The Susquehanna was just one of the several lake steamers that served the New Orleans to St. Tammany route across Lake Pontchartrain.
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Showing posts with label Boats & Trains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boats & Trains. Show all posts
Monday, April 22, 2024
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Train Trip From Florenville to Abita Springs - 1886
In 1886 a reporter for The New Orleans Picayune newspaper took a train ride from New Orleans to Slidell, then on to Pearl River Junction, where he switched trains and headed towards Florenville, a town that used to straddle Hwy. 36 just west of Hickory.
From there he headed for Abita Springs, tracing the route of the present day La. Hwy. 36. He recorded his thoughts, his observations, and his astonishment at the progress of the railroad and logging industry.
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Above, an old 1895 railroad map showing the route taken by the reporter in the article below. The green line traces the railroad trip, from New Orleans through Slidell to Pearl River Junction (about a mile from the town of Pearl River), then over to Florenville, and westward through Generelly and Mandeville Junction and on to Abita Springs.
In the article, the track had not yet been completed all the way to Abita Springs and Covington. This track follows the path of current day La. Hwy. 36 and is different than the one that goes through Lacombe and Mandeville then north to Abita Springs (the current Tammany Trace).
"Mandeville Junction" was located on the current day La. Hwy. 36 and provided a track that headed southwest towards Mandeville (along the current day path of La. Hwy. 1088).
Here is the text of his article:
NEW ORLEANS TO ABITA
The Picayune August 11 , 1886
A Trip Through the Piney Woods Over the
Poitevent & Favre East Louisiana Railroad.
An Enterprise of Great Interest to This City.
Scenes in a Splendid Timber Country
The Home of the Southern Yellow Pine
On Saturday a representative of the Picayune availed himself of an opportunity to take a trip up the Northeastern Railroad to Pearl River, which is becoming a very popular resort for excursionists from this city. The fact that this run of thirty-rive miles is one of the pleasantest to be found in the neighborhood of New Orleans, seems to be fully realized by the public, judging from the large and increasing number of people who go out on the excursion trains every Sunday and spend some hours in the lovely woods of St. Tammany.
Although this railroad has been in operation for several years, there are many residents of the city to whom the route is unfamiliar. From the depot in the Third District, the track runs directly to Lake Pontchartrain along the embankment of the lower drainage canal, which is bordered by a luxuriant growth as dense as a tropical jungle. The spectator naturally wonders whether some day this rank vegetation will be cleared away, and the fertile land drained and prepared tor human habitation and agricultural purposes.
As we pass through this unreclaimed wilderness a passenger experienced in such work, remarked that it was not only practicable, but could be accomplished at an expense far below the popular estimate. In a few minutes we come within sight of the broad expanse of the lake whose waters, ruffled by the breeze, sparkle in the bright light of the morning sun.
Train Trestle
The train has now rolled out on the trestlework along the shore. Over twenty-one miles In length, it is probably the most expensive continuous structure of the kind to this country, For some thirteen miles we ran along a level, smooth track with the lake on the left and on the right hand the boundless marsh. Then, at Pointe-aux-Herbes, the train leaves the land and glides across the great bridge nearly five miles in length.
Far out on the lake flotillas of schooners, with all sails set and filled by the stiff breeze, are holding their course tor the Rigolets Pass which is barely visible as a gap in tne faint line of the eastern horizon.
First View Of St. Tammany
A thin border of glittering white sand and shells margins the green rim of the northern shore, whence stretches away to the dark woods a broad prairie overgrown with sedge and tall grasses. Here and there are pools of water that glow in the sun like mirrors of burnished metal, where herds of fat red cattle are standing up to their knees among the pond lilies. Snow white herons, flocks of chattering rice birds, and occasionally a lazy rail, startled by the whistle of the locomotive, wing their flight leisurely over the marsh.
A few minutes later and the train enters the shadowy pine barrens, and the whistle signals the first station of importance on the road, Slidell, twenty-eight miles distant from New Orleans. Seven miles further on, and we reach Pearl River Station, thirty-live miles from the city. The run has occupied a little less than an hour and a quarter. Here the reporter leaves the train. On the way up he has met Capt. John Poitevent, of the firm of Poitevent & Favre, and accepted an invitation to make a trip over the P & F, East Louisiana Railroad.
It is at this point that a branch of the East Louisiana Railroad connects with the Northeastern track. Originally a narrow gauge line, it was changed several months ago to standard gauge to conform with the Northeastern Road.
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Pearl River Station
While awaiting the departure of the Florenville train, the reporter had an opportunity to look about him and inspect the improvements which are being made. This station being the junction of the two roads and a resort for excursionists, it was determined to erect a large and commodious depot or station-house, which is now in course of construction.
