The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-12-19

Progressive Lafayette.

Progressive Lafayette.
A special meeting of the City
Council was held last Thursday
to take action on the petition of
citizens praying that jefferson
and Pierce streets be widened
ten feet.
Having considered the fore
going petitions, the following
was adopted:
Be it ordained by the City
Council of Lafayette, La, that
the Council considers it to be a
matter of public importance and
utility, that jefferson and Pierce
streets be widened in the man
ner proposed in said petitions;
that the donations of land and
money rendered by the above
named petitioners for that pur-
pose be and the same are here
by accepted, and
Be it further ordained, that in
order to effect the widening of
said streets, that this Council
will appropriate such portions
of lots of other abutting owners
as may be necessary for that
purpose, and, moreover, will
meet such additional and rea-
enable expense necessary in
the premises not covered by the
above donations.
The spirit of progress and en-
terprise which had its birth in
old Lafayette with the movement
that gave to our little city first
class system of water works and
electric lights, nearly ten years
ago, has continued to glow
among our people and has found
fruitiOn in various notable pub
lie enterprises and improve
ments.
A striking example of the pub
lie spiritedness of the citizens of
Lafayette is furnished by the
movement launched three days
ago to widen Jefferson and
Pierce streets between the foot
of Lincoln Avenue and Vermil-
lion street. In less than AZ
hours the consent to donate or to
sell ten feet of frontage was o.
tanned from nineteen twentiethS
of the property holders on the
west side of these streets, and
upward of 100000 was raised
by cash subscription among the
residents on the east side, to-
ward defraying the cost of carry
ing out the undertaking.
The widening of this thorough
fare had come to be a pressing
public necessity from the fact
that these connecting streets
form the principal and the most
direct route between the south,
west and central portions of the
town to the railroad. The travel
and traffic along this route dur
ing the busy season has reached
proportions that caused daily
blockading of the thoroughfare
and serious inconvenience to the
public. The necessity of IN
creasing the width of this always
too narrow street had often
been discussed in the past, but
it was generally conceded to be
impracticable on account of the
great number of buildings
already established along the
route. And though it was a
consum m alton ever so devoutly
wished for, the achievement
could never. have been accom-
plished and the obstacles sur
mounted without just such
spirit of unselfishneSs and
observation-disclosures as was dis
played by all parties at interest
in the matter.
The Gazette takes great salts.
faction and pride in recording
such conspicuous exhibition
of public spirit and public bene-
faction on the part of a large
of Lafayette people,
and with such striking proof
of a willingness to promote the
pu bic welfare there need not be
any anxiety for the future pro-
gress of Lafayette.
~+~e
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