The Patout Stable (copy unedited)

I read that there were three old girls in a warehouse down at a sugar refinery in Patoutville. I felt like I knew where Patoutville was but I was wrong and resorted to looking at my big Louisiana map book. Patoutville, the other one, is just southeast of Jeanerette, one of the fine old towns of Sugarcane Alley, which is Old US 90 east of New Iberia, my definition. It was 2:30 and a little cool. I heed and hawed and finally got away about 2:45, a record for finally making up my mind. If I couldn't find the girls, I'd be no worse off for the ride as it was a gorgeous afternoon.

I cruised down 347 to St.John Plantation. St.John will come into play later. While I was there, I shot the little rail tug they have on display at the mill. I should have gotten off the bike but time was marching on.



Then it was on to New Iberia where I hooked up with La.87 at Olivier. Which reminds me, I just heard Jim Olivier died. He was an icon of early Lafayette television.

Down 87 I went until I got to the LSU experimental farm. There I crossed the old bridge. The approaches to the bridge, on both sides of the Teche are postcard quality. I took a few pictures so you'd get a little taste of the place.











Here's a nice house near the end of the alley which intersects Old US 90 where I went east toward Jeanerette. I'd be back this way. These rides do get symmetrical.



Patoutville was not hard to find.
There is not much there but this old building, which can't be as old as what is on the front declares (1825). I'm sure it reflects the date of the founding or it's an address. It is
the date the Patouts arrived here.





Across the street was this house. I liked the layout and the Spanish tile roof, one of my favorites. The chimney seems to be an old style. I've used chimneys to date many places.


Having pretty much done Patoutville, at least on the surface, I moved on to the mill which impressively stands high in the bare landscape of early growth sugarcane fields.



Ok, I'll zoom in a little closer.



That's the back side.

I entered the plant. There were big trucks buzzing around in a seemingly unstructured manner. I was a bit tense having never actually entered a sugar mill. Actually, I did once and was chased by a fat rent a cop, on foot. I think I later saw him downing some ham at Lea's in LeCompte. Sorry, I sometimes stray from the story.



There were few people there as this is preseason.
I decided to look around a little before trying to actually make human contact. If I was to be thrown off the property, I at least wanted to leave with something to show for it. I saw the first evidence that I was in the right place, as if there was another huge sugar mill in Patoutville.

On the list of sights to see at the Enterprise Mill was the former Southern Pacific depot from Baldwin, LA. It is super when people save these old discarded buildings. It says to me that these are good people. I would not be disappointed.








I could not avoid it any longer, I needed help with finding
the girls. Would I have to enter the monster?



No. I parked at a little house and went inside.





The secretary asked if she could help me. I told her I was looking for Ida P., Stephanie and Mary Ann. She said that she didn't know anyone by those names. My attempt at levity had failed and now I felt stupid. I explained that they were old steam engines. I still got a blank look. She asked my name. I gave it. She asked who was I with. I told her I was alone. She asked what company. I told her I was retired. I need to make up a name, "retired" creates a antagonistic atmosphere at times. People look at me and figure that I just can't find a job. I guess it's my boyish good looks? Maybe I should model? She gave up and said she'd get someone. After about three minutes of under the breathe talking overheard from the office, out comes this late forties looking guy. He introduced himself as, dern, I can't remember names, but his last name was Duhe. Bingo. I knew I could make a connection because I knew a Mr.Preston Duhe from this area. It turned out Mr.P was Mr. D's uncle. Things got real relaxed as he showed me out to the barn where the ladies awaited. Well, at least 2 of them. He said they owned two more that were on loan to Six Flags in Houston.

I know you can't wait and neither could I. Opening the door was a chore, but we made a big enough crack to get in.

I got ahead of my self. That happens.
Here are four pictures that were hanging in the office. I shot them while I was waiting for the office conference on who the hell I was to conclude. Again, get it while you can cause you might get thrown out, a hard and continuously learned lesson.

I'm uploading these in a larger size so you can click on them and see them better.

They are of the mill in another time. One seems to have
a train, bellowing smoke leaving the mill. If not so, just
imagine it.




What's wrong James, you need glasses? No, I blurred it. That is a shame since it is the best of the four. Look at that pentagon shape on the upper right of the picture. At the base of that 5 sided shape (pentagon) is what I believe is a steam engined train headed north.

Next is some machine they were very proud of. It is huge,
maybe one of the first sugarcane harvesters. It does look
like something out of Star Wars.



There were more pictures of it.



Ok, on to the barn.