Its dimensions will be 40 by 140 feet. The work is being done jointly by the railroads interested. A short distance from the track is a spacious dancing pavilion, erected by Mr. Lagroue for the accommodation of picnic parties. The words surrounding the station are thick and present a numerous variety of trees. There were standing on a side track half a dozen flat cars loaded with steel rails of the best quality, which are to be laid on the East Louisiana Railroad.
The reporter had scarcely completed his observations when the peculiar sound of whistle of the kind used on the Lake Shore Railroad announced that the train was ready to move. It consisted of a long line of eight-wheeled trucks manufactured by the Wheeling Foundry Company of Detroit, and specially adapted to the transportation of logs.
The Logging Train
They were drawn by a powerful locomotive, the "Pearl River," made by H. K. Porter & Co., of Pittsburg. Capt. Sam R. Poitevent, the energetic superintendent of the East Louisiana Railroad, was in charge, with Mr. Farrell, an experienced engineer, in the cab. The train had just dropped a load of trees into the river at the terminus of the main line, and had run up on the branch to the station. The route of the railroad is almost due east and west.
A 1894 Train Schedule
For a mile or two it leads through a thick hummock of oak, gum, ash, poplar, cypress and other trees common to the river bottoms. A large spring of excellent drinking water is passed. Springs and wells abound throughout the entire region.
Trees, Stumps and Logs
Very soon we were rolling over the line track at a rate of twenty miles an hour through the pine forest. The array of stumps which line the road indicated that the ax and saw had been busy in this section. Many large trees have disappeared from the vicinity of the route, and further off the density of the forest seems scarcely to have been broken. Laborers were observed along the, roadbed, placing telegraph poles in position. Fourteen miles of wire is aiready on the ground.
Six miles from the river, the train stops at Florenville, a village of from 250 to 300 inhabitants which has sprung up in the midst of the pine woods. It is named after a Frenchman, a large buyer of lumber, who paid a visit to the place several years ago. The principal buildings are a two-story hotel and a store belonging to Poitevent & Favre and the residences of Capt. Sam Poitevent and Mr. Josey Fevre. An artesian well is one of the improvements in course of completion.
Alter a short stay at Florenville the train goes out seven miles to the end of the road for a load of logs. En route we pass five immense barns, or stables, where the stock belonging to the railroad company is housed and fed. The necessity for such extensive accommodations for cattle is shown by the fact that the company has in service about fifty teams, which average five yoke of oxen per team, beside a large number of mules.
Through spaces in the woods, on each side of the road, could be seen a score of these teams hauling logs to the "ramps " or platforms at intervals along the track. From the ramps the logs are easily rolled off skids on to the trucks as they move up in succession.
Two miles from Florenville a spur track runs southwest for three miles and penetrates a magnificent timber forest, where gigantic pines and fine cypress trees are numerous. Continuing on the main line the road traverses a cypress belt. It is there that the cypress ties are being cut that Poitevent & Favre are shipping by the thousand through J. J. Fallon. of New Orleans to a Central American railroad company.
As the train approached the present extremity or the road the timber appeared denser, and finally a virgin forest was reached, which is still untouched by the ax. An almost unbroken silence reigns in these woods. Except when the ax men and sawyers are at work, the only sound to be heard is tne soughing of the wind in the pine tops.
This is the Choctaw land. The graves of their people are scattered through the woods, and off to the south is the settlement where linger the last of the race. Nine miles to the southwest is Mandeville; seven miles due west are the Abita Springs, and two miles beyond and almost in the same straight line is Covington on the Tchefuncta.
Covington
The latter town is the objective point of the East Louisiana Railroad, towards which it will be pushed rapidly as soon as the busy summer months are passed. There are no obstacles in the way, the ground is level and firm, and ties are plentiful. By the time the writer had made an excursion to "Generelly Station," half a mile from the end of the road, the train had been loaded with its burden of logs which were rolled upon the trucks from the ramps. There were four or five logs to a truck.
Some idea of their size may be formed from the statement that one tree was estimated to weigh 10,000 pounds, being a spar 86 feet long and 18 inches at the top. It Is no unusual thing to haul 225 trees per day on the railroad. Last month the timber transported aggregated 1,500,000, and with good weather, the amount for August will foot up 2,000,000 feet.
Train Trucks Filled With Logs
The "Pearl River," drawing the immense train of logs steamed off to the eastward at the rate of from 15 to 20 miles an hour, This speed is rendered practicable by the excellent condition of the roadbed. which requires very little ballasting: the ties are placed close together and are well laid. The road leads directly to the bank of Pearl River, and the trucks line up with a chute or sloping framework of legs very strongly constructed.
