davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
TO HOLD ELECTION
To DECIDE ON TAX

|. The people Of Opelousas viii
be able to tell for themselves,
whether or not, this enterpris-
ing little city will have the
Louisiana Traction Company
and the, Injuries of larger cities.
There will be an election called
by the Mayor and the Board of
Aldermen, as soon as a. petition,
which will be circulated among
the taxpayers of this ward, has
been completed.
/ E. E. Shackelford was in
town on Tuesday to meet the
committee appointed to repre-
sent the citizens of Opelousas,
composed pLee Garland
Jno. w eSR So rion L.
Swords Roarpi and DIR.
J. A. Haa as decided, at
the neetha tbat a two and
one-half mills tax would be re
quired from the citizens of this
city in order to secure the Trac-
ton Company. If the tax is
voted andthel lTracfSA Company
does not dome here Vt will have
10 paSItfs City ofGpelousas a
forfeit lof eight thousand dollars,
ii defalltM its epntpae<
The date on which thelelection
/ is to be held has not been de
cided, but it is understood that
it will be very soon, and it is
hoped the taxpayers will see
their way clear to give this
proposition their united support.
Many people do not realize
that this means more to the vel
fare of this community than any
other enterprise that we could
secure, with the probable excep-
ton perhaps of good roads. The
tax will be small, indeed, in
comparison with the good thai
we will get out of it, and as soon
as we will have paid up the
necessary $4l, 600, the tax vii
be abolished, and the railroad re
main.
It is understood that many
men, most prominent socially
and financially. will lend al
their efforts to land the Traction
Company and it is expected thai
| the tax will be voted overwhelm-
ingly.
Our people have awakened te
the necessity Of keeping pace
with all other cities, and, be.
sides, are determined that Ope-
lousas shall not lag behind any
of them, but forge to the front
The collection of this tax vii
begin in 1914, and not a cent o1
It will be collected until the lint
is built and in actual operation
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15

The posters spread around the
city announced that there would
be a meeting at the Courthouse,
on Wednesday night, February
18th, at seven-thirty o'clock, for
the purpose of discussing the
question of the extra fund said
to be necessary for the erection
of the new high school building.
To gist the matter, as we
understand it, Atax of five rhihs
on the dollar Eas-le1ied by a
vote of the people of this city for
a period Of ten years, this tax to
bring a total of S65, 600. 90.
The bid of Caldwell Brothers
for the building Of the school
house was beneath this figure,
but did not include furnishing
and other things necessary to
make this progressive move a
going concern. =
1t developes that the five mills
ten year tax will yield S103, 140. :
So, and the school authorities
are asking that they be permit
ted to issue sufficient additional
bonds, without extra taxation to
the millage already voted to
equip the building thoroughly.
Mr.. Dudley L. Guilbeau was
made chairman of Wednesdays
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15

Mr.. Mark J. Abribat, former
editor of the st. Landry Clarion,
was in town recently and in
formed q Clarion representative
that he had made all the neces-
sary preparations to establish a
newspaper at 0berlin, Allen Par
ish, La. The first issue will not
come out before a couple of
weeks but it is expected that ii
will be a first class country
newspaper, as Mr.. Abribat has
had experience in the field OF
journalism, and has already had
the experience of putting up q
newspaper of his own at Vile
Platte, which paper had the
reputation of being a very good
one. He, however, gave up his
position at Vile Platte, to as
sumo the editorship Of the
Clarion, whers he remained sew
eral months. Upon1hearing OF
the splendid ptospeStsl at Ober-
lin her smnAedia diately Ment down
with the view Of establishing q
plant these/N In he space Of one
or two days, he had organized
stock company and assured Ober.
lin of a newspaper.
We extend our friend and con,
.frere, Mr.. Abribat, our very best
wishes for a successful career,
and at the same time, feel thai
he will bring forth a splendie
paper, thereby jusIifying the
people of that community Wht
have already a great deal O
faith in this energetic young
man.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
Nolan--- -Blacksher Nuptfal Ap-
preaching.

