Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-03-12
How Apply the Appropriation?

that this paper has frequently urged upon tn
Police Jury the Importance Of giving its atten
ton to the formation of good roads from dis
tant AMI populous neighborhoods of the Parisl
to its seat of government. No policy like thi
can ever be detrimental to the interests Of tn
parish but on the contrary cannot fail to b.
conducive of great good, and is truly one o
the legitimate duties of the parochial authori
ties. We were therefore much pleased to no
tice, in the Police Jury proceedings Of las
September, two appropriations granted of :
thousand dollars each--one for making or as
sisting to make a road across the Cutoff al
what is termed "The Island" on the other side
of the river, and the other for "repairing the
Crosse Tete Road" A special ordinance de-
tailed the manner in which the appropriation
for the former road should be used, and we
believe that three gentlemen were appointed a
committee for the purpose Of devising a judi
cious use of the latter. Is it arrogant in US to
inquire what shall be done with this latter do
nation for the Crosse Tete Road? IF it is in
tended that it shall remain in hand, to be annu-
ally used for the purpose Of clearing away logs
and filling up bitches after the overflow has
subsidized, it would have been better, in our
humble opinion, that the money appropriated
had remained in the vaults of the parish trea-
sury. Certainly no appropriation should be
made by the parish unless it is intended that it
shall be expended for a permanent object. Any
other description of expenditure would be a
wase<-only beneftting temporarily, and maxi
ing its want more apparent when there was no.
thing more to eypend.
Between Plaquemine and Crosse Tete, not
withstanding the increasing business, there are
sympathies and relations which will create in
creasing travel as time advances. No improve
ment in any other direction, or political change,
can prevent it. We observe at this time, now
that the road is overflown, that a daily packe.
steamer plies between the two places, conveying
freight and passengers to and fro, and appa-
rently doing a very good business.
But how, it may be asked, can the one thou
sand dollars appropriated by the Parish for the
improvement Of the Crosse Tete Road, be ap-
piled in any permanent manner? We do not
know that we could answe the question in
any satisfactory manner, but may, perhaps, give
an idea that may not be improbable or unin-
teresting. At the present stage of the water
on the road, (and it is seldom that it will ever
be higher, judging from the past.) a levee four
feet in height, extending eight or nine miles
up from the ferry, would be high enough to
keep the water within its banks on the bay
and on the bayou; there are but one or two
hollows or bayous requiring filling up. Now,
if this leyee was made sufficiently broad at the
top to form a road for vehicles to pass each
other, would it not be a useful and permanent
work, and afford to the Crosse Teteians and
others all the year round, what is now so much
a good road! We know not what the
expense of such a work would be, but we |
know that the one thousand dollars appropria-
ted by the Parish would help considerably in
the starting of it. II, then, private subscrip>
lions sufficient to complete it could not be OBJ
(Which we think would be impolitic
even if obtained,) why not form a joint stock
company, obtain a charter, make the road an
excellent one, and toll it during the season that
water is above the level of the natural bank.
The Legislature would be most happy to char
er a company whose operations would bring
10 much good land into the market, and the
me thousand dollars of the Parish, taken in
took, instead of a donation as it at present
tands, would in time, doubtless, be the source
f a handsome dividend. By this means, like
wise, the public could rely that the portion Of
he road leveed would always be kept in good
rider.
The above remarks are thrown hastily toge-
her, and intended for the reflection of others.
hey can do no harm and may lead to some
hing beneficial. We will refer to the subject
gain.