The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-06-29
1t will Not be Abolished.


honorable police jury, asking that the
public road in this parish, known as the
Paramount and Bagdad road, be abol-
ished! This public road was established
eleven or twelve years ago, the police
jury recognizing the importance thereof
have always appointed a syndic and
assigned the necessary number of hands
to work the same, and have erected sub
stantial bridges on the route, the bridge
across bayou Darro costing over eight
hundred dollars. 1t is durable structure,
above all overflow, built of all heart cy-
press and pine lumber, that will last for
many years. This road is one Of first
importance, being the only public road
below Colfax for long distance, leading
from the river at Paramount to the inte-
rior, and is the mail route from that place
to Hadnot postoffice. This is the only
outlet for large number Of our people
living along its route, on bayous Patasaw,
Darro, the valley of the Rigolette and the
hill country beyond. 1t seems almost
incredible that any one would oppose
public road, SO absolutely necessary to
the general public, and to many people
being their only means of travel to and
from their homes, unless it be that the
parties seeking to abolish the road are
uniformed OF are actuated by some
selfish or prejudiced motive.
Mr.. Editor, we live in an age Of rapid
progress and improvement; we do not
want to abolish! but rather let us create;
open up roads, build bridges, school
houses and churches, devote ourselves to
public and private improvements, de-
velop the country, invite immigrants to
L. nd xxrho
as they surely will, let us have roads that
they may travel in any and all directions
This is subject upon which great deal
can be said, but the facts being well
known, / will forbear, having, as / do, all
confidence that the honorable police jury,
composed of intelligent and representa-
tive men from every ward in the parish,
will not for moment consider any such
proposition, but will postpone the whole
subject matter indefinitely. Respect
fully, Pro Bono PUBLIco.
Grant Parish, La, June "a, 1885,
Editor Colfar Chronicle:
Our quiet little neighborhood was some
what stirred up last week by Mr.. Thomas
| ID. Johnston, who is resident OF Rapides
parish. Mr.. Johnston has thoroughly
canvassed this vicinity with petition,
asking the police jury of this parish to
abolish, abandon and do away with the
Paramount road. Mr.. Johnston being q
resident of Rapides parish, ask what
right or interest has he in the Paramount
road, or what inconvenience or damage is
that or any other road in this parish tC
him, that he should come among the
citizens, asking them to sign his petition
| for the destruction of one OF the mos
important roads in this section? / have
been informed that he did not give the
proper name of the road to his signers
but called it the Randolph road.
For the convenience OF our police jury
and the satisfaction of Mr.. Johnston and
those whom he has beguiled into signing
his petition, l will refer them to Sec
1886, r. S.: "In all the parishes of thu
State in which the public roads are con
trolled and regulated by the police juries
all roads which have been open and in
common use twelve months, are hereby
declared to be public roads, and shall MOI
be closed, DISTRACTED or changed Uithou
the consent of the contiguous property
owners, and the approval of the police jury
Has Col. Randolph, A. A. Dean, Majo
and Rafe Greenhoward, William Thomas
and a score or more of other citizens whS
are the owners of the land through anC
contiguous to which this great annoying
road runs, signed that petition? l answer
for them, no.
| Why has not Mr.. Johnston published
his great grievance and annoyance to thu
public, setting forth the burden that hs
has been carrying on account OF this road
and STIMULATING his intention of visiting
every resident in this parish, and proba
bly, half of Rapides parish, with petit
ton asking the police jury to abolish
abandon and discontinue this obnoxiou
and evil road, thereby giving those tx
whom the road is an absolute necessity al
opportunity to present counter petition
setting forth the use and necessity o
the road.
Now, Mr.. Editor, know am encroach
ing on your valuable space, but as hav
not the time, as Mr.Johnston seems to hav
had, to go around with a lengthy petition
and very large pretty map, and obtail
signers, is why 1 ask f0rbearance, that
may state my grievances openly. IL
am not mistaken this road was created
opened and laid out in 1876 or 1877, an,
; has been worked by the apportioned roa'
hands every year since, beside the parls
has just had a very large and expensive
bridge built on this road, costing $8O(
and DIRT cheap at that, it being 700 Zee
long. The United States mail passes owe
this road twice week, and its discon
tinuance will cause the discontinuance Q
the Hadnot postofhce. or force the ma
to come from Pineville, distance Of l
m les, whereas it only has to come seven
know if Mr.. Johnston had informe
, any of the signers of his petition ths
the discontinuance Of the Paramount roa
would cause the discontinuance of tn
Hadnot postofiice he would not hav
obtained single signer in this neighbol
hood, and don't believe he would hay
gotten one in the parish.
Think for one moment. For the graf