Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-05-20
FOR CONGRESS-.
FIFTH LOUISIANA DRAINAGE
DISTRICT.
(Natchez Democrat

SOllcOfuld PARISH, Id, aiV 'i'"iy
interested i'm the meeting which IL
TO be held in the Court House at
Vidalia, on Saturday of this week.
As stated in the call issued by j.
P. Pagan, president of the Concor-
dia parish police jury, the meeting
is called for the purpose of obtain
ing an expression of opinion from
the taxpayers on the subject of the
proposed act of the Louisiana Leg
islature creating drainage district
out Of the four parishes of Tensas,
East Carroll, Madison and Concor-
dia, and empowering the Drainage
Board to levy a tax of fifty cents
per acre, a ten mill tax, and issue
drainage bonds.
The act creates the Fifth Louis
lana Drainage District, and pro-
poses exactly what President Pagan
says it will do-and more. 1t con-
veys theNright to appropriate prop
erty to be used for drainage, canals,
etc. The bill proposes THAT all
lands embraced and situated in the
parishes of East Carroll, Madison,
Tensas and Concordia be, and are
hereby, incorporated into a drain
age district, to be known and styled
The Fifth Louisiana Drainage Dis
trict, and all the lands and other
property of every description what
soever, both real, personal and
hixed. within said district, shall
be subject to taxation, local assess
ment and forced contribution, for
the purposes of raising funds to
provide adequate and effectual drain
age for the lands thereof, by i'm
proving and rendering more efficient
the rivers, bayous and other natural
drains, by the construction of ar
tiicial drains. canals, bitches or
other drainage faculties, and there
by to make more valuable the lands
in said District, and to preserve and
promote the health of the residents
thereof"
The Board of Commissioners for
the Fifth Louisiana Levee District
shall ex-Officio constitute and be
the Board of Commissioners for the
Fifth Louisiana Drainage District.
The salary to be four dollars day
for active service and mileage at
the rate of ten cents a mile each
way, while the salary of the presi-
dent and secretary is to be fixed by
the commission. The Commission
ers shall hold regular meetings four
times year.
A District Drainage Tax on all
taxable property in the said Drain
age District of ten mills on the dol
lar, of its assessed valuation, is fixed
by the act.
The Board shall have authority
10 levy annually a local assessment
or forced contribution of not more
than fifty cents on each and every
acre Of land within the Fifth Louis
lana Drainage District. The Board
shall have power to borrow money
Tor the purpose of clearing Obstruc-
tons, deepening and enlarging
channels and constructing artificial
drains and other drainage works,
and is hereby authorized and en-
powered to issue, from time to
time, as may be required, the bonds
of said Board, not to exceed the
total amount Of one million dollars,
to become due in fifty years, and to
be payable at the option of said
board in forty years from the date
of their issue, and to bear interest
ct rate not to exceed five per cent
per annum."
The act further, empowers the
Board to levy annually tax for
the purpose of paying the interest
on whatever bonds may be issued
under its provisions.
3 Ten years before the maturity of
the bonds, the Board shall levy an
pually the taxes and local contri-
buttons for the purpose of provid-
ing a sinking fund to meet the
payment of the principal of the
Bonds.
In case of failure Of the Board to
lsvy the taxes and local contribu-
lions, the State Auditor, or the one
exercising the functions of that Of