Lower coast gazette., 1913-12-13
SATURDAY, DECEMBER IS. 1919.
The Proposed New Court House.

AS will be shown in the proceedings OF the
Police Jury published elsewhere in this issue,
the court house committee that has for a con-
siderable time had in charge the consideration
of the scheme for the building of a new court
house or repairing the cid one, has finally made
a report wherein they state that owing to the
fact that the existing court house is at present
in such a dilapidated condition, chiefly owing to
it's defective foundation and to the great storm
of 1893, which did considerable harm to the
building, that it will now cost 80 much to place
it in a safe, good condition that it at present
seems more desirable to build a new court
house. The committee have therefore recon-
mended to the Police Jury that a new court
house be built and that an architect be selected
comparatively whose plans and specifications
are satisfactory to the committee and In which
the cost of the proposed court house shall be
limited to a tax of one mill per annu,n OF the
assessed value of the property for a term not to
exceed forty years, against which the bonds OF
the parish might be sold. The resolution of the
Police Jury requires that after the committee
shall have arrived at these conclusions the whole
matter shall be re-submitted to the Police Jury,
who viii then arrive at some conclusion in the
matter and will doubtless do what then seems
to them best, all things considered.
In every county town up in the states OF the
middle west and in fact COW in the parish seats
in the hill country Of North Louisiana, there is
a general desire to build good public buildings
that will attract emigrarts from other states of
the union to cur own state by this visible display
of the putlic strength and prosperity. When
we shall add to that g first class high school at
Pointe q Ia Eache and another high school on
the west bank Of the river and have shell roads
on both sides, we shall be able to bring the
Parish Of PiaquemInes up to a level that will
make it the peer Of any parish in the state SO
far as natural advantages and general educa-
ton are concerned.
The proposed tex Of ore mill is an extremely
light ore ard we have felt that for the good Of
the parish it ought to be made at least enc mill
and a half, as otherwise we Shall fall below even
the interior parishes Of North Louisiana that are
building there better courtkouses than we can
get with our proposed one mill tax. All that
will be considered later on, but our readers will
sec ct . glance that a front arpens Of land that
is valued a. $500 would only pay 50 cents q year
for this proposed court house tax. A tax of g
mill and a half would be S1.20 a year and we
feel quite sure that every patriotic citizen in the
Parish OF IHiaquemines, after ,iEe reflection and
considering the great advantages that wo Id
rome to the parish from the splendid improve
lnents that might BE- thus effected, would cor
sent to the ] and IL mill tax, rather than to the
one mill tax and the FAR less attractive results
that would be thus secured.
1t is manifest to everyone concerned that we
cannot have the best modern advantages unless
we are willing to pay for them. The cheapest,
easiest way to get these advantages is to issue
long period bonds and provide fer their gradual
liquidation in such a way as not to be at all op-
lressive and in such a way as will meet with
cooperation on the part Of practically all Of tie
tax payers who will rot begrudge his very
small addition to their present taxes wien they
know of the excellent results that will follow
thcrefrom.
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