But, but first, I forgot to show you this, another reason I knew I was in the right place before checking in at the office. I know, I'm unorganized. If she is one of the girls, her name should be Cinderella, fitting for a steam engine. Unfortunately, a facial would not help her out much. I would find out by accident her name is "Bessie" on a public forum. I've added that information below.










I thought this might be Mary Ann. Mary Ann was described as made by Porter. If so, she was built in 1920. That engine is described as a 0-4-0 ST&T (saddle tank and tender???) The tender part does not make sense since that engine is too small. I thought the real Mary Ann is off at Six Flags whooping it up. This one is a Cinderella. My guess was correct.

Oh, you still want to see the barn?

First, speaking of the little engine above.
The H.K. Porter without a cab is "Bessie", 6458/1920. She is in her
present condition as the result of an accident. She was stored inside in the metal
building that also contained brown sugar; it is sad to see her sitting outside now.
.
The H.K. Porter stored in the back of the shed is "Ida P"; 4375/1909.
She appears to be complete, and in great cosmetic condition.

She shares the shed with an extremely rare machine, "Stephanie", a Dickson
0-6-2T, 1005/1898. Mr. Patout had sold her to a private owner in Mississippi, who restored her. (Mr. Patout expressed disatisfaction with the work.)
When he died [the Mississippi fella], the engine returned to Patoutville, where it remains stored to this day.

The two engines, also owned by the Patout family, are running at Six Flags over
Texas in Arlington are:

"Lydia", a H.K. Porter 0-4-0, #1754/1897. She is the smaller of the two,
and is painted red. She is only used for backup power or when traffic at the park
is light.

"Mary Ann", a Dickson 2-4-2, 1280/1901. She is painted green, and is the
primary engine at the park. Both engines run on diesel fuel.

The park paid for the restoration and upkeep of both engines;
but they are still owned by the Patouts.

There was talk at one time of setting up a tourist railroad in Patoutville. Apparently, nothing ever came out of it; but probably explains why there is a station on the mill grounds.
_________________

The pictures of the engines are next.

I'm sure you want to see the carriages first.










Now, the engines:

I do believe this is Stephanie, though I did not get a picture of her plaque. I was such a dazed dummy. The place was cramped, the door would not open and the engine was up against it which limited my ability to get off a good shot. It was frustrating. I should have gone to the micro mode, but I'm not that sharp when confronted. Mr.D told me that this engine, he couldn't remember its name, was on loan to a fella in Mississippi and that the guy had committed suicide and that they had to go fetch it. I noticed the light was off of it, placed on its side. The place was something out of a horror movie, full of spider webs and deep, very deep dust from the gravel road that runs on its side. The place needs a volunteer. Ok, here's who I think is Stephanie, described as an 0-6-2 Dickson 1005 built in August of 1898. That's old. Now the Levert, St.Johns Plantation connection: Mr.D said he believed that there was a swap of engines. St.Johns needed a smaller engine and Patout had one. Thus, in 1939, Patout got Stephanie. I just found the prof. It is Stephanie.


See the Dickson stamp. Also, there's the removed head light.

Here are 3 of her 6 drive wheels:



At this point I'll show you what I took of Stephanie. Remember, I could not get a good shot. The cab blocked the engine when I tried to get a shot from behind. The door blocked a frontal full shot. Some may seem repeats. There are subtle differences that someone might be interested in. They are just a reflection of my moving about the room as I could.








The Firebox



Right Window



Left Window



The Firebox



The Steam Pressure Gauge



The Roof "Window"



And More Angles





I found the confirmation stamp on this one.



You can't take too many pictures.
You may display too many pictures.









Thank you Stephanie. I really felt like a photographer taking pictures of a model in a closet. Closeness can have its drawbacks, even with a model.

Now Miss Ida P., Could you come in, please.

You ought to see
Miss Ida P.

May I present to you Miss Ida P., indeed a beauty.
Miss Ida is a 0-4-0ST&T (Saddle Tank and(?)Tender) Porter, number 4375, built in Pittsburg in 1909.

First I'll show you the carriage which rides behind her which was made on site by local craftsmen. It was set on the wheels of an old cane hauling gondola. I use gondola because I have no other word for what it was. It carried cane. This is a work of art. There was so much wood around, I think all the engines burned wood.

The coals on the cab floor and later seen wood in the tender bore that out.












I told you it used wood.






And a large one of inside the cab. Click it.



