Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 15.djvu/35

Rh 21 mainly in large masses north and south of the Red River, and also in the east of the State. 1 The native fauna of the State resembles in its general features that of the other Gulf States. Large quadrupeds are comparatively rarely met with, although occasionally there are seen black bears and wolves, and in the swamps an occasional panther. Smaller quadrupeds, such as raccoons, squirrels, wild cats, opossums, &c., are still common. Every bayou contains alligators ; and reptiles of various species, such as turtles, lizards, horned toads, rattle snakes, and moccabin snakes, are abundant. The avifauna of the State is varied and abundant, comprising eagles, vultures, hawks, owls, pelicans, cranes, turkeys, geese, part ridges, ducks, tc., besides numberless smaller species, many of these, as in other parts of the world in the same latitude, being brilliant of plumage, but harsh of voice. The surface geology in its general outlines is very simple. The whole alluvial region and the coast swamps, besides a considerable portion of the prairie and pine flats bordering upon the lowlands, are of the most recent or Quarternary formations, while the remainder of the State, comprised mainly in the region west of the Ouachita and Calcasieu rivers, is Tertiary, with the exception of a few very small islands of the Cretaceous formation in the north-western part of the State. In the Tertiary region are found small quantities of iron ore, and an indifferent brown coal. But the only important mineral product of the State is rock salt ; the deposit upon Petite Anse Island, in the coast swamp region, has been extensively worked, and produces a very high quality of salt. In 1880 its production was 312,000 bushels.- The principal industry of the State is agriculture, and in that cotton takes the first place. Out of a total area of tilled land of two and a half million acres, more than one-third was planted in 1879 with cotton. The total production was 508,569 bales, an average of &quot;59 of a bale per acre. Louisiana stood seventh in the list of cotton-producing States, being exceeded by Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, and South Carolina. The cotton crop is cultivated both in the alluvial and the upland regions. In the former there were raised in 1879 282,390 bales, on 364,790 acres, an average yield per acre of 77 of a bale. In the latter region 498,080 acres were planted, giving a total yield of 225,385 bales, an average of 45 of a bale per acre. The great depth and fertility of the alluvial soils are strikingly illustrated by these average yields. In the coast swamp region but little cotton is cultivated, the total yield in these parishes, as reported by the census, being but 794 bales. The production of other agricultural products, as given by the census of 1880, is as follows : Indian corn Oats Bush. 9,906,1S9 229,810 Wheat ,, fl,(3t Eye . ... 1,013 Tlhrts. 171,70(5 Sugar cane ..-| M( ^ las - s --;- ;;;;;; Sweet potatoes Uice . Bush. 1,318,110 lb 23,1890:18 Tobacco 55,95-1 Rice is cultivated almost entirely in the lower coast region, on the margin of the swamps, upon their prairie islands, and in. the alluvial region south of Red River. With the exception of its navigable streams, the State is not well supplied with the means of transportation. The only railroads of importance are the Chicago, St Louis, and New Orleans, which connects New Orleans with Cairo, Illinois ; the Louisiana and Texas Railroad (Morgans), which runs from New Orleans westward to Vermillionville, and thence northward to Cheneyville ; the Louisiana Western Railroad, from Vermillionville to Orange in Texas; the New Orleans and Pacific Railroad, from New Orleans to Shreveport ; and the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Pacific Railroad, running from Delta to Monroe. Besides these there are several minor lines. The total length of railroad is 632^ miles, and the 1 Of these two species of trees, Professor Sargent, of the United States Census Bureau, estimates that there were standing on June 1, 1880, 26,558,000,000 feet of the long-leaved and 21,625,000,000 feet of the short-leaved species. The cut of the former for the census year was 61,882,000, and of the latter 22,709,000 feet, the total cut being but - 2 per cent, of the amount standing. There is every probability, however, that the rate of destruction will increase greatly in the future. cost of construction $44,869,342. The gross returns for 1880 were 3,238,318, and the net returns $984,497. Louisiana, like the other Southern States, has latterly made Manu- great advances in the manufacture of home products. In 1880 factures. there were 120 looms and 6096 spindles, which used 1354 bales of raw cotton. The banking interest is not extensive, as will be seen from the Banking following statement, from the report of the comptroller of the cur rency in 1880: Number. Capital. - $2 875 000 3 2 723 698 liivate bunkers 8 53,333 Total 18 5,652,031 The number and circulation of newspapers and periodicals for 1880 are as follows: Number. Circulation. Dailies. 13 38 765 97 (f 1 1 s 2 950 According to the census of 1880, the population of the State Popula- was 939,946. This was divided nearly equally between the sexes, tioii. females being but slightly in excess. The proportion of the popu lation which was of foreign birth was very small, being but 5 &quot;5 per cent., while in respect of race, the negro element outnumbered the whites, being 51 5 per cent, of the total population. The following table gives the number in each of the above classes: Male. *4R8,75l White 4.U.954 Female 471,192 .N ntive StTi.SOO Foreign 51,140 The following table exhibits the groth of the State in popu lation since it became a, portion of the United States: Per Density Pel- Density Population. Ceil, of of Popu Population. Cent, of of Popu Increase. lation. Increase. lation. 1S10 76,556 1-7 1850 517,762 46-9 11-4 IS-. O 1 52,92 ! 99-7 3-4 1S60 708,002 36-7 15-6 is ;o 215,7:i9 4.1-0 4-7 1S70 726,915 2-6 16-0 1840 352,411 C3-3 7-8 1880 939,040 29-3 20-0 The principal cities are New Orleans, with a population of 216,090 ; Shreveport, in the north-western corner, population 8009 ; and Baton Rouge, the State capital, 7197 .* The State is fairly well provided with the means of education. Eiluca- School attendance, however, is not very general. Out of a popu- tion. lation of 330,930 between the ages of six and sixteen, 78,528 were enrolled in public schools, and the estimated average attendance was 50,248, or less than one-sixth. There are in the State seven colleges, with 49 instructors and 786 students. As in the other States of the Union, the government is distri- Adminis birted among the executive, legislative, and judicial departments, tratiou. The executive is represented by the governor, lieutenant-gover nor, secretary of state, State treasurer, auditor of public accounts, attorney-general, and superintendent of instruction all these offices being elective, and the period of incumbency four years. The legislative power is vested in a general assembly consisting of two branches, the lower one being the house of representatives and the upper one the senate. The members of the former body are elected every two years, and the number is by law never to exceed 120 nor be less than 90. The members of the senate are elected for four years. The number of senators is fixed at 36, and the senatorial districts are apportioned according to the population. The judicial power is vested in a supreme court, district and parish courts, and justices of the peace. The supreme court, except in cases specially provided for by law, has appellate jurisdiction only. It is composed of one chief justice and four associate justices. These are appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, and hold office for a term of eight years. The State is divided by the legislature into judicial districts, in each of which there is a district court. The number of districts in the State cannot by law be less than twelve nor more than twenty. The district judges are elected by the voters of the district, and hold office for four years. Each parish has its own court. The parish judge is elected by the voters of the parish, and holds his office for two years. In addition to this each parish elects a certain number of justices of the peace with power to try minor cases. The State is divided into fifty-eight parishes (equivalent to counties), and each of these into a certain number of police jury wards which are designated by their numbers. 2 The capital was removed from New Orleans to Baton Rouge in 1880.