The process of unloading was very interesting. The logs once started from the trucks rolled down the inclined and dived into the river, raising a great commotion in the water and sending the spray high up into the air. The stream at that point is from twenty to thirty feed deep, and runs with a four mile current at high-water stage.
The logs, each bearing the owner's mark, float down the river for thirty five miles, and are arrested in their voyage at Pearlington, where the Poitevent & Favre Mill is situated. There they are converted into lumber of various kinds, at the rate of about 120,000 feet per day, and go out in this new form on the vessels of the company and foreign ships to the Gulf ports, Europe and other parts of the world.
Nearly 300 men are employed on the East Louisiana Railroad. The total length of track, including branches and switches, is about seventeen miles. The road is in excellent condition, fully equipped and in first class running order. The Poitevent & Favre tract of land, comprising some 75,000 acres, is bisected by the railroad, the sections on each side having an average width of about six miles.
By next spring the line will have been finished to Abita Springs and Covington.
President Galt, of the Queen and Crescent Railroad, (The Northeastern) is anxious to have the road completed to Abita Springs, which, he thinks, will attract many visitors from the North and West. He will make special rates over his road from Cincinatti and other Western cities. The trip from New Orleans to Abita by the Northeastern Railroad and East Louisiana Railroad will occupy less than two hours' time. It will be an easy matter for the residents of this city to visit daily the healthful pine woods of St. Tammany and profit by the medicinal and sanitary properties of the springs.
Railway connection between Abita and New Orleans, which has so often been discussed as a possibility of the future, is soon to be a fact, a reality.
End of article
Thanks to Janice O'Berry for additional information in this article.
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Folsom Train Track Abandoned
The railroad line between Covington and Folsom played a major part in the development of those communities, as one of the area's first exported products consisted of timber and lumber. These building materials helped construct homes in Covington, Mandeville, and New Orleans and some were even exported to other places across the globe.
In 1930, however, the railroad company proposed to abandon the line between Covington and Folsom. In order to appease the outcries from the local business leaders residents, the company promised to upgrade and improve its railroad service from Slidell to Covington with better and faster trains.
The parish police jury was against the idea.
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The local newspaper questioned the wisdom of abandoning railroad lines
The line was losing money, according to the company.
The Greenlaw Lumber Company was located a few miles north of Covington. It cut timber from a wide area, and even built a spur railroad line from the Folsom track westward into Tangipahoa Parish.
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Thursday, December 8, 2022
Mandeville Memories Stirred By Article
An article by Polly Morris about the old Mandeville Train Depot was published in the St. Tammany News Banner in October of 1976. It offered a nostalgic look at the old Mandeville train depot as it slowly deteriorated in the mid-1970's.
Her article stirred many memories of Mandeville area residents, so much so that one of them wrote a Letter to the Editor about the train depot article. Here are some excerpts from that letter:
Former resident returns and reveres old memories
St. Tammany News Banner November 3, 1976
St. Tammany News Banner November 3, 1976
From the time I was born until I was twenty one or two, I spent every summer in Mandeville, and the greatest thrill of every week was meeting Dad at the Depot Friday evening.
Mandeville Train Depot
I've just returned to this area after having lived in Oregon, Washington State and Tennessee, and one of my greatest thrills was looking for, and finding, the old landmarks of my youth. New occupants, new owners greeted me almost everywhere I went refreshing my memory of former tenants.
I found that many families had lived in our home on Marigny, "Hasta Luego," since we gave it up. However, I was happy- to see it still standing reflecting the joys of our happy summers spent there.
Many new faces prayed in our old familiar church and although the sermons of today do not give you the fear of hellfire and damnation of the past, the foundation of religion remains the same and I felt thankful to still enjoy my freedom to pray as I wished.
Bakery Revisited
I was a bit disappointed not to find Mr. Raquets bakery still sending out tantalizing odors of hot cinnamon buns and mouthwatering bread and donuts! As I peeked in the shop windows I found the little bakery inhabited by a plant loving family who probably never even enjoyed those "old time" gastronomical delights.
The old boat landing used to be our favorite fishing spot where "our gang" gathered to crab and fish and shrieked with joy at every catch! Today sailboats and yachts fill the channel which was a very busy thoroughfare whenever the Madisonville and Susquehanna arrived on the scene bringing happy voyagers back and forth from New Orleans.
The Susquehanna
Dr. Payne's Home
Dr. Paynes' home still stands behind the white picket fence which identified him to all in need—ah, yes, I remember him well.
If the old Williams Drug Store could talk ( it is now an antique shoppe) it would surely laugh along with me remembering my fumbling, bumbling bargain with Mr. Williams over my first pack of purchased cigarettes (smoked behind our old barn ). Mr. Williams saw through my scheme and knew how sick I would become. No fooling him.
