over
the timber sections of the United States... This town when at its height had a population
of 4,000, three churches, a fine high school, one of the largest hotels, an up-to-date
hospital, theater, swimming pool, a half dozen stores, and a recreation park..... {The
Fullerton sawmill, capacity 450,000 feet, was the largest sawmill west of the Mississippi
River, and second only to that at Bogalusa, La. In some instances, the sources mentioned
above cover an entire page in Beaumont Enterprise and are much too long to quote at length
here. All quotes come from the author's Early Sawmill Towns of The Louisiana-Texas
Borderlands, 18 of 20 chapters being devoted solely to Louisiana.}
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