The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-09-30
ADVERTISEMENTS.
Proceedings of the Police Jury,
Parish Of Ascension.
DoSAIDsoSyILLE, Sept, Is, 1882.

Parish of Ascension.
| DoNALDsoNyILLE, Sept. Is, 1882
| Pursuant to notice, the Police Jury met this
day in extra session.
/ The roll was called and every member found
present.
The minutes OF last meeting, with the correc-
rection thereto annexed. were read and ap-
| proved. ~.
| The President briefly stated tie object of the.
meeting. He said, in substance, that it was for
| the purpose of devising means to provide better
roads and to keep them in better condition.
The first ordinance passed by this Jury had for
| object this very subject matter. Taking Act
No. liz of $780, as the last expression Of leglsla-
tive will, it adopted the labor" system which
requires able bodied men to make and to repair
the public roads. The parish Of St. Martin
! passed similar ordinance, based on the same
| lay and adopted the game system. 1t was re-
sisted, but the Supreme Court sustained the
parish and condemned defendant and appellee
to pay the fine claimed and all costs incurred in
both courts. go L. A. 1882 st. Martin Us. De-
| lahmpaye).
| In its road ordinance the parish Of Terrebonne
adopted the proprietors' system, which re-
quires the proprietors of land contiguous to
| public roads to make and to repair said roads
| mt their own expense. This was also resisted;
bat again the Snpreme Court sustained the
| parish and affirmed the Judgment appealed
| from. which had condemned the plaintiff and
| defendant to pay fine of $40 and all costs.
| GA l.. A. 1858, II. R. Barrow u.s. E. A. Hepler ct
all.
In boil, these cases the constitutionality Of
he parochial law was impugned. 1t was averred
in one, that labor in the other that fine,''
virtually operated as tor, and that said tax
exceeded the limited power. In both cases the
Supreme Court affirmed that neither labor
:. line - was tar within the meaning of the
| constitution, and that the ordinances adopting
either the labor" or the "proprietors ~ system
were constitutional.
1t may afford some satisfaction to know that
the ordinance passed by this Jury is both legal
and constitutional, and that the labor system
prevails in many States, whose citizens under
stand their interests as well IS any, and who
are not less jealous than any of their personal
rights and liberties. But the fact nevertheless
remains that this system has found no favor
public roads is a reproach to our civilization.
1t was then proposed to pass an ordinance
based upon the propriotors system. DR.. DEffel
objected; be said, in Substance, that the labor
system had failed because we had not the pluck
to enforce it, and in support of his position he
appealed to the very case above cited. What
tha road inspectors had done in st. Martin, the
road inspectors could do in Ascension. As a
proprietor he had made and repaired the public
roads at his own expense for q quarter of a
century, and he had done SO without mur1nur.
Now that he did net own one foot of land, he
was free to denouIce the system as the most
unjust that could be devised. 1t was impossi-
bic to imagine a single person, young or old
rich or poor, man woman or child who was not
directly benefited by public roads. IF land
owners alone are to give their labor, their
money and their time for the benefit of the
public In this matter of public roads, then why
not require land owners alone to give their
labor, their money and their time for the bene-
fit OF the public in every and all other matters?
He voted No" and desired his vote to be
recorded as protest against the system.
With this exception the motion to adopt the
proprietors' system was carried.
The following ordnance, being with few
exceptions and notifications, the same adopted
by the parish of Terrebonne, was voted on.
section by section. and the whole was read and
adopted lSee ordinance No. q, N. s..
On motion Of Mr.. harmon, duly seconded, it
was
Reso'red, That the appropriation. for salary Of
road Inspectors for the seventh and eighth
wards unpaid to datn, be set aside and appro-
priated to pay for lumber for making and
repairing public bridges In said wards.
The Presidents action in granting the request
of Nj. 2. p. Braud, road inspector for the
Police Juror for said ward wa; approved and
ratified. Sand request to build the New
River Bridge, between the seventh and eighth
wards, which had been destroyed by the over
How, without other cost to the parish than the
price OF the lumber, viz: SIZE. "
A petition signed by Messrs T. f. Ferguson.
Jos. Gonzales, J. A. Gonzales. Louis Alexis and
many Others was read, and after hearing Messv..
harmon, Jos. Gonzales and others, Mas;,s.
Hanson, Braud, Gibson. harmon and Biouin
We're appointed committee to visit the locality
and the people referred TO- and to report such
the wants reported. In the mean time $3.50.
amount donated for the purpose, was employed
to purchase provisions for the most needy
At the request of Messrs. s. l.. Davis, j. F,
Jeffrlon, Desire Br,ud and many Others, Mr..
Hloun offered the following resolution, which
Resol,ed, That it shall not be lawful to hunt
of September to the LIST of April.
The Police Jury adjourned.
sisned r. pnosrra L Aane Clerk rlss'''sn'
A true copy: X. PROSPER LANDRY,
Clerk.