It's so good to be hack in St. Tammany again, perhaps you call it nostalgia, but as I read the beautiful and touching article by Polly Morris, I had to wipe the tears away as I relived this vivid past realizing, "Mandy Depot" may be gone forever, but the many happy memories connected with its days of service in the past, shall linger on as long as I live!
ANNA RIBBECK
Riverwood Dr. Covington, La.
Riverwood Dr. Covington, La.
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Tuesday, October 4, 2022
New Orleans Great Northern Railroad
Ralph Hawkins, a former resident of Covington, now oversees the "HawkinsRails.net" train photo scrapbook, with hundreds of pictures of trains, locomotives, specialty cars, and railroad information, including maps.
Here's a link to his page on the history of the New Orleans Great Northern Railroad, which was called "The Ozone Route" because it passed through portions of St. Tammany Parish.
Click on the link below:
https://hawkinsrails.net/steam/nogn/nogn_steam.htm
Many of the photographs on the Hawkinsrails.net website were contributed by Matt Hardey of Covington, who has quite a collection of railroad pictures of his own.
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Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Covington In The Old Days - Carol Harrison
In the early 1970's, Carol Harrison of Carol's Corner Bookstore fame would travel weekly to the LSU Library in Baton Rouge to take notes from the early pages of the St. Tammany Farmer newspaper on what of interest was happening in Covington.
She typed up her discoveries and shared them with readers of the newspaper in 1972, some eighty to ninety years after they first appeared. Here is the text of her articles entitled "Only Yesterday: Covington Potpourri." Some editing has been done.
ONLY YESTERDAY (COVINGTON POTPOURRI)
By Carol Harrison
Introduction
Looking Back In Time
Time is such a strange thing. The present so soon becomes the past. At first, it's just "yesterday" and then "last year" and then "Goodness, time goes so fast ! It wasn't really five years ago that we did 'thus and so"'. Time goes forward, minute by minute ....hour by hour and day by day ....year by year, and there isn't a thing we can do about it. Wouldn't it be interesting if we could cast ourselves twenty-years into the future and look back on the present age that we're living in now? Just imagine!
Think of the mistakes we could avoid if we could see their end result! But life is not like that. We must live each day ....making mistakes because we are human and paying for our stupidity and short‑sightedness.
Even though it's impossible to "look back" on our present, we can look back on our ancestors' "present", and its fascinating! For months now, I've been going up to Baton Rouge once a week to spend three and a half to four hours in front of the microfilm machine at the L.S.U. Library, looking at copies of old Covington newspapers.
Every edition is a story of the PRESENT.... a written record of life as it was in Covington at the time the paper went to press! Such a relatively short time age - and yet unbelievably different in so many, many ways! The way of living, the way of thinking, of dressing, of education, transportation, government, entertainment - it's all changed! For the good? Who's to judge? Who can say? One must make that decision for one's self.
Each Tuesday, it's like a visit back in time, and I have a great feeling of responsibility to share my discoveries of our town with you my fellow citizens ....So come with me through this series of articles back in time to Covington as it used to be-‑ such a short time ago--really, only yesterday!
The Early Overview
There isn't too much in these early papers, but the advertisers alone paint a picture that only a Norman Rockwell could put on paper in a visible form. These were the days of those old fashioned super markets known as General Merchantile Stores. In these emporiums, one could find everything he could possibly need at that time. As A. F. Schrisher, Jr. advertised when he opened his new store and proudly claimed he had "dry goods, hats, chickens, groceries, flour, bacon, sugar, coffee and so on to the end of human wants!" (I don't believe humans wanted as much then as they do now .
Another store belonging to H. J. Smith advertised as follows: "Dry Goods, Shoes, Hats, Crockery--and highest prices paid for wool, hides, chickens etc".
There were quite a few of these stores--all advertising more or less the same things, so Covington must have been quite a thriving little town.
Among the names listed are Jules Pechon, Mrs. O. C. Vogel (she sold wines and liquors along with everything else!), Charles Heintz, A. S. Koltuitz, William C. Warren, J. E. Smith.
You see, Covington was the shipping point to New Orleans markets for all the farm produce for miles around--even into Mississippi and Georgia. People from far and wide would bring their wares to Covington via oxcarts to either sell to the merchants there or to ship directly to New Orleans merchants on the schooners that bi-weekly plied their way back and forth to New Orleans.
You see, Covington was the shipping point to New Orleans markets for all the farm produce for miles around--even into Mississippi and Georgia. People from far and wide would bring their wares to Covington via oxcarts to either sell to the merchants there or to ship directly to New Orleans merchants on the schooners that bi-weekly plied their way back and forth to New Orleans.
