Lower coast gazette., 1909-08-07
SATURDAY, AUGUST z, 1909.
Good Roads.

The good roads movement under the great i'm
pulse given to it by Gov. Sanders, is going on all
over this state and there is every promise of Won
Ilerful progress in that direction during the next
few years. AS we have frequently stated in these
columns, the parish of Plaquemines is unfortu-
nately situated, so far as the road question is con-
cerned. Not having any back country, the pub
lie road is Of necessity directly along the river
bank and is ordinarily just inside the public levees.
Az the parish is about a hundred miles in length
and divided into two parts of the river itself, we
have about 200 miles of roads that demand con-
sideration. In some Of the parishes they are set
ting aside two mills for road purposes. We be-
leve that it would be wise for the Police Jury Of
this parish to do the same thing, but as the taxes
have been levied and the budget formulated for
this year, nothing can well be done in this direc-
ton until next year.
Our neighboring parish St. Bernard, has set us
the example in this matter of good road building
and their property, made available by the shell
roads that they have built, is advancing in value
by leaps and bounds, because of the relative near
ness that such improved roads now give to the
markets Of New ORLEANS. If we should set aside
two mills out of the ordinary taxation, to be. ap-
piled to road purposes, in fact letting the total
amount Of our tax levy be increased to the extent
of two mills, in order that these two mills might
be set aside for that purpose, it would,give a good
start to road building and in order TO reconcile
what might seem to be conflicting interests, We
might begin with a few miles Of. road in several
parts of the parish and in that way divide the
benefits that would be derived lhvs the people from
the good roads built. For instance, the Parish of
St. Bernard is now completing its she'll road sys-
TEN down to Poydras, or tothe Terre aux Bnufs
Road, at about half ! mile abQye the parish line.
Let us begin at that line With one sectioK4of our
good road building and build it mile by mile and
year by year, as rapidly as It can be done and the
advantage Of the road would; be felt ,,inasss tthues id.
proved value Of every mile Nf the territory, thus
made available. At.Pointeta.la-Hache let us build
our good roads nile by mile each way from the
Court House, up the river and down, aiha In. This
way make the Court House more ACCESSIBLE On
the West bank of tkeHiver, in. ordersto reconcile
ahinterest, itswould seem desirable to do The same
thing there and to begin at West Pofintee:a,l a- Hachte
and build mile by mile,each way as:rEapidly sas sthe
funds could be arranged for. I'D ~
Until some definite plan can be suggested that
will promise, if not at once, will promise eventual
benefits to nearly all the good p~eople'of our parish,
it will be extremely difficult for us to inaugurate
any serious movement in the way Of building good
roads, Notwithstanding the eloquent addresses
that Gov. Sanders is now delivering all over the
state, and which are received with so much favor.
We certainly need the roads badly enough and ii
we had them our whole country would be made
far more accessible than it is now and under the