The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-01-24
THE PROPOSED NEW COURT
HOUSE.


HOUSE.
The Police Jury met in special
session last Tuesday. 1.-THE full pro-
ceedings of which will be found
in this issue) for the purpose OF
considering the advisability OF
erecting court house for the
parish of ST. Mary. J.,
It was moved and duly seconded
at this meeting that the Police
Jury construct a new court mouse,
in the town of Franklin, the build
ing to be fire proof, either Of brick
or stone, the cost of said struct-
ure. including all necessary 1urnl-
ture, fixtures, Improvements to the
grounds, and costs OF plans and
specifications not to exceed Sl1O,
600. The payments to be made
: SO, 900 cash on the completion OF
the building and the remainder in
ten equal installments. The de-
ferred payments to bear interest
at A per cent. per annum from ma
turity. The President OF the Police
Jury was instructed to advertise
ia the New Orleans papers and in
the official journal of the parish
(said notice will be found in this
issue) for plans and estimates on
said building, which is to be sub
mitted February 10th, A commit
tee Of three was appointed to be
known as the building committee,
With Mr.. II. E. Milling as chair
man, whose duty it will be to at
tend to all correspondence relating
to the new court house.
This action of the Police Jury
Was a wise one and will no doubt
meet with the approval of a large
majority or the citizens and tax
payers Of the parish. We have
always been an ardent supporter
OF this movement because we
know that st. Mary is badly in
need of a new court house, as the
present structure is not fit for the
purpose of which it is used and
In our estimation is q disgrace to
such a large and prosperous par
ish ~ st. Mary. We also knew
for Affect that such a building can
be Xfrcted and paid for without
one cent extra taxation on the
property holders, or the cutting
down Of appropriations made for
school or road purposes
While we believe that the court
house should be built we do not
wish for one moment to create the
impression that we are opposed to
good public school system CT
|the working of the public roads.
While we must admit that the
roads throughout the parish are in
i wretched condition, yet this is
not due to O want of funds to work
them but more to lack of system.
We are glad to state that the
tPolics Jury has contracted with
reliable person, whose duty here
after will be to keep them in good
condition. AS for the public
schools the parish has made an
appropriation for their mainten.
>ance and is in a position to in
crease the amount ii need be.
The Parish Of st. Mary, due to
the economical and satisfactory
manner in which the present Po-
lice Jury has governed the affairs,
IL now out of debt with surplus
fund Of over $40, 600 after meeting
al obligations and making liberal
appropriations as will be seen by
the budget adopted for 1908.
There is some opposition
70 the building of the court house,
the reasons mostly given being
that the parish is not in a condi-
ton financially to do SO and that
the money spent could he put to
better purposes. We would be
the last person to advocate the
new court house did we not know
beyond a doubt that the parish
q present is in a position to meet
this obligation without mourning
any hardship on the taxpayers
Or reducing the appropriations for
the roads or schools.
=
The following Grand Jury was
empanelled by Judge A. &. AL.