The Schooner Trade
Schooners!! Can you imagine'? It's hard for me to! This was only ninety-three years ago ....only yesterday. But schooners there were, and they provided the lifeblood for Covington's survival and well being. At this time, the light draught schooner F. M. Pippo--along with the steamer Camelia -- seemed to be the most popular ones.
The schedule for the F. M. Pippo was as follows:
"Leave Covington every Tuesday and arrives in New Orleans Wednesday"
"Leave New Orleans Saturday and arrives in Covington Sunday"
Rates of Freight: Cotton per bale—$.25, Dry barrels-$.25, Sacks--$.15.
Occasionally, when the F. M. Pippo or the Camelia needed repairs or a new paint job, which they would get at the thriving Madisonville ship yards, they'd be replaced by other schooners. The "Dorio and "Doris" were the substitutes for the Pippo when she was 'laid up', and the "Abita" came to the Camelia's aid.
Everything seemed to be peaceful and quiet on the water front--both schooners getting their fair share of the trade. Suddenly however, the plot thickened and a young upstart lady steamer by the name of "Alice" appeared on the formally tranquil scene. The ads in the paper fairly bristled!
The New Camelia and Abita advertised: "guaranteed prices below rates charged by Alice and the new little lady grandly advertised "$.75 round trip to New Orleans. The excursion will take place without fail-wind and weather permitting."
Then the sassy little steamer planned three trips a week to New Orleans instead of the New Camelia's two. Can't you just see Captain C. S. D. Porter of the Alice glower at Captain Hannover of the New Camelia on passing on the street? About this time (1880) the New Camelia was sold to Mr. W. G. Coyle who also owned the steamer Heroine- so another soldier entered the ranks!
Around 1881 yet another schooner started plying her way on the New Orleans, Mandeville, Madisonville, Covington route--a boat by the happy name of The Sunbeam. The captain of this ship was Mr. John Poitevent. In his ad, he mentioned that he landed in New Orleans at "Canal and Carondelet Streets."
Another schooner that came to Covington and was always eagerly anticipated-especially by the editor was the ship Velocity captained by a Mr. Rhodes. This very popular ship was the town's seemingly best source of fresh oysters--although on occasion Captain Clark on the schooner Chinchuba would bring in a load.
Although the New Camelia, the H. M. Pippo, and the Alice seem to have been the most popular schooners, a few more names pop up in the old issues of The Farmer from time to time. There was the Two Sons which "left from the head of the New Basin Canal in New Orleans every Thursday and from Covington every Monday". Then there was a schooner by the name of the Bessie M. whose Captain was Mr. John Boardman, but after two months on the "lake trade" he evidently found the competition too great and moved to the Gulf Coast to do business.
Then in 1886 there appeared on the scene a schooner named Day Dream which was purchased by a group of Covington business men whose president was Colonel Joseph A. Walker.
The schooner Rebecca owned by Frank Hosmer and Adolph Frederick appeared suddenly in 1886 in this lucrative New Orleans-Covington traffic jam across Lake Pontchartrain.
Dredging The River A Key To Commerce
Because of the vital importance of this boat communication between New Orleans and this side of the lake, it was imperative that the Tchefuncte River and its delta be dredged periodically to allow these boats between enough depth to navigate. Evidently this was done not too infrequently, and was financed by the state. This time in 1886, the folks who lived on the Bogue Falaya and used that river for freighting, decided to try for state funds also--which they succeeded in getting.
In the article in The Farmer where they discuss the need for the dredging, the writer told about three bad sand bars that were giving the schooners trouble. "Two" he said are "in front of the town of Covington and one near the wreck of the gunboat Oregon" which is bound to have been an old civil war boat !
Even after the money was appropriated, it took months of pushing and complaining on the part of the citizens to actually get the work done. Committees would come down from Baton Rouge to discuss "ways and means" and in the meantime the schooners would get grounded and tempers wore thin.
The schooners would pull up to the wharf at the end of Columbia Street--or Old Landing depending, I think, on the amount of water in the river. Columbia Street was handier for loading freight. However, even back then, there were constant articles fussing about the terrible state of disrepair that the road leading down to the river was in.
Road Repairs
At one time, it was contracted by the city to fix it, and this was accomplished by dumping a lot of brick bats in the holes. Have you walked down there lately? You can still see the results of that contract. (No time at all ago if the brick bats are still there! )
At one time, it was contracted by the city to fix it, and this was accomplished by dumping a lot of brick bats in the holes. Have you walked down there lately? You can still see the results of that contract. (No time at all ago if the brick bats are still there! )
A typical list of freight of the time must have been as this quote "cotton, cattle, tar, broom handles, eggs, molassas, sand" (really) "Five tons junk"!