Thank you Miss Ida P.
I'm sure the P is for Patout. (pau-too)

That's it for the barn. I could do no more. I was physically and emotionally exhausted.
I returned to my bike and took a few more shots of the mill. Those big pots were the old way of extracting sugar from the cane. They are very hard to find, though, I think a place in Jeanerette still makes replicas.



Thank you Mr. Patout and Mr.Duhe.



I regathered my strength and took off for more shots on the way home.
I can't believe this was just a little three and a half hour putt. It's taken me twice that long to write it.

I returned to that 678? road and saw this old building. If you don't know what cracklins "is", learn.



And I finally got a good shot of this place.



Then I saw the tracks that went to the mill. I shot this going north to where the branch met the main line.



I went down this dirt road that was arrow straight. I think it might have been an old bed. It was very close to the existing rails.



I got to the tracks. I seemed to be on the Old Sugar Mill Trail as an old chimney loomed ahead. All of S.Louisiana is on the OSMT.



As I crossed the tracks this was the view.



I was back on 182 (Old US 90)
I immediately saw an old tin covered building that I recognized as a railroad building. Ok, I may be wrong.



Just down the way is this little place which backed on the Teche. It's for sale.



I think, though it was down a ways, that this historical marker goes with this house.



This little place was on the big house property.



Next, I returned to the LSU bridge which was opened which meant it was closed, one of the contradictions, of which there are many in South Louisiana.



I turned to return to the bike. This is the other postcard side of the LSU bridge road.



We haven't done a church yet and I've never shot this one. So, two birds with one stone or shot.



I wasn't understanding the red letters until just now. In an ornate Bible, often the first letters on a page will be highlighted, or maybe it's the letter of each paragraph. I haven't checked lately. So, as always, this disclaimer: I may be wrong.

Here's the church. I tried to get the colored windows, but the church was in the shadows, the sunny side was blocked by the foliage.



Near it was what now looks like a crack house which is different from a craklins house, previously pictured. It was once a fine home.



I left Old 90 and crossed the Teche heading for Loreauville. I thought I was through with anything railroad related. Not. If you know what you are looking at, you can't escape the evidence.

I crossed La.86 and the Teche again. I was now on the inner loop of Bayou Teche that goes from north New Iberia to Loreauville to mid New Iberia to points east, Jeanerette, etc. I came to the old Vida bridge and shot it again. It is due for destruction.

Again, opened means closed.



The neighbors want it to stay because it keeps the big trucks out.



If Louisiana keeps destroying its history, it can kiss tourism goodbye. They want to replace the bridge with some big cement junk to facilitate truckers that now carry sugarcane to the few mills that still exist. Fact: sugarcane makes better, cheaper fuel than corn but, being the most stupid people in the world, we continue funding corn fuel while being corned. Look to the "backward" country of Brazil for guidance. Our poor farmers are turning to raising wheat. I saw what I believed to be wheat at Patoutville.

More history on the inner loop.



Do you need a good aluminum welder, come to S.LA. There are several boat building businesses at Loreauville.

I came to this big bump in the road. I know what these are. It was an old bed and it was headed to the bayou. I stopped and tried to see if there was a trestle still there. I couldn't see. There was a young fella mowing. I approached and asked him if there was anything left of the old rail bed, like a trestle. Much to my surprise he knew. No there wasn't a trestle but his neighbors had the old blocks that supported a station, a station that had been on the Missouri and Pacific line that went through here. I'll have to trace it but I'll bet it hooked up with Henderson on I-10 or maybe Lafayette, a more likely route or Breaux Bridge, an even more likely route. I could go on.



That's a lot of going on for a bunch of old blocks.

Next, I crossed the Teche Bridge into Loreauville.



Here you go Greg, the old bed that runs through town and a road sign that pretty much identifies, maybe, where it goes.






Then there is the stop light fence. I stopped in a little unused driveway patch and took this picture. Then this guy starts yelling at me and this friendly dog comes up to sniff the bike and me, both bearing my dog's scent. I waved the camera at the guy so he'd stop yelling "can I help you" and from the tone of his voice, I don't believe he wanted to "help me". There are crazy couyans out there and then there's some really nice people. You might say south LA is in balance. Just my personal opinion. I know most places are like that. Good, I'd hate Heaven to get overcrowded.

Oh, here's the stop light fence.



Now, it was on to home by way of St.John. Which engine came from St.John? Stephanie.

People always see the ritzie side of plantations. Here's the not ritzie side.



And my road home, really, my road.



Yes, St.John was served by the railroad. I'll bet it was the Missouri and Pacific, also.

This one's been tough. I spent twice the hours writing than I did riding. Hope you liked it. Steve