The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-05-06
FIFTY YEARS AGO!
No. "a.
By c sILAs.

NO va viz III
Monday Of May 1s43, thirty-one votes
were polled, all given for j. A. Scud-
day for Mayor and John c.. Beatty,
Joseph r. Niles, Thomas NJ. Williams,
Charles NJ. Haw.ey, for Trustees.
This council elected Louis Bush.
Clerk ; ]. \. Leblanc, Treasure: !;
August Roger, Constable ; John G..
W hire, Collector and Whartinger
and Louis Bush. Assessor.
OF this Municipal Board of officers,
only August Roger IS living-near
Jeannsrette, La.
This council required saloon keepers
to furnish bond that good behavior
should be maintained in their estab-
llshments previous to securing il Ii
cense.
A tax for 1S43 was levied, 81 mills
on lots and q mills on Improve
ments.
At that date there was no public
street along the Bayou Lafourche in
frort Of the Town. The space be-
tween the front buildings and the lev
ee was utilized by the front proprie-
tors rs they deemed best for their own
purposes. Some OF them had w~harves
or walks extending from their build
ings to the %levee, and steamboats,
landing in their fronts debarked and
embarked freight thereon.
This was found to be a great incon-
v9nience tc citizens residing in the
rear and became a source of much
complaint.
It appearing that existing laws and
powers Of the Council were ..insntfi-
clent to place the front street and
levee Of the town in snci. condition as
Is required hy It's growing commerce."
a meeting OF all the voters of the town
was called ITO deliberate on the pro-
priety of raising an extraordinary tax
of 100000, to permanently extend
and arrange said Levee street and
Levee, provided. one half of the i'm
provements was to be paid by the
proprietors OF let's fronting on said
Levee Street In case the proprie-
tors refused. the tax SO raised was to
pay ali, and sin that event the corpo-
rate authorities shall Immediately in
stltute legal proceedings to compel the
removal Of all improvements on said
lots to the distance which is required
by law to he left tor public use"
The proposed mass meeting was
held 81 August 9TH, 1913. Judge Jas.
McAliister vas chairman and Louis
Bush a secretary.
McAllister. Beatty and Scudday ad-
dressed the people on the subject,
when a vote was taken on the propo-
sltlon. The vote was given rira roce
each voter going to the secretary sin
gly and announcing his vote.
The yeas We're j. A. Scudday, j. C.
Beatty. l. d. Bourgeois, c. F. Haw-
ley, j. K. Niles. James McAllister. E.
L. Burnham, W.T.. Benedict, Absa-
lon KEGS, VI. H. Daunis, ten votes.
The nays were John Mcclellan, L..
Lamoureux, ii. Phillippean, John P.
Tenny, L. Y. Magioli, Louis Bush, H.
Aucoln, \. p. Skinner, w. C. Horton,
NJ. Stanly. Theo. Fisher, j. A. Leblanc,
T. NJ. Williams, P. Rouannet, four
teen votes.
There We're "a votes cast. (Nonc of
the voters are living to-day.) 1t is
probable that the opposition was "a
gainst the extraordinary tax levy, and
not against the proposed improve
ments.
That part Of Crazy street east of
President street, was set apart Us a
burial lot for deceased animal.
The Council agreed to put down
curbing when proprietors would agree
to put down banquettes.> This carb-
ing was wood, and was the first step
taken towards the formation Of good
sidewalks. =
The young men were somewhat diff
ferent at that date to those Of the pres
ent period, and maintained a literary
and debating society, known as the
T~hibodaux Lyceum, which society
was allowed the use of the Council
Hall for debating purposes.
The Council purchased a horse, cart
and gearing, and erected a stable, for
its use.
Bishop Leonidas Polk ofthe Episco-
pal Church once owned the Leighton
plantation, 0 the property of Col.
c. Lagarde, two miles above TAibo-
daux, and made it his home in 1912.
Bishop Polk held the first Protestant
service eve held in Thibodaux, and
was the organizer of st. Johns Church
which was effected on February 9th.
1913, and Incorporated by Act No. 1913
of the Legislature of 1913. on the 9th
day of April Of THAI year.
The incorporators were Andrew
Collins, Thos. VI. Williams, A. c. An
til. R G. Ellis, George S. Guion, AL
fred Willard, G. f. Hawley. r. G. Oar
den, 9. Armitage, and w. L. Bene-
dict.
Bishop Polk subsequently became a
Lieutenant General in the Confederate