The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-02-20
Wholesome Plans Offered here

vent, they will appear next week.
Wholesome Plans Offered Here.
Editor Bossier Banner, Benton, La.
Dear Sir: You will please permit me
space for the following, on subject that
is now being much discussed in your
parish = improved highways and how
best to obtain them.
Now that the Police Jury of Bossier
Parish has decided to discontinue work
ing public roads by the plan adopted
number of years ago, and has disposed
of the mules that were used in building
and maintaining roads, the time seems
ripe for the agitation of the building OF
permanent roads in the parish. This
can best be done by the voting of
special roai tax, either of the whole
parish, or by wards, or special road dis
tricts, and the writer believes that the
people of Bossier Parish, and especially
those who have to travel over the clay
roads at the present season of the year,
will welcome such tax, and will work
with enthusiasm for plan that will not
only give them passable roads the year
round, but will give them roads on which
they can more than double their loads at
all seasons of the year. If there be any
skeptics of the value of such roads,
invite them to visit the good roads re-
ceutly built in Caddo Parish. And, in
cidentally, while visiting these Caddo
roads, inquire into the value OF property
adjacent to them, both before and since
they have been built. 1t may be inter-
esting to know that the building of these
roads in Caddo Parish has more than
doubled the value of adjacent lands, and
it will do the same for Bossier Parish
when she builds hard-surface roads.
This has been true in every section and
State that has tried the experiment Of
good road building, and, while there
have always been some individuals in
every section who opposed good roads on
the plea of expense, they have usually
become the most ardent supporters when
such roads were built.
Without going into detail of expense,
or best methods of road building, l want
to show that Bossier Parish, owing to
her location, is in a position to build
cheaper roads than any other parish in
the State, and especially is this true of
that part Of the parish lying north and
east of Shreveport. If road was built
to follow the Cotton Belt Railway from
Shreveport to the Arkansas line that
road would probably arrange to unload
stone or gravel along its track in way
to reduce the expense of hauling to the
minimum. Near Lewisyille, Ark, there
are immense beds of the finest gravel for
road building. These beds of gravel are
directly on the Cotton Belt Railways
line, making the haul not over sixty
miles to Shreveport and less than hall
that distance to the State line. Five
miles south of the State line, in Bossier
Parish and directly on the Cotton Belt
Railway, there are immense deposits OF
silica iron-ore rock that has every APP
pearance of being the best of road
building material. There is enough rock
in this deposit to hard surface every road
in Bossier Parish. This rock, of course.
would. need to be crushed, but from
Alden Bridge north there is the greatest
abundance of this same rock in grave
and pebbles, and while it carries toe
| much dirt to bear transportation, il
makes excellent roads, and in many
places can be had Immediately on the
roadside. On the L. and A. Railway
and the w., S. and P. Railway, nea
Minden and Sibley, splendid gravel pitt
are now being worked, and what ha
been said of cheap bodybuilding mate
rial on the Cotton Belt can also be salt
of these two roads, and there should b.
but little additional expense in supply
ing material south of Shreveport owe
the L. f. and N. Railway.
Three hard-surfaced roads should b.
started from the approach of the new
bridge in Bossier City, leading north
east and south, and continued to tn
parish line in each direction, after whicl
interesting lines should be built t.
these main thoroughfares.
l am fully aware of the cost of sue
roads, but 1 am also convinced that tn
results will justify the expense. I believ
bad roads are costing the people of Bos
sier Parish annually, in the way @
blacksmith bills, wear and tear of vehi
cles and teams, the hauling of ligh
loads, etc., an amount greater than thei
taxes, to say nothing of the inconven
fence, worry and discomfort of having
travel roads in their present condition
Aside from this, permanent roads woul
add much to the taxable value of tn
landed property of the parish, and max
the lands more desirable to prosperity