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The population is composed of small planters, belonging to the 



middle classes, honest, industrious, possessed of considerable public 

 spirit: and willing to be led in any scheme of feasible improve- 

 ments that may be proposed. All that is required is the guiding 

 genius who will initiate the measures. No social community, in any 

 part of Louisiana, pays more attention to the education of tho young 

 than the people of the northwestern parishes. The schoolmaster is 

 literally abroad in that part of the land. In many neighborhoods 

 through which I passed, though poor in appearauce, yet teachers are 

 engaged for the session, who have no less than a thousand dollars 

 guaranteed to them for their services, which is a large salary in 

 countries where board can be had at from ten to fifteen dollars a 

 month. 



Numerous railroads are also projected through northwest Lou- 

 isiana. One is to connect Monroe with Shreveport, which ought to 

 have been completed long ago. Another is proposed to extend from 

 roe to Fulton, Arkansas, and a still more important route is 

 contemplated, connecting Shreveport with Memphis. The com- 

 pletion of these roads would give a new impulse to the planting 

 interest, and would develop the natural resources of these parishes 

 on a far more extensive scale. 



Cotton spinning and the manufacture cf cotton goods has also re- 

 ceived some attention. A small cotton mill has been lately estab- 

 lished at Arizona, six miles from Homer, in Claiborne parish, operat- 

 ing about three thousand spindles, and being principally engaged 

 in the manufacture of osnaburgs; another factory of smaller capa- 

 city has lately been established at Mount Lebanon, Bienville parish. 

 Establishments of this kind, for home consumption and partial^ also 

 for foreign supply, may possibly succeed to a limited extent; but it 

 must not be supposed that north Louisiana can ever become a great 

 manufacturing district, such as exist in Massachusetts and else- 

 where, for to manufacture on a large and extensive scale and enter 

 into competition with rival establishments possessed of immense 

 ital, it requires water power which the northern parishes do not 

 mi power being too expensive where there is no coal 

 right on the spot. Besides for successful manufacture it requires 

 a large population in prosperous cities, where the supply of" white 

 skilled labor is abundant, so as not to be exposed to the necessity 

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