The weekly Thibodaux sentinel. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 1898-1905, 1901-06-08
THrBoDAUX La JUyK 4 1aO1

Editor Sentinel.
j Having had occasion to see d
last Issue OF the Lockport Eagle.
noticed in II an article on the subie
OF "Free Bridge" think it reflec
somewhat upon the honesty and in,
gritty OF the people of this part of Il
parish and wish, with your consen
} through your columns, to make a fe
comments ON extracts taken the
, from.
The learned (?) editor starts out b
saying: "The old town would wa,
70 move over the bayou. But "
had no idea they would have the chee
to put their hands on the school fun
OF the parish to get the necessar
means to pay for the moving" Ha
he but Informed himself he woul
have seen that it is uot, nor has
ever been, the desire of the people q
Ihi6odaux to move the old tow
across the bayou. We are c,n,en
To remain on the present site and ou
moving is only creation Of his ina
giration. From whence comes b,,
information that the revenues derive,
from the bridge are contributed to
wards the maintenance OF the schoo
fund? His Information on that sub
ject is indeed very meagre, for acsor
ding to all authority the receipts from
the Thibodanx bridg, hep to buil;i u,
the general fund. HIS fears, there
fore, as to the school fund being q m
inished are without cause.
Second. "Because the police Jury
disregardlng the interest of the pco
pie and OF public education in parti
cuIar, granted forty five year fran
chlse to the Lockport Bridge Compa
ny for one hundred dollars a year
when the ferry had been putting into
the school fund more than a thousand
dollars year, therefore, Thibodaux
must have a free bridge" And why
not? The LOckport bridge is compare
lively free in so far as the parish is
concerned, for the only revenue lie.
rived from that source is 800 a wear
al amount barely sufficient to pay
for the books that are used IN the
LockpOrt public school during one
session. Oar merchants would glad
ly help 10 raise 500 per year for the
purpose of having "free isridge."
!a fsy SEsaa 5ssas ID rSAts E4ss; 10 a!lzEzel4
good one and we are willing 10 adopt
it.
Thirl. "If the bridge at Thibodaux
is made free, who will operate ii?
Who will keep it in repairs,' The
parish, of course, and We who live in
lower LafOurche will not only have
our children deprived of a part of
heir education, but will be compelled
to 60 down into our pockets and help
pay toll for the people of Thibodaux."
Does the parish pay for the operation
and maintenance of the bridge at
LockpOrt out of the 800 contributed
BY the company owning it? Certain.
y not. The merchants here will
donate their share each year
Tor its maintenance, the same as the
LOckpOrt company agreed to do for
he consideration which they now give
he parish. Hence, there is no cause
,or alarm on that point. The chi
lrcn of the parish will no more be
deprived of part of their education
han they were when those $40, 900
we're taken ont of the school fund.
Fourth. "Un!ess all the ferries aut
bridges of the parish are made free,
md an appropriation made TO operate
hem and providing sufficient revcn
lie for the education of our children,
We, the people, of Iower Lafourche,
Will most assuredly resent the latest
lttemp Of Thibodaux to swindle the
est Of the parish We want what is |
air, and We give the parish seat warn.
ng now that if she has no more pride
bout her than to ask such a thing. !
We will respectfully decline to pay
ler toll and -Ours too?' When the !
people of Thbodaux want any thing
t is not customary with them to re-
ort to dishonest methods, or practice
winding, to procure it. We are not |
Ifter swindling the parish. We only
want what is "fair," aad to that end
We are willing to contribute 500 |
early and assume the repairing and
of the ThibodauX bridge /!
Surely, the people of lower Lafourche
will not object to our securing the
bridge for the purpose of
making it a free one, for the same
given by the Lockporl
Did the people Of lower
Iafourche resent the granting of that
franchise by the educational fund of |!
he parish was diminished by SO large |
IN amount? No. There was not a !
word SAID about "free ferries, bridges,
appropriations, etc, Not one dissen-
ing voice was heard from them and
he proposition went before the jury
Without a murmer of protest from |
hat section Of the country. Equal
lights to all; exclusive privileges to