St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1906-11-17
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
ORDERED BY COUNCIL.
The City OF Opelousas to Have Paved
Streets, and More Paved Walks
Than Any City Of Like Size.

owners abutting those streets are to
bear the entire expense Of the street
paving other than the intersections.
The abutting property owners are to
pay one-fourth Of the amount cash,
and the balance in three equal in
stallments, represented By three pro-
1nissory notes bearing not more than
eight per cent per annum interest and
10 per cent for attorneys fees in case
of enforced payment.
We are told that the contractors
for the street paving will accept the
notes Of the citizens, the abutting
property being responsible for the
payment of the notes. However, if
this is not acceptable to the contrac-
tors, it is supposed that the city will
take upon itself to guaranteeethe de-
ferred payments.
The petition calls for the paving
with brick, or some material equally
as good. 7 An informal discussion Of
the material with which the paving is
to be done showed that the members
OF the Board of Aldermen, from in
formation before them, leaned to the
new stuff that is being used in Baton
Rouge, Donaldsonville and other
places, called bitulithie. OF course
this phase of the improvement is Of
SO much Importance that q careful
and thorough examination into the
matter will be made. It is claimed
that brick is both costly and noisy,
50 much so that it is not being much
used now. It might be wise to adopt
the plan Of ID Donaldsonville, which adj
vertised for bids without specifying
the kind of material TO be used. with
the result that bids were submitted
TO them for all kinds Of pavements,
and they chose from the lot, con-
sidering price, durability, adaptability,
etc.
Besides the action on street paving
and the ordering Of more sidewalks,
the Board transacted other business
tending to improve the city. An ar
tesian well was ordered to be put
down at the power house, the erection
Of paved walks in the school house
yard was ordered, an appropriation Of
money for repairs on the school
building was made, and the passage
Of several ordinances, which will be
found in the proceedings Of that
body on another page.
Alderman j. G. Lawler endeavored
to introduce an ordinance prohibiting
gambling in the city, but had to wait
until next meeting under the rules
that an ordinance must be prepared
and read at previous meeting to
that at which it is offered. Mr.. Law
Ter only desired to give notice at this
meeting, but had not written his or
dinance, and this prevented him from
even giving notice Of its Introduction,
We understand that the ordinance
is the same as the one enacted last
December, and repealed in January
following by the same council which
gave it life.
Unless a change comes over the
members of the Board, the Clarion
can with all safety predict it's defeat
in that body. The Clarion man spoke
to majority of the members that
night, asking them their views on the
matter, and we may say that it would
not surprise us if Mr.. Lawler fails to
receive a second to his ordinance. One
member said: e am as much against
gambling as any other man in the
city, and voted for it's suppression
when it came up before. bus 4 am
fully convinced that the people Of
0pelousas are opposed to an anti
gambling law
The point most discussed was the
effect an anti-gambling ordinance
would have on the saloon keepers, tic
whom gambling is source Of con
siderable revenue. 1t was argued
that this would cause some Of then
to close, Gripping the revenues Of the
city. It was argued that there was
no more evil in FIVE saloons than in
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