Mr.. and Mrs. P. T. Blacksher
announced the wedding of their
beautiful and accomplished
daughter, Erin, which event will
take place on March 1st.
Miss Blacksher is one of Ope-
lousas' many pretty and attrac-
tive young girls, While Mr.. No
Ian is one Of our Recent additions
to our city and abooster. He is
the owner of>tbe well known and
popular Princess Theatre. This
wedding promises to be one of
the most prominent in social
events in our city, and their
many friends will turn out by
scores to wish them a happy
married life.
The couple will make Opelou-
sas their home, and, besides,
the Clarion is glad to know that
it will be almost directly oppo-
site its Office.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
RIlFFALO GNATS ARE
NOW IN ST. LANDRY
dangerous Insects Make Their
Appearance at Plaisance
and Washington.

The buffalo gnats, which made
their appearance in the vicinity
of Vile Platte and other places
n the Parish of Evangeline,
have crossed the boundary line,
separating St.sLandry and Evan
oellne. and are at present doing
rrayaging work in the neighbor-
boodsjof Plaisance and Washing
ington, and rapidly making their
way to Opelousas.
It il reported, by a reputable
farmer, that these disagree
ablesand dangerous insects are
pestering the Plaisance commu-
pity and several heads Of cattle
have died since their appear
ance.
Congressman Pujo is pressing
4 claim up in Washington to help
the farmers destroy these gnats,
but as yet. there has been no
good word from him, and since
It is most vital to the interest,
not only Of the Plaisanee and
Washington neighborhoods, but
also of Opelousas, as well as
every nook and corner Of Of this
and Evangeline parishes, Mr..
Puio should be notified and
urped to act at once.
Unless the gnats are done
away with Immediately they will
take hold Of the entire section
of this State, and perhaps may
90 far beyond Central Louisiana
and cost an enormous loss OF
money, as there are thousands
Of farmers who own consider
able number of heads of cattle.
The cattle industry means a
GREAT deal to our parish andif it
Is injured, we will suffer almost
IS much as we did when the
high water was here last year.
Every one knows what that was,
90 it is easy to conjecture what
the loss viii be If these gnats
are not destroyed.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
oPELoUsAs, LA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY Is 1918
new DEMOCRATIC EX,
ECUTIVE COMMIT
TEE MEETS.
First Primary to Be Held on
Feb. 25.--General Election
~
on March III, 1918.

The new Democratic Exective
Committee on last Monday even
ing met and elected Raymond
Breaux, chairman, deHerman
Bodemuller, secretary. They
Immediately proceeded to decide
upon the date Of the election to
be held for alderman in the
fourth rdof fthe city of Ope-
lousas. February ! 25th is the
day upon whih the primary is
to be held, whilst on March the
18th will bexhe final run which
does not mean anything worth
mentioning in this Democratic
state of ours.
So far there are only two can
didates in the field, namely, DR..
A. ]. Perrault and Mr.. Percy G.
Dunbar. Both being very pop
ular men, a hot contest is ex-
.pected and the winner will not
be known until the last vote in
the ballot box is counted.
The voting will take place at
the office of DIR. j. A. Haas and
it is alleged that there will be
the largest number of votes ever
cast in the fourth ward of this
city, as the feeling is so intense
and the excitement so great that
all who can possibly cast a bal
lot will be on the scene bright
and early to vote for their choice.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
OpeIousas Maiden Gets
Second Prize i'm DALEY
States Contest

Miss Eleanor Littell, the
charming and accomplished young
daughter of DIR. Robert Littell,
is to be congratulated upon the
splendid showing she made in
the Daily States contest, which
has just been decided. She was
the only contestant from Ope-
lousas, and displayed that Ope-
lousas was to be reckoned with
when ever any of its fair maidens
were in the field.
For her work she was awarded
a beautiful pianola, as second
prize in the Filth District. That
shows that she had to do some
work in order fAe>get that prize,
as there are many other girls in
the contest who did not have to
perform the same stringent
duties as did Miss Littell.
OpelousaS young represent
taive had Lal the good wishes
of the citizens of this city, and
her n1nfberless friends are happy
to know that she was one Of the
prize winners, and feel confident
that had she had more time to
devote to the contest Miss
Octavia Maurin of Laplace would
have had no show at all
Miss Littell is engaged, at pre-
sent, as one of our teachers at
the ST. Landy High School and
deservs unspeakable praise for
her good work, both in the school
room and in the Daily States
contest.
The Clarion extends it's best
wishes to Miss Littell IN d
congratulates her upon her mer-
itiri0us work.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
ROADS IN The COUN-
TRY ARE GOOD

