The Opelousas courier., 1902-05-03
Progressive Alexandria.

session on Monday and Tuesday,
at Alexandria, and the mayors
and councilmen of the various
cities and towns of the State held
their first convention there on the
same days. Both were eminently
successful and promise to yield
excellent fruitage, while the lib
eral and progressive citizens of
New Alexandria fully sustained,
in the entertainment of their Wis,
itors, the well-known reputation
of old Rapides for whole-souled
hospitality.
We have referred to Alexandria
as new, but the town is actually
almost as old as Opelousas. The
little city we gazed upon Monday,
however, is not the Alexandria of
even three or>four years ago, for
the striking evidences of progress
are so numerous on every hand
that the change in that brief time
amounts to an almost marvellous
transformation. Besides numer-
Gus fine residences and brick
stores, two elegant bank build
lngs, a three-story hotel and a
magnificent church, recently erec-
ted, one of the streets has been
paved with vitrified brick, and
miles upon miles of brick or c.e-
mented sidewalks have been con-
structed in the center of town,
and other miles of brick curbing
have been built in the suburbs,
similar to that around our court
house square. While few-a
very few-old plank sidewalks are
to be seen, not Il solitary BeW one
of that character was revealed to
our searching gaze, while the old
ones are rapidly giving way to
more substantial improvements.
And it will probably amaze and
horrify-actually take away the
breath of--the average Opelousas
old fogy to be told that the total
cost of these sidewalk improve
ments is paid by the abutting
property-holder! What vast
difference between this plan and
the ridiculous proposition that
the entire cost of building fiimsy
plank walks in front of the prop
erty of favored few should be
paid out of the public funds!
The street paving, however, is
being done according to the plan
in vogue in Baton Rouge for both
street and sidewalk improvement,
viz: the city pays one-third of the
cost and the abutting proprietors
two thirds-a wiser and more
equitable arrangement, we be-
lieve.
Alexandria, like Opelousas,
owns its light and waterworks
plants, and, like Opelousas, fur
nishes these commodities to it's
citizens at very low rates-at
about actual cost, in fact. But
the crowning glory of Alexandria,
in the way of up-to-date muni-
cipal improvements, is its sewer
age system. This covers nine
miles and cost $31, 900. Connec-
tions are paid for by property
holders, the water rate per annum
being being Sc $2.50. Sc From rom houses Houses tie tie
sewerage flows into six-ineh pipes
which increase in size until
brought into Il central basin.
From there it is forced into the
river half Il mile below town.
Not only is the system q great
convenience, but its sanitary eff
fects are inealculable.
President Steidley called the
Press Association to order on
Monday afternoon, DIR. Duncan
offered an eloquent prayer, and
Mayor Welsh, who has undoubt-
edly been a wonderful factor in
the recent progress and develop
ment of Alexandra, rendered to
the visiting editors a most cordial
welcome. John H. Overflow
how familiar the name sounds to
the older residents Of st. Landry!
welcomed them in a fervent
and scholarly address on behalf
of the parish of Rapides. Mr..
Overton is the grandson of the
grand old man who for many
years occupied our district bench
and held a leading position in our
social life for many decades, and
has inherited the talents of his
noble sire and grandsire. His
address delighted and electrified
all his listeners.
In the space at our disposal it
is manifestly impossible to give a
full account of these two meet
|ings, and we must perforce bring
this hasty sketch of what we saw
and heard in our pretty sister city
to rapid close.
On Tuesday the formal opening
of the two new bridges which span
the river at Alexandria was cele-
brated in the presence of thous
ands with appropriate ceremonies.
One is traffic bridge to connect
the future Great with Pine
vile, which was built by an asso-
citation of citizens at a cost of