The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, a city and the capital of Caddo parish, Louisiana, in the N. W. corner of the state, on the W. bank of Bed river, at the head of low-water navigation, 330 m. above its mouth according to Humphreys and Abbot, or 500 m. by local authorities; pop. in 1870, 4,607, of whom 2,168 were colored. It has since been enlarged, and the population in 1875 was locally estimated at 12,000. It contains many handsome residences and substantial business structures, is lighted with gas, and has a good fire department and several miles of street railroad. The principal public buildings are the new market, costing $50,000; the Presbyterian church, costing $35,000; and the synagogue, a fine specimen of architecture. The surrounding country is very productive, and the climate is mild and generally healthful. Shreveport is the E. terminus of the Texas and Pacific railroad, which affords an all-rail route to St. Louis via Marshall, Tex. Steamers run regularly to New Orleans and intermediate points on the Red and Mississippi rivers. The trade is extensive and increasing, the value of shipments amounting to about $7,500,000 a year, and the sales of merchandise to about $7,000,000. The shipments of cotton average 100,000 bales annually, including about 20,000 bales from the upper Red river reshipped at this point. The transactions in hides, wool, and tallow are also considerable. The principal manufactories are two of carriages, one each of cotton gins, cotton-seed oil, sash and blinds, and spokes and hubs, three founderies and machine shops, a planing mill, two saw mills, and three breweries. There are three private banks, two public schools (one for white and one for colored children), nine private and denominational schools and academies, two daily and weekly newspapers, and eleven churches (Baptist, Episcopal, Jewish, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic), of which five are for colored people. Shreveport was incorporated in 1839.