St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-02-06

appeal within my power to impress
these facts upon members of the
Legislature, and at the same time
urged upon them the adoption of a
straight line two miles west Of the
township line, and which would give
to the proposed new parish ample
population and forty-nine square miles
of territory in excess Of the consti-
tutional requirement. The combined
influence, however, Of the four mem
bers Of The House and Of the Senate
from this parish caused the lower
House to turn a deaf year to my ap-
peaIs for justice to our city and par
ish.
$50 much unfavorable criticism,
however, was made of the crooked
and absurd line originally incorporated
in the House bill that it was with
drawn and a new line of division sub
stituted, which was represented to
members Of the House and Senate TO
have been agreed to as a compromise
by all parties interested in the ques-
tion. Learned that a conference
had been held in the Governors Office
and that he was informed by those
present that a compromise line had
been adopted. The next day, on
learning Of the conference in question,
j handed to Mr.. W. Fl. Peterman,
chairman Of the Senate Parochial
Committee, a formal notice that /, as
the representative of the city of
Opelousas, and of many Of the repre-
sentatives Of the old parish, had not
been invited to any conference on
the subiect-matter, was not a party
to what was called acompromise line,
and protested against it as much
more unfair and inequitable than the
original line. / also handed a copy
Of my written protest to Gov. San
ders in person, and caused it to be
published in the New Orleans press.
/ found it impossible to disabuse the
minds of Senators of the belief that
a compromise line had been agreed
upon that was acceptable to all par
ties in interest, and therefore could
do nothing more than present my
protest to the chairman ofthe Senate
committee and to the Governor.
What Is called the COMPROMISE
line, and which is the line in the bill
passed by the House, comes three
miles nearer to the western boundary
Of our city corporation than the line
originally proposed by the Paulin
Fontenot bill, and transferred to the
new parish $4,000 acres, or twenty
five square miles more of territory
than that Of the original bill, so that
according to that line, if adopted, the
old parish will lose 105 square miles
more of territory than the required
for the new parish, and the
division line will be brought within
seven miles of the city of Opelousas.
The injustice and inequity Of that
division line will still further appear
by the fact that it will leave in the
old parish only All square miles of
habitable and cultivable land, and at
the same time will transfer to the
new parish 686 square miles Of habit
able and cultiyable land. That is to-
say, the new parish viii actually have
3l5 square miles Of habitable and
cultivable territory in excess of what
viii be left in the old parish. The
old parish will also be compelled to
bear the heavy burden Of taxation
necessary to maintain its extensive
system Of public bridges, roadways
and drainage, and the excessive extra
leyee taxation, imposed upon one-half
Of its territory, much of which is
covered with sWamps and timber and
is n%onrevenue producing. The old
will also be compelled to tax
itself in aid Of public schools, and to
account in money to the new parish
for its share Of the public property
that is in the old parish.
These facts demonstrate that all
of these public interests will have to.
be neglected and will fall into decay,
or the public will be compelled to
submit to additional taxation. These
hurtful and damaging conditions
could to a very great extent have
been obYiated by the adoption Of the
straight line Of division proposed BY
me, and which, while giving to the
new parish ample territory and popu-
would have left in the old
about 100 square miles more
Of inhabited and cultivated land, and
which the proposed line Of division
would take away from it. The facts
here given are verified by the sworn
statement of L. E. Littell, former
parish surveyor Of the parish for
many years. and by Richard M. Hol-
lier, the present parish surveyor,
both of whom are thoroughly familiar
the territory Of the entire parish.
As a still further proof of the UNI
fairness Of the line adopted, and OF
The crippled condition in which It.
would leave the old parish, | will add
the following fact:
The northern line of the old parish.
the proposed addition shall have
effected will he fwnntu.fnrr milnn