The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-12-23
The Public Roads.

the last number of the Courier, there
appeared quite a spirited article
on the present condition of our pub
lie roads. In the main [ fully APP
prove Of the article, but as | am one
of those entrusted with the enforce
ment of the road laws, [ request
space for an explanation.
At the fall term, 1870. acting un-
der a presentment of the Grand jul
~, | filed informations against IL
road overseers for neglect Of duty.
A subsequent examination of the
general laws Of the State, and the
ordinance of the Police Jury, on,
virced me that q conviction would
be an impossibility, owing to the fact
that in many instances the ordinan-
ccs of the Police Jury, were in direct
conflict with the provisions of the
Revised Statutes upon the same sub
,jcct matter. The cases were accord
ingly continued. and eventually a
n0Ue pr0sequi entered in each case.
The. attention of the Police jury HAY
ing been called to this subject, at a
meeting in August last, they appOin-
ted a committee Ofwhich +. T. Lewis
and myself were made members for
the purpose of revising and amend
ing the ordinances ftlle Police jury,
so as to make these harmOniZe with
the State laws upon the same subject
matter. This we accordingly did,
and the ordinance having been re-
ported to the Police Jury was adop-
ted at a session holden for that pur-
pose on the 2lst day Of August, and
the ordinance having been duly pro-
mulgated, became the second
day of Septc nbcr, 1871. Under the
provisions Of this ordinance, the
roads throughout the parish We're re-
districtcd, and road-oversecrs APP
pointed by the Police jury Oh the
fourth day of September, 1871.
The Grand jury, for the fall term
ofthc District Court, was empanelcd
on the 23d day ofOctober, following,
composed of gentlemen of4igh stan
ding, from all the different portions
of the parish. They reported with
ont exception, that, under the pro
visions of the new ordinance, work
was being vigorously prosecuted by
the road Overseers, and as they had
been so recently appointed, without
any dissent, the Grand Jury returned
into court a report, stating the facts,
and declining, for the present, to di-
rect prosecution to be instituted.
In thisI fully concurred, as it would
have been, to say the least of it, a
harsh proceeding to have indicted
the present rOad-OyerscerS tOrneglect
OF duty, when nine-tcnths of them
had only been appointed but a few
weeks-and even tho they had been
ever so well disposed to have put the
public roads, throughout the parish,
in order, they could not have done
so for want OF time. 1.-THE Editor of
the Courier will call to mind the
charges to the Grand jury, by Judge
King, since he has been Oh the bench,
| am convinced he cannot blame him.
and if he will remember that Cap
tain May al not appointed Super
intendent of Public Roads until in
August, 1871, | think he will come
to the conclusion that he too is not
in fault. Owing to the long neylec-
ted condition of our public roads, it
will necessarily require some time to
put them in order. It cannot be
done in a week, or a month.
In conclusion, | hope the Editor
Of the Courier may continue to keep
this subject before the people. When
he says many of our roads are in a
condition to disgrace any civilized
community, l fully agree with him ;
but at the same time let him wait
until the new ordinance has had a
sufficient timeto produce the results
which he expected from it's adoption.
The April term of court, | think, will
convince him, and the public, that if
roads are not worked in the future,
it will be the fault Of neither the
Road Superintendent, the District
Judge, now the District Attorney. |
can assure him that road o]verseers
who have been delinquent in dis
charging their duty, will then be
dealt with according to law.
G. w. HUDSPETH,
District Attcrpnv