The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1911-06-24
WHAT BAY ST. LOUIS SHOULD %.
Editor Sea Coast Echo:-

1
| There are fiood-tides in the affairs oil
communities the same as in those OF In .
dividuals, and most certainly Bay st.
Louis has had its flood d-tide. The i'm.
portant and, might say. the vital ques-
ton now is, what shall We do with our
coast ply enterprise and good iudg-
| ment turn our misfortune to greatest
! advantage and profit, or, by continued
Indifference, let it be consuming can
ker devouring the brightest prospects
of any coast city equidistAnt from the
South's greatest emporium-New Or
leans?
Now that the new courthouse 10 COM
pleted and so financed that it will be
paid for, and very few will ever know
by whom. how or when. Bay ST. Louis
and Hancock county may justly feel
proud of the achievement. and. doubt
less, We all do.
Another question OF even greater i'm
portance is now pressing for solution,
and that is, what shall be done towards
the restitution of the damage wrought
by the great September storm
Shall we patch it up, rs might have
been done with the old courthouse, or
exercise the same good business judg-
mont, and do it right? In the light Of
present conditions and tho futility of
money and labor expended since the
storm, l am prompted to sugg est that
the city and county join hands and dol
lars in equal measure and repair PER-
MANENTLY this, the fairest OF coasts.
First-Get competent government
engineer of experience to make thor
ough examination and study of the con-
ditions and make plans and specifca-
tions, plats, location and estimates of
cost OF a thoroughly reliable, UNIFORM
re-enforced concrete sea wall. Then
circulate petitions to the county board
and city council, calling an election for
the issuance of bonds to meet the cost
on such time and terms as will not be
burdensome.
Second-When this. shall have beea
done, advertise the work literally, 80 as
to get competitive contractors through
out the country to bid on it according
to the adopted plans and specifications /,
and let the work to the best advantage
of the county and city, with ample bond
from the snccessful biddsr to do the
work as agreed upon ara within nxed
time.
Every dollar so expended will be
worth far more than one hundred cents
LONG BE.oEE THE BONDS NATURE in the
increased value of every acre and city
lot and in the PERMANENT increase OF
population that would be FORCED upon
us from a city of nearly 400, 900 souls
only So miles away, and no other place
on the coast is so convenient, attractive
and cheap to reach from New Orleans,
either by rail or water, than Bay ST.
Louis. The certainty that N ew Orleans
is to be far greater city and that the
L. & N. Ry. will cooperate in such a
forward movement to put Bay st. Louis
in advance of all other coast towns and
perpetuate her advantage of being the
closest coast city to Now Orleans, will
prove to be proud and profitable fac
tor in the value, growth and history Of
both city and county.
1t is argued by "reactionaries" that
the city could not legally spend money.
as above stated, on ground not owned
by it and outside the limits OF the beach
drive. 1t is equally certain that, il this
be true, EVERY property owner on the
beach would gladly make concession
to the city for this express purpose.
J. III. BoUsLoo.