These boats were THE only touch the people of Covington and its environs had with the outside world! Just imagine! There were no telephones. no telegraph, no trains or planes or radio or television. These boats were it! There were, of course, stage coach lines connecting these towns, but this was a hazardous, time consuming and undependable means of travel as bridges were constantly being washed away and roads flooded.
No, these boats were it! It was they that brought the mail, and news of the big outside world, and visitors to Covington--and their coming and going was understandably a big occasion. The captains of these ships were very honored and respected men.
Hack Lines (Taxi Services)
Travel on land was completely dependent on the horse--either by itself under a saddle or pulling a carriage. The equivalent to our buses and taxi cabs were horse drawn vehicles. There was a steady ad appearing in these early papers advertising a "hack line" belonging to Mr. Robert Badon whose ad read thus: "This old and popular carrier, meeting the steamer Camelia at Madisonville, Mandeville. and Old Landing is carrying U. S. Mail, and thereby enabled to out distance all opposition. Everyone is treated courteously and charges are uniform and no delay on account of old horses and other vexation. Traveler desirous of speed and safety, will look out for Mr. Baton,"
Bridges and Ferries
In imagining this sort of means of transportation you must realize that there were very few bridges, and those that were, were extremely unreliable. At Madisonville, for example, there was no bridge--only a ferry operated by a Mr. Charles Davis, who advertised that he was opened at "all hours of day and night", and that his rates were as follows: "Horse and Carriage—$.20, Ox Wagons and Teams--$.45, Single Horse--.$10, Passenger-‑ $.05."
Constantly in these old papers, are reports of bridges either being totally destroyed by floods or ones in dangerous stages of disrepair. It seems as though in almost every issue they're either passing our beer in celebrating the repairing of a bridge, or trying to collect money to fix another.
When a bridge was out of commission, a temporary ferry boat would be installed to get horses and carriages across the rivers.
Accidents
We read with horror of our present day automobile wrecks, but with no more horror than in their "present" read of accidents brought on by their means of transportation. There were constant reports of runaway horses and carriages. Once the editor of the paper looked out of his window to see Mr. So and So's riderless horse go cantering down the main street!
The worse accident thus far reported was one that happened at Old Landing back in 1885. It all started when the rival steamers, the New Camelia and the Grover Cleveland pulled up to the landing at the same time. One blew his whistle to the other, and the other responded with a loud toot from his. In the meantime, the passengers happily hollered from one boat to another.
Evidently, the resulting noise frightened the horses waiting on the shore, and four of them who were pulling carriages, panicked! Fortunately, it was reported, there was a full moon, or the damage would have been much worse. As it was, one elderly woman who was in the process of getting into a carriage when the noise started was thrown to the ground and badly hurt, as well as a very interesting person who I had come to be a great admirer of, was killed.
This worthy gentleman was Mr. T. W. Rawlings, overseer of the Sulphur Springs Plantation. He frequently used to come into the newspaper office bringing produce that he had raised to share with our most appreciative editor.
Hotels and Boarding Houses
Covington was then, as it is now, a place of peace and quiet where the New Orleans people escaped to. They would come over on one of the schooners, be met at the landing by a carriage who would in turn take them to the hotel or boarding house of their choice--and there were many ! --both in Covington and Abita Springs (the famous watering place of the South ).
Among these resorts, those that seem to be the finest were Mulberry Grove managed by Mr. Charles Thiery, three miles outside of Covington on the Lee Road, which is now privately owned by Mrs. Donald Maginnis, Sr.
The water from the well here was analyzed and found to be equal in quality to Abita Springs water. Claiborne Cottage which was located in the small community of Claiborne which then existed across the Bogue Falaya from Covington where Thrift Drugs and Claiborne Hill Super Market now stand.
It was managed for many years by "Mr. J. Jaufroid" and "Mrs. E. Jaufroid". The Martindale House which was owned by Mr. F. B. Martindale who was the mayor at the time. This house was later sold to Mr. C. G. Joyner and became known as the "Joyner House". Cedar Grove Hotel owned by Mr. Francis A. Guyol ; then there was Mrs. Bossier's Boarding House in Abita Springs: and Rosedale Cottage which used to be an old convent and was bought and converted into a hotel by Mrs. L. C. LeBreton.
The famous Long Branch Hotel which advertised 18 rooms and was then managed by a Mr. Frank Level (who later walked into the woods one bright and sunny morning in 1880 and killed himself! ).
Abita Springs Resorts
Abita Springs as you readers probably know was a very popular and fashionable "watering place" and summer resort. In 1886 a group of supposedly far‑seeing New Orleans businessmen got together and formed the Abita Springs Company. They organized to form plans to (1) build a large resort hotel, (2) to clean up the whole town, and (3) to build a train from Mandeville so that the New Orleans customers would be conveniently and quickly transported to the luxurious accommodations awaiting them.
