New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1913-10-25
IMPROVEMENTS
/ Editor Enterprise

Editor Enterprise:
I'm the discussion of the pro
posed bond issue, and the pur-
poses for which the proceeds are
to be devoted, 1t strikes me that
the matter has not been thorough
ly digested, and the wants of the
community not fully considered.
There should he no mistakes
made regarding the contemplate
ed improvements and none should
be made without fully consider
ing the returns same will bring.
and the ability of the municipal
itv to bear the extra expense or
liability incurred.
New Iberia Of to-day might be
compared to a very sick patient,
that long, careful and patient
nursing will bring back to health.
Our trades people and taxpayers
are staggering along under burd-
ems that are becoming daily more
burdensome, trade and popula-
ton has been constantly on the
decrease. property values are
constantly growing less, and Il
therefore behooves, that no mis-
take be made anent the proposed
bond issue and improvements
and only those be considered that
promise relief and permanent re-
suits. all others should be dis
corded. A great deal of money
has already been uselessly spent.
the mistakes of the past should
be the guide of the future.
New iberia to-day is most de
ficient in pay rolls and trade. the
first has been almost entirely
taken from. the second is slowly
leaving, and to restore these two
most important items, the energy
of our people should be concen-
trated. !
Paving, sewerage; where com
merce, trade, the ability Of the
individual to earn livelihood is
lacking, do not attract, they are
commendable and desirable. and
should only be considered Gas
stated at the beginning Of this
writing) for their material worth
and the financial betterment, the
improvements will bring to the
community.
Sewerage, unless applied to
the limits Of the corporation, will
not remove the menace to health,
if as the writer understands it.
only a portion of the town is to
be severed. Those who will be
in the severed district are amply
able and do in fact look to their
the unsewered portion
of the City is where the menace
to health now exists, and will
continue to exist even after a
portion Of the City be so inn
@rnyed.
Paved streets are desirable,
good country roads are ma
terial asset to any community.
and are to be commended, but
paved streets do not bring pay
rolls or prosperity, paved streets
comes to those communities that
are of themselves self-sustaining
and prosperous. improvements
of this kind follows in the wake
of prosperity, this | believe is the
history of communities or indi-
viduals, prosperity first improve.
ments after.
In view of these facts, it would
be prudent and wise if this CON-
would concentrate on
some measure, that would first
bring relief to our declining CON-
merce and second to restore lost
pay rolls 1t is useless to attempt
to make this manufacturing
center, first we have no CHEAP
frel or raw material, second there
are no transportation facilities
factors in the manu-
featuring industry. By opening
up, or utilizing the water facili-
ties, with which nature so gen.
erously endowed this section of
country, this place could be made
a distributing and industrial CEN
ter, canal to the lake might and
would open up an avenue to
trade that is now diverted else
where, and cause industries to
concentrate here that would in