The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-04-17
REPORT OF GRAND JURY.
To the Hon. ". r. Byack,man, Judge
0fthe 72h Judicial District, IN
and for the Parish Of Ropides,
State of Louisiana.

and for the Parish of Rapides,
State Of Louisiana.
Your Grand Jury, impanelled TO
the April term of court, A. d
1889, beg leave to report as follows
Your Grand Jury have examined
81 cases and have found AZ true bill
and 80 no bills. Having questioned
witnesses from every part of tn
parish, your Grand Jury find tina
the road syndics have worked tn
public highways in the imperfect
careless manner in which they have
been worked for many years. Thl
imperfect working OF the highway
is to be attributed not entirely to thu
syndics. From the evidence Of wit
nesses, who have appeared before
this Jury, it appears that land own
ers frequently refuse to allow spades
shovels, hoes, mules, piows and gear
belonging to them, TO be taken or
the highways by parties, subject tc
road duty living On their premises,
From the evidence Of witnesses anG
an examination of the ordinances oil
the Police Jury, it appears that there
is no obligation upon any one tc
furnish tools with which to work
the highways. Having ascertained
the above facts, leave to your Jury
the wisdom of the Police Jury find
ing remedy for the correction
Of the evils complained of.
Your Grand Jury has visited aud
carefully inspected the parish Jail
They find the Jail, taking into con
sideration the number of prisoner:
confiaed, clean and we'll kept. The
roof of the jail, over the iro1
cell, leaks. The Sheriff has in
formed the Grand Jury that the Pc
lice Jury have instructed him to have
the faulty portion of the roof re-
paired.
The Jury begs leave to call the
attention Of the court to the fac
that there are now three lunatics con
fined in the parish Jail. One white
man, one colored man and one col
ored woman, who require better at
tention than the Sheriff is able. witt
the means at his disposal, to give
them.
We fad confined in the Jail 81
prisoners aud three lunatics.
Your Grand Jury have also visi
ted and inspected the public schoo
houses for the white and coloreC
children. We fiud that the roo
of the building used for the white
girls is in very bad order. Your
Jury consider new roof absolutel,
necessary. The building used fo
the white boys we find to be in goot
repair.
The building used for the colore(
children needs q new roof badly
The three buildings would be mucl
improved and benefited by beins
painted, and the fence around tn
square your Jury thinks should b.
whitewashed.
These Improvements would adj
greatly to the looks and to the valu,
Of the buildings and would show tt
strangers desiring to come among US
that decent buildings were provided
in which to educate their children
The rooms of the white children
your Jury found clean and in per
feet order. We regret to say tina
the reverse was the case with tn
rooms used by the colored children
The room used by the colored boy
was in an especially filthy condition
1t has been reported toyour Crane
Jury by the President of the Schoo
Board and others that II. F. Long
Superintendent of Public Schools 0
Rapides Parish, has not performed
the duties required of him by law.
Your Grand Jury have CAREFUL,
examined the court house and it i
their opinion that the walls Of ever.
room and hall of the court hous
need kalsomining. We find the arc
in the hall down stairs cracked, i
has settled. The gallery froDtin.
the river has settled. 1t is the opin
ion of your Jury that the ccur
house needs general repairing.
TIE Grand Jury returns its thank
to tue Sheriff and officers of tn
court for their courteous and con
siderate services to the Jury durin
its session.
GEO. L. WILSON,
| Foreman