This company issued stock which was offered for sale--but which was eventually all bought by a Mr. William Henry who thereby became sole owner of the company. He told a newspaper reporter "We will have the best and most attractive watering place in this country". It's just as well that Mr. Henry can't see his dream town now!
From the ads, one can, with the magic aid of imagination "see" what life in these pleasant summer resorts must have been like. All of these establishments were designed to provide peace, quiet and healthful rest to their guests. They were in operation only during the summer months and closed during the winter. They advertised "shade trees" and healthful water from "deep artisian wells", "excellent cuisine with fresh homegrown vegetables."
Home and Parties
These guests didn't rush over for a quick weekend as we do now, they came to spend the summer, and the hotels, realizing this tried to create a real "home" atmosphere. At this time, one didn't leap out of bed to leap to the grocery to leap to the cleaners .. ..it wasn't a "leaping" atmosphere at all. Ladies would leisurely wander among the shade trees and spend pleasant hours with other ladies on benches under the shade trees sewing and chatting and reading such popular magazines as Godey's Lady's Book, Vanity Fair or Arthur's Illustrated Home Magazine.
The cost of these hotels and boarding houses seemed to be more or less the same, i.e.: "Board for month--$30.00, Per week--$7.50, Per day $1.50". These prices included three meals a day!
I'm sure an oft discussed subject among these ladies was either a party that has already taken place or one that was soon to do so. Several of these events have been described in these old newspapers, and ....oh!...more than almost any other comparison, these parties show how very different those times and ours are!
There was one party especially that was described which sounded utterly delightful! It took place at the home of Mrs. John Charles Barelli which is presently the lovely home of Mrs. Fred Chapman. This house was built before the War Between the States, and was at this time in a beautiful state of repair with flower gardens adorning it like a well-dressed lady.
This particular party was a garden party given for the benefit of the Methodist Church. It was described as being the "social event of the year" and not only was a fine party where everyone enjoyed themselves tremendously, but was also a financial success for the church--netting an unbelievable amount of money which I won't even quote here, because I'm sure the paper accidently added an extra zero or two.
At this party they had "parlor charades, vocal and instrumental music, recitals by `young ladies' and concluding with comic and sentimental songs, sketches, etc. by the amatuer groups called "Covington Minstrals".
The article went on to describe the refreshments as being ice cream, cakes, candies, and punch. The young people danced 'till the wee hours of the morning' and, after the church folks had gone home "spirits" were served. "The church party was over at 12 o'clock" was the answer to the criticism they got !
Another gala party was given at the Bossier House in Abita--an ice-cream party that served two hundred guests! It also had parlor games, dialogues, `speakings', recitals by 'young ladies' and dancing. (No 'spirits' were reported at this one!) In the report, the names of the various dances were listed ! --they being "the Virginia Reel, Waltz, Polka, Mazourba, Heel and Toe, and the Tucker".
They sound like fun, don't they?--much more fuss than what our sole entertainment has gotten reduced to cocktail parties!
Patent Medicines & Home Remedies
There are three more I absolutely must tell you about: Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription "which is best of all restorative tonics". It's for "worn-out, 'run-down' debilitaled school teachers, dress-makers, milliners, and over-worked women in general." The second is "For Men Only- a quick, permanent, certain cure for lost or failing manhood, nervousness, weakness, lack of strength, vigor or development." There was no name with this ad--just an address where this precious elixor could be purchased!
And that last--but far from 'least' is this absolutely wonderful friend to theladies . . Just listen! and I quote: "Wine for Women ...McElree's Wine of Cardui--makes ladies vivacious, cheerful and fascinating in society. It converts scolding wives, cross sisters and homely girls into loving mothers, amiable daughters and beautiful women. It corrects all derangments peculiar to ladies, relieves the pains to which they are subject, quiets the nerves, purifies the blood. and restores health. It also imparts vitality and insures a clear complexion!"
How in the world are we surviving without these wonders that our ancestors enjoyed! Think of our "torpid livers", our impure blood, our jangled nerves, our falling wombs, our failing manhood! All could be cured so easily if someone would only restore to us these lost elixirs of life!
Then, if these marvelous cures didn't work, there were some "home remedies" that had been passed down from one generation to another that simply couldn't fail! I ran across several, and what's so unbelievable to contemplate on is the fact that even some of the diseases that these claimed they could cure are no longer a threat !
Here are a few home cures mentioned "Alder leaves steeped in hot water and applied warm will speedily reduce swelling occasioned by cuts". And "a Dr T. P. Clingman claims that leaves of tobacco moistened in water and applied to affected parts will cure gout. rheumatism, neuralgia and other similar diseases. It also may be applied to cuts and wounds."