A drummer is a kicker, not
necessarily by nature, but
through the hardship that are
twin to his occupation. The
drummer becomes "grouchy, !"
and when he has a kind word to
say for things public, that kind
word deserves more than pass
ing consideration.
And when the most prominent
drummer covering this territory
told a Clarion representative
that the roads in ST. Lrndry
were in splendid condition, con-
sidering the adverse weather OF
the past four months, and that
travel was easypver them; and
that the drummefs were confin-
ingdthe' major pad Of their time
to this territoty-then it was
made EVIDENT that there was
good work being done by some
agency, either the vigilance OF
the tnembers of the Police Jury
inNthe various wards, or the
efficiency of the road contrac-
tors. we do not fear the pub
lie roads of the country. As
soon as we leave the corporate
limits of the City of Opelousas,
we know that we will have little
trouble" remarked this drum
mer.
Now is there not a plain lesson
in this? Is it not a condition
standing out in bold relief,
palmer to read than the letters
on the mile post, than if people,
strangers, are afraid to travel
the streets of Opelousas, the
people of the country. the back
bone Of a town, are afraid te
COME TO TOWN?
The Clarion has never been q
kicker. It has always been q
booster. But, as the peculiar
Frenchman Jean Jacques Rous-
seau appropriately said: There
is time to act. The sand in
the now shore waits not. =
There should be action-de-
cisive action.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
CITIZENS MEET AND
DISCUSS SCHOOL TAX
Some of Our Taxpayers Want to Investigate Things
About Things.--Weather Was Unfavorab1e
And Crowd Was Slim.

meeting, and Mr.. Morton H.
Thompson was secretary.
The entire subject matter was
leftto committee of five. COM
posed of mechanics, the commit
Eeesto be appointed by the chair
TO see whether the building could
bot be~erected and equipped for
.S65, 10000.
Ehe resolution was offered by
Mr.. Chas. Thibodeaux, and none
o f t hose present offered
objection to it. The meet.
ing then went into another
subject That of the Superinten-
dent of public education of this
parish permitting his minor son
to conduct a teachers agency, by
which a fee of four per cent of
the salary of the teachers was
required, by this agency for, Sc
curing a school position.
Messrs. Guilbeau, Thompson
and Thibodeaux spoke on a reso-
luton to the effect that a COM
mittee of three be appointed to
investigate the matter, and
there was no objection on the
part, of those present, and the
chair will at a later day appoint
the committee.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
AN EPIDEMIC OF
BOARD BILL BEATORs
They Come In the Night, and
They Disappear in the
Night.

There is general complaint
on the part of hotel keepers in
| fOpelousas about the inclination
tof SO many fellows with a
smile and appearance that is
good beating their board bills.
Many instances of this kind
have occurred in the past few
weeks. A man. ~heIding an i'm
portant position on a railroad
traversing this section, boarded
Tor some knNnths at a popular
boarding house himself, wife
and child He has vanished.
. AnotheH railroad man well
liked, well thought of, took the
midnight route. And then came
a music teacher not only a
music teacher, but a musician
who put a soul in an instrument
made not only pulsate in melody,
but gave something animate.
There seemed to be a love. s.
community indissoluble, between
them.
He paid his board with Those
notes that makes the heart
kind''--but do not pay the gro
cery bill. or the house rent. He
has gone never to return. =
And at another place there
came a clairVoyant, the husband,
the trunks and a room. But all
have disappeared. While the
clairyoyant was entertaining the
landlady, the male member Of
the fake" family was making
his exit with the most valuable
part (to the landlady), the
trunks.
Several other instances are
known to have occurred in Ope-
lousas lately. What does it
mean? Is it hard times, or is it
that the human race is degener-
ating in moral and personal res
possibility?
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
STATE OF LOUISIANA.
ADJUTANT GENERALS
OFFICE.
GENERAL ORDERS NO. g..

