St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-05-31
Two Good Plans Of Building
Our Roads

w UVUu h"
Our Roads
Editor Clarion:
On Monday, May 18th, a meet
ing was held in the courthouse
ostensibly for the purpose of di-
vising some means to better our
public road conditions, but really
in answer to a call to force the
lowering of the criminal tax of
the Incorporated towns. The
burden of that tax is laid too
heavily on the towns, because
they have to keep up their own
streets, which are as beneficial
to the country as they are to the
towns, but an examination OF
the parish budget will disclose
the fact that it cannot be done
under the present rate of assess
ment; it takes all Of the criminal
expense item to pay the criminal
expenses of the parish.
Now a start for better public
roads must be made sooner or
later and the quicker the better.
There are two plans available,
the first of which is: To anticl-
pate your revenues. We have a
road fund of Sl8, 900; let the
police jury issue one hundred
thousand dollars Of 5 per cent
interest bearing bonds, at $500
per mile. This will build forty
miles Of gravel and sand roads
and this will be all you can build
in one year. Keep the other
$50, 900 to pay the interest on
said bonds and keep up the dirt
roads of the parish. Each sue
cessive year you will have an
additional SIS. 900 or $50, 600
more. When these forty miles
will have been built, let the po-
lice jury issue $50, 900 more with
published declaration that an adj
nitional $50, 900 will be issued if
sufficient funds remain from the
$50, 900 and the acruing SIS, 600
or $40, 900. This will take up
the year 1913 and 1914. After
1914 you will have three mills
and still remain within your con-
stitutional limit of the millage.
BY this process you will have
demonstrated to the people the
probability of building good
roa is, and then call an election
in the fall of 1914, submitting a
three mill tax to the people of
st. Landry, and if it is voted
set aside the three mills
which you will then have to
build roads; if this is done, you
can take my word for it, that
every juror voting for this plan
will be reelected, if he desires,
regards to politics or
previous positions of servitude.
The other way of building good
roads is to leave it to the diffes-
emit wards, if the first fails.
The first ward being the parish
seat, has no desire other than to
aid her sister wards, but it is ell
ementary that if the. parish as a
whole fails. the police jury should
not stife the wards which want
TO help themselves. Now the
first ward has a fund of SIS, 1913 Is
10 her credit, and pursuing the
same plan could build every road
she has with gravel and sand
throughout her entire limits
The fourth ward comes second
n valuation with a fund OF 50,
,94, sc, and when she will call an
election it will be certain to
larry, for the reason that sew
,nty per cent Of her taxes, are
laid by non-residents and rail
She could build turn
bikes on every foot of her road,
,pen a road from Palmetto par
.llelling the Texas and Pacific to
Melville. a distance of ten miles,
is SO much needed. She
,ould also run a road froEn Krotz
Springs down the Frisco. a dis
;ance of four miles to Bayou
Jourtableau. which would cause
hat portion of the parish to be
quickly settled, thereby adding
@ the material wealth Of st.
Landry. This road would join
he present public road leading
TO Port Barre, and would greatly
aid that important town
About $500, 600 will be added
to the assessed value of the
ward, which was cut off
last year, owing to the overflow.
The second ward has $1,317.9 5
road fund and she will not be
hurt one bit by this plan.
The third ward has 81, 6338. 36
and I feel sure that her repre-
and people will en-
this plan with enthusiasm.
Now the fifth ward has ST.
500. 81 road fund and will, I be-
gladly embrace this plan.
The sixth ward has So, 365. AZ
for her roads and if the signs of
the times as is shown by our en-