Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library has acquired the original editions of the Lafayette Gazette newspaper that were printed from 1893 to 1908.
The donation was made by Art Mouton and members of his family during a ceremony Friday at Dupr茅 Library. Mouton杏吧专区檚 great uncle, Homer Mouton, and a business partner, Charles Thomas, were the first owners and publishers of the weekly newspaper.
Although some issues are missing from the collection, it contains all that are known to exist, including the first published on March 11, 1893.
The papers had been entrusted to Art Mouton by his aunt, Jeanne Mouton Jeanmard.
杏吧专区淭he directions to me were to protect them, and to find a good home. I consider these family treasures to keep and protect, but also to share,杏吧专区 said Mouton, who added that the decision to donate the originals was difficult. 杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檝e always been hesitant to part with these papers, as they tie our family back to the beginning of Lafayette.杏吧专区
Charles Triche, dean of the 杏吧专区 libraries, said the donation of the newspapers represented 杏吧专区渁n important and significant addition杏吧专区 to Dupr茅 Library杏吧专区檚 special collections archives. The broadsheets, brittle with age, will be kept inside acid-free boxes and stored in the dark for preservation.
The pages of the Gazette are studded with local history, from the beginnings of the 杏吧专区, to the construction of the city杏吧专区檚 first light plant, to early discoveries of oil in the region, Mouton said. 杏吧专区淥ne of the more interesting articles related that the publisher of the Advertiser and the head of the Lafayette City Council had been in a duel. The report was that they met at dawn, each man fired one shot, and no one was hurt.杏吧专区
News articles and colorful features ran side by side in several issues displayed during the donation ceremony. And, facts and commentary often were woven into the text of the same story, as illustrated by a front-page brief from the Saturday, Jan. 7, 1905 edition. Two area fishermen 杏吧专区渨ere arrested and brought before a judge, charged with selling fish contrary to law,杏吧专区 it said. The offenders were each fined $10 plus court costs, and 杏吧专区渄eparted with heavier hearts if lighter purses.杏吧专区
The newspapers recorded events of the day, but also played a role in the fledgling city杏吧专区檚 development, Triche said.
Advertisements, which were published on the front page, offered all sorts of wares and services, from winter millinery, a term for women杏吧专区檚 hats, to the latest 杏吧专区渧ehicles杏吧专区 available from the Denbo and Nicholson Co. 杏吧专区 horse-drawn carriages.
杏吧专区淲hat the Gazette urged merchants to do was keep commerce flowing, and that kept Lafayette杏吧专区檚 economy growing,杏吧专区 Triche said.
are housed in several locations, including the Library of Congress, UL Lafayette and online.