Baton Rouge, Feb. 6, 1913.
Due to diminished enlisted
strength and lack Of armory
facilities to properly care fol
Federal property, Company C.
First Infantry, Opelousas, ii
hereby ordered disbanded.
I q Captain Leslie A. Fitch,
First Infantry, will proceed tc
Opelousas on February II, 1913,
and collect, pack and ship, BY
freight, to the Quatermaster
General, New Orleans, all Quar-
termaster's Supplies, Ordnance
Stores and other property per-
tanning to the company.
3. After all the property has
been accounted for, officers and
enlisted men will be discharged,
except Captain r. M. Littell,
who is hereby transferredsto the
Supernumerary List.
By order of the Commander
in-C Chief:
OSWALD w. McNEESE,
The Adjutant General.
Official:
JOSEPH THOMPSON,
Assistant Adjutant General.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
Southern Pacific to
Extend It's Lines

At meeting held in the city
of New Orleans recently the
probabilities of erecting a line
from Port Barre to Monroe,
through the parishes of Avoy-
eIles, LaSalle, Caldwell and
Ouchita, with the chances that
it will continue to ST. Louis, Mo-,
to compete against the Texas &
Pacific and the Iron Mountain
railroads, were discussed.
It is practically decided that
the line from Port Barre to Mon
roe will be erected, but the con-
!tinuation of the same to Missouri
is only a probability, and time
alone will tell whether or not it
will go into effeet
A committee appointed to rep
resent the atizenSQf southwest
Louisiana met President Scott of
the Morgan Louisiana & Texas
Railway Coz aANeWfOrleans and
examined the proposition of ex-
tending the New iberia -Breaux
Bridge branch to Moreauville
and Marksville with an ultimate
view Of going to Monroe.
Among the men in conference
with President Scott were: A.
E. Plauche Of Vile Platte; DIR.
Hawkins of Palmetto; E. P.
Veazie of Opelousas and a num-
Der of others from ST. Landry
and Avoyelles parishes.
If the Southern Pacific extends
its line to st. Louis it is said
that that company will make it a
t runk line, so as to be
thoroughly able to compete with
all railroads in the northern por-
tion of the state, and in Arkan-
sas and Missouri.
Avoyelles parish is well rep
resented in this undertaking and
many Of her most prominent
men are hard at work to secure
the railroad, whilst Port Barre
is taking care Of itself and is do
ing all in its power to obtain this
extension.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15

Shumake was a fast smashing
affair. Shumake wanted to throw
up the sponge in the third, but
his seconds prevailed upon him to
finish and by following their
advice, won so decisively in the
fourth, that Harvey Harrison
quit cold, with a badly battered
face.
In the first four rounds Of the
main bout, Wood made a monkey
out of Hanlon, hitting him at
will, in and out, foot work
clever, it looked very much as
though the thing would be a
farce.
In the fifth, Hanlon came up
smiling and for an up-hill-get-
the-Worst-of-it, came back. That
boy Hanlon is all Boy.
He drew a tie in this round,
but round six WIS all Wood, SO
Hanlon had wised UP in the fifth,
however, and fnSshe Z, 8, and
9th, he had Wood at the wrong
end Of the joy and had the mil
gone tHentS rounds, the decis-
ion might have >heen reversed.
round ten was WooA,s by a shade
and Referee Crutcher held uI
L Il -, IL, :. -
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
DISBANDS COMPANY &C.
Opelousas Military Company Disorganized on Ac-
count Of Shortage of Enlisted Men--Material
Sent to Quartermaster.

Captain Robert M. Littell was
ordered by Adjutant Genera.
McNeese, during the week, te
discharge all our soldier boys"
and disband Company &c. !"
Principally due to the diminu-
tiveness of enlisted strength and
lack Of facilities to properly,c care
for the militia, that itthas been
ordered to dis-organize and send
all the materials to theQuarter-
master General, at New Orleans.
Company c. was at one time
the most popular thing in our
city, and its many members re-
gret to see it disbanded. Ope-
lousas will no longer be repre-
sented at the state militia re-
union at Alexandrianot for a
while, at least.
Many people were of the
opinion that our soldier boys
had been ordered to Mexico on
account of catchy posters, which
were circulated on the streets.
The poster read thus: Six
warships and 2506O troops or
dered to Mexico! Company 'C'
ordered outp, 1t came near
creating a sensation. but its true
meaning was soon learned.
Below we print the order sent
to Captain Littell from head
quarters at Baton Rouge.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
The ELKS ARE ONCE
MORE ENTERTAINERS
Crowd OF Elks And Lady Friends And
Relatives Meet Al Their Home To
Enjoy Sapheiti suppr.

