The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1901-08-24
An Excellent Showing.


that Mayor Littell is giving us
excellent service as chief execu.
tive officer of the municipality,
but such, nevertheless, is a fact.
He is proving himself to be care
full and painstaking in the dis
charge of his duties, keeps him.
self thoroughly posted about the
matters properly coming under
his supervision, and, more than
that, makes monthly reports to
the Board, which frequently con-
tain valuable suggestions and
much information that it is inn
portant for that body to know.
We have already had occasion to
commend him for these reports.
and take pleasure in doing so
again.
These reports, together with
those of the collector, clerk, SUI
perintendent, treasurer, and street
commissioner, should prove val
liable helps to the Board, and
their publication gives the intel
ligent taxpayer a fair idea of how
his agents are attending to the
business he has placed in their
hands. For our part, we may say
that we are rather pleased with
the improved business methods
that characterize the action
of the Board, and with the
multiplying evidences of the fact
that it is trying to attend to the
public business in businesslike
way. It has, at least, made a
gratifying success of the manage
ment of our electric light and
waterworks plant, and with such
a careful, competent and consci-
entious man as Supt. ZONES in
charge, we see no reason why still
better results should not be
achieved in the future. About
$116 were saved last month as
result Of the use of oil as fuel, in
place of wood and coal, and the
plant is now self-sustaining, while
our fifty-one arc lights, forty-two
water plugs, and light and water
in several public buildings cost us
nothing-they are "thrown in for
lagniappe.' This is certainly an
excellent showing, and one that
furnishes an unanswerable argu-
ment in favor of municipal own
ership of public utilities. Let
Lake Charles and other tax-ridden
communities make a note of this.
But to come back to the Mayors
reports. At the meeting of the
Board held on the 9Th inst. he
submitted report which was
published on the 18th, and which
gives in more detail the pleasing
story. We will let him relate it:
son July 2sd drew warrant of s4,qss. 70 in
payment of the fourth WaterWOfks and electric
light certificate, coupons and interest. The
waterw0rks and eIectfic light plants are now
on very satisfactory basis. From the books
actual income of the iucandescent lights for
the past month amounts to $4,000 and from
water rents $9S83S. making II total revenue
from the plants for the past month (which is
about the lowest revenue Of any month of the
year, $4408sS. The actual expenses of the
plant amount to 40S.3ls. The expenses are as
follows: Superntendents salary $95 engineer
so; trimmer, S35; oiler, $25; book-keeper and
collector, 1861 fuel, SIs665. So the actual in
come OF the plant exceeds actual expenses
some $50. Over and above this we have 81
street lights and AZ water plugs. These lights
and plugs, il owned by private corporation,
wOuldpc0st the town rental of S465 month.
Besides this. we have lights in the town hall.
market and high school, and water in the two
latter places !" .
For Rent-A small farm near
Opeleusass suitable { for market
garden, dairy and poultry raising,
with large residence and out
hnildinoS Pnscnasinn niXnn I'M