As well as: "White of eggs for burns and scalds ....raw eggs for dysentery.... for a boil take skin from a boiled egg. Peal carefully, wet and apply to boil. It will draw-off the matter and relieve soreness in a few hours."
There were no dermatologists, and the local doctors were probably miles away. Besides, there weren't the lovely pain killer friends we have today to help us.
Deadly Plagues
There were, of course, at this time horrible plagues that would kill hundreds of people in a matter of weeks. The three that are most often mentioned in these old papers are yellow fever, smallpox and cholera--the first being the most feared in these parts.
In one of the very first papers there is a quote from the New Orleans Democrat which states: "The loss by yellow fever through the destruction of crops by neglect, stoppage of trade and minor causes is estimated at $200.000,000." The people were justifiably terrified of this killer and the newspaper reported any cases in surrounding areas. ..such as:
"Yellow fever has appeared in New Orleans. Several cases and two or three deaths reported";
"Many interior towns are quarantining against New Orleans's mails, freights, and passengers":
"180 cases of yellow fever reported in Memphis--82 deaths";
"180 cases of yellow fever reported in Memphis--82 deaths";
"Yellow fever continues in Memphis:
Monday, August 18, 1879-New Cases: 17 Deaths: 7.
Tuesday, August 19, 1879-New Cases: 31 Deaths: 5.
Wednesday. August 20, 1879--New Cases: 27 Deaths: 4
"Continues unabaited in Pensacola and is conceded to be assuming a more malignant type":
"In Havanna deaths nearly one hundred per week":
Monday, August 18, 1879-New Cases: 17 Deaths: 7.
Tuesday, August 19, 1879-New Cases: 31 Deaths: 5.
Wednesday. August 20, 1879--New Cases: 27 Deaths: 4
"Continues unabaited in Pensacola and is conceded to be assuming a more malignant type":
"In Havanna deaths nearly one hundred per week":
"Broke out in Biloxi. Mississippi-‑quaranteened--trains don't stop " ....at Biloxi and Mississippi City--strict quaranteens on both cities...."
And then a small report that a Dr. Carlos Finley was making experiments in Havanna with mosquitos.
And then a small report that a Dr. Carlos Finley was making experiments in Havanna with mosquitos.
Just a small insignificant article. "Mosquitos!" You can just hear people say "How ridiculous! These doctors and their silly notions!"
Smallpox was the next most feared and even though "Doctor Jenner's vaccination" was known, and it was not by any means trusted by the average 'folk'. However, the newspapers were doing their best by urging people to be vaccinated. If smallpox broke out in a house, a yellow flag must be flown on the premise to warn people.
In fact, here again, the home remedy was a lot more dependable--it being "one ounce of cream of tartar to a pint of water. It will cure a victim in three days time. It has not failed in 100,000 cases!"
The only reference to cholera was a very small report of a terrible epidemic in Egypt which seemed likely to be spreading to London--In this article it said, "Mr. Pasteur says everything must be boiled to combat it."
Doctors
As far as good, honest-to‑goodness conventional medicine went in Covington, there seemed to be two doctors at first. One was Dr. E. R. Randolph and the other was Dr. J. E. Chambers. The former's ad read "Late of New Orleans ....tenders his professional services to the people of St. Tammany Parish and surrounding country." (And this large area covered by horse and carriage alone. )
This Dr. Randolph was evidently so busy with his work that he never changed his newspaper ad and from 1878 when he first started advertising in the Farmer til he died the ad continued to state "late of New Orleans". This man was not only a doctor, but was an extremely active citizen of Covington. He was on the school board for several years and ended up being mayor of the town.
Dr. J. E. Chambers advertised that his office was "next door to Ingram's Corner." In 1880 there appeared a new doctor by the name of Dr. S. W. Rawlins whose office was on Columbia Street.
These three doctors did their best to keep the people of Covington in good health until in 1882 they were joined by yet another man of medicine--a Dr. B. B. Warren, whose office was over his father's drugstore.
Then came Dr. George Tebault ("Late of Mandeville") and a Dr. D. B. Peirce ("Late of Franklinton"). Then in 1881 a Dr. C. Faget "of Paris and New Orleans" set up an office in Mr. Cahier's store!
Covington, therefore appeared to be not only the shipping center of the area but the medical one as well!
As far as dentists went at this time, there seemed to be only one in residence--a Dr. F. H. Knapp. Occasionally, however one would advertise that he would be in Covington for a week or two and would take patients while in town. Dr. A. C. Gribble whose office was in Rosedale cottage was one of these."
End of "Only Yesterday, Covington Potpourri" article
Click on the above image to make it larger and more readable.
Carol Harrison Jahncke went on to compile her research into a hard cover book entitled "Mr. Kentzel's Covington."
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