Tuesday night, Immediately
after the regular meeting Of the
EIks of Gpelousas, these generous
persons rendered a splendid
spread to their wives, daughters
and sWeethearts.
There was also one new mem
ber admitted to the order, Mr..
Baldridge Of Bayou Boeuf, and he
for the first time in his life saw
the true side of the most charit-
ible of all orders. Not only that,
but he was awaken to the fact
that the soci4l features of this
order was fHf beyond his ex-
pectation.
A crowd of about sixty-fiye or
seventy participated in the
spaghetti slipper and were all
delighted tb beA-so grandly en-
tertaiHed Many girls were
thereIsoHle say that they were
the sNeethearts of the ElkA but
we will leave it to you to RQd
out, all we know is that they
were beautiful and fascinating,
and the Elks made no mistake
in choosing them as their les
pective partners.
Appropriate toasts were made
by: Mayor E. L. Leob, John A.
Budd, Frank Dimmick, D.L. Gull
beau, Judge Gilbert Dupfe,
Lorenzo Mornhinveg and others.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
Grand Coteau Notes

The pastoral letter Of his
Grace Most Rev. James Hubert
Blenk, S. M., Archbishop DC
New Orleans, on devotion to Our
Lady of Prompt Succor and the
erection Of a votice church in her
honor was read here Sunday at
all the masses at the Sacred
Heart Catholic Church.
During Lent at the same
church there will be the Way Of
the Cross, in English Sunday
evenings at 4.30. and in French
Friday evening at s. Is o'clock.
The surveyors of the Louisiana
Traction and Power Company
were surveying here Monday.
They are camping near here for
the past few days.
Misses Mary and Frances
Tarlton of Lafayette visited rel
Eatives here this week.
Mr.. G. A. Sturgis of Texas,
who was visiting DR.. R. M.
Littell at Opelousas, is here now
visiting DR.. T. 7. Tarlton.
Mrs Joseph and Miss Leonie
Burleigh retufued home Satur-
day after a>Gedple of days spent
at Lafayetta
| Miss L6cjlle Sastille of Opel
ousas visited relatives here
Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Leo Tnfna OF
Washington, Mr.. and Ms
| DaigIe of Church Point and Mr..
Darlington Of Elba were visitors
here Sunday.
Misses Gertrude and Ethel
Barry visited relatives at Opel
ousas last week.
Mr.. Preston Vautrot of Church
Point was a visitor here Thurs
day.
! Mr.. Armand Andrus and
family of Carencro visited A. ID.
Smith and family Sunday.
/ Judge Arthur Simon Of Ope-
lousas was a Sunday visitor here.
/ Mrs. Angelo Durio is visiting
relatives at Lafayette.
Messrs Albert Levet and
Carron of Washington paid a
4 flying visit here Sunday.
Messrs Jules Petetin, John
4 Petetin, r. III. Barry, O'Brien
Elmer and Judge J. A. Smith
were Opelousas visiters last
} week
Mr.. and Mrs. George Hender.
son of New iberia were visitors
here Saturday and Sunday.
Mr.. E. E. Shackford, super
intendent of the Louisiana Trac,
I ion and Power Company was .
Tuesday visitor here.
MIR. and Mrs. S. d. Tinney oi
! of Sunset met with an accident
Sunday evening while out riding
, which might have proven to b,
4 very serious. The mule the,
: were driving became frightened
at Mr.. Frank Dimmick's auto
e turning the buggy over whicl
I passed over Mrs. Tinney. Tn
mule ran into the wire fence,
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15
FAMOUS SUIT DECIDED


The long drawn out suit of the
town of Eunice Us. the Louisiana
Western Railway Company came
70 a close Oh Wednesday evening
at five o'clock when the jury
rendered a verdict giving the
town Of Eunice the strip Of
ground as prayed for and as
scaeed the town five hundred
dollars for land and all damages.
Mr.. Percy Levy has returned
from New Orleans, Mobile and
otner points, where he spent
several days.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-02-15

Theogene Bertrand, a prosper
Gus farmer of the western part
of St. Landry. paid us a pleasant
visit recently.
Mayor E. v. and Mr.. Frank
o. Barry, of Grand Coteau, were
in Opelousas on Tuesday attend
ing to business.