LAKE CHARLES SETTLED & INCORPORATED - CALCASIEU PARISH, LA Contributed by Margaret Rentrop Moore Source: Southwest Louisiana Biographical & Historical by William Henry Perrin; published 1891 page 150 - 153. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ LAKE CHARLES SETTLED. - Lake Charles was settled-it was never regularly surveyed and laid out as a town-about 1852. It was incorporated about 1857 under the name of Charleston, for one of the first settlers of the place named Charles Sallier. It then had a population of from three to five hundred souls. and about the same time it became the parish seat. In 1867 it was incorporated under the name of Lake Charles, and still retaining the name of the old pioneer, Charles Sallier. The following is the act of incorporation: SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana, in General Assembly convened, That the inhabitants of the town of Lake Charles in the parish of Calcasieu, and the same are hereby made a body corporate and politic by the name of the Town Council of Lake Charles, and as such can sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, shall possess the right to establish a common seal, and the same to annul, alter or change at pleasure. Sec 2 Be it further enacted, etc., That the limits of said town of Lake Charles shall be laid out in the following manner, to-wit; Beginning north on the east bank of Lake Charles, ten acres above the residence of Joseph L. Bilbo, thence southward along the bank of said lake to and including the lands of Michael Pithon; thence eastward on a line parallel with the line of lands of W. Hutchins, and so as to include the residence of J. V. Moss, to the line which intersects the lands of J. V. Fouchey and W. Hutchins; thence on a parallel line with said intersection line of J. V. Fouchey and W. Hutchins as for north as to intersect an east and west line from the place of beginning and comprising all property therein situated. SEC- 3. Be it further enacted, etc., That the municipality of said town of Lake Charles shall consist of a mayor and five aldermen, three of whom, together with the mayor, shall constitute a quorum to transact business. No person shall be eligible to the office of mayor or aldermen who does not reside within the limits of said corporation and is above the age of twenty-one years the said mayor and aldermen shall be chosen by the qualified voters hereinafter provided for in this act; said mayor and aldermen to be elected on the first Monday in June each and every year. The remaining sections up to ten define the duties of the different officers of the town, etc. The act is signed by DUNCAN S. CAGE, Speaker House of Representatives. Approved March 16, 1867. ALBERT VOORHIES, A true copy. Lieut. Governor and President of the Senate. J. H. HARDY, J. MADISON WELLS, Secretaiy of State, Governor of the State of Louisiana. A writer thus speaks of the incorporation of Lake Charles; "Up to ten years since its population had not reached more than eight hundred. About that time the Louisiana Western Railroad was constructed, and communication being established with the cities of Texas on the west and New Orleans on the east, the citizens were no longer dependent upon schooners coming up the Calcasieu River, and new people came in, new enterprises were started, the town began to grow, and the limits were found too small. Under a general law of the State the corporate limits were enlarged, and the little stopping place of cattlemen bloomed into the beautiful town we now have, with a summer population of three thousand six hundred, at least four thousand winter residents, containing seven hotels, two banks, an ice factory, two machine shops, one large opera house, nine very large saw-mills, three shingle mills, around it." Following is the municipal government: Hon. A. L. Reid, mayor; E. D. Miller, secretary; W. A. Knapp, treasurer; C.B. Richard, collector; and councilmen: J. C.Munday, E. J. Lyons, Sol Bloch, Robert King and J. T. Brooks, A GO-AHEAD TOWN.-That Lake Charles is a live, go-ahead town, is vouched for by that able advocate of its advantages and capabilities, the American, as follows : Lake Charles is situated on the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, two hundred and seventeen miles west of New Orleans, one hundred and sixty miles east of Houston, Texas, and at the terminus of the Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Railroad, soon to be completed. The city is situated upon the eastern bank of a beautiful lake. Upon the north an immense virgin forest of long leaf yellow pine extends hundreds of miles. On the south the great coast prairie stretches to the gulf, and eastward for more than one hundred and thirty miles, an expanse of surpassing grandeur, with soil of marvelous fertility and a climate the most genial upon this continent. Hon. W. H. Harris, Commissioner of Immigration for Louisiana, says of the country about the town: "The climate of the prairie is admirable-breezy and cool in summer, mild in winter, and health at all times. Altogether this region may be regarded as the loveliest in Louisiana." With such reasonable care as intelligent people exercise in all countries, this climate has been found to be generally healthy and very beneficial to pulmonary, bronchial and rheumatic troubles. Every winter people come to Lake Charles as a health resort. Lake Charles is the largest town it) Southwestern Louisiana. Previous to the war it was only a village of one or two stores, a rude form of court house and a log jail. New stores were added after the war, and as the superior merits of the Calcasieu timber became known, it began to assume importance as a business center, and to-day has a population somewhere between four and five thousand souls. They are energetic, live people, and are engaged in milling, merchandising and all other pursuits that man follows for a livelihood. Northern capital in the last few years has found out that here is a good place to invest its surplus capital, and Lake Charles numbers among her stanchest citizens to-day Northern men who were attracted here by the superior location and soil for which this parish is noted. Lake Charles has ten large saw mills, three shingle mills, an ice factory, two shipyards and about fifty miles of narrow gauge tram road that is used in carrying logs to the lake and river. All lines of merchandise are represented here. Lake Charles can boast among her business men, men of money and enterprise, who have confidence in her future, and having confidence, they are willing to risk their money. Prof. S. A. Knapp is the local agent and general manager of the Southern Real Estate, Loan and Guarantee Company. The company commands unlimited capital, and is composed of men both here and in the Northern office who are thoroughly acquainted with their business, and parties who desire either to buy or sell should not fail to call on them. They buy and sell real estate in large quantities. To sell blocks to actual settlers is their special hobby, as they are determined to settle up Calcasieu parish and make it the small farmers' paradise. This company is composed of leading capitalists of England, and is cooperative in its action. The president is a prominent member of parliament. The Watkins Banking Company, another large moneyed institution of this country, has an office here, and is a leader in settling up this parish with the hardy yeomanry from the Northwestern States. The company owns large bodies of land in this and adjoining parishes, besides which they are building a railroad to Kansas City. The Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Railway, now being built from this city in a northerly direction, is progressing as rapidly as could be expected. The winter has been very favorable for railroad building, and the contractors, Messrs Kenedy & Stone, have made excellent headway. The building of this road will do more for this section of country than anything else. Already the country along the line is fast being settled up by the thrifty Northern and Western farmers, who know that with the completion of this north and south road this will be one of the most inviting sections of country in the South for the fruit growers. We are Informed by a reliable gentleman that the lands along the line and near it are being taken up very fast, as all are seeing the great future of this country in fruits. This gentleman says there are excellent rice lands and fruit lands along the line for some distance, but his opinion is that they will not last long, as they mean money to everyone who owns them. This company has lately laid off, inside the corporate limits of the city, two hundred and sixty acres of land in addition, and has graded fifteen miles of streets.