The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-05-15
A Further Word About Roads.

"A Further Word About Roads.
Some months since movement look
ing to the construction of permanent
haro-surface highways in our parish was
launched. All the readers of the Ban
ner remember the mass meeting held in
this place April 9th, when the cause re-
celved It's impetus proper. That there
IS opposition to the movement does no.
come as news announcement, There
was opposition then, and it has, appar-
entity, since grown in it's scope.
II the writer is correctly informed, the
stronghold Of this opposition is in Wards
Four and Five. We are strictly in favor
OF improved noads, and wish to see them
secured for our entire parish, if possible
at this time, but wish to state emphati-
cally that we have no quarrel with our
neighbors of Wards Four and Five. Far
from it. We merely want the roads for
the parish-the whole parish-and think
that 1t is a matter for the masses to
settle as to how best and cheapest to
obtain them. But we should make no
compromise as to the quality of our
roads. We want the kind that will be
serviceable twelve months during any
year-the kind that bring general pros
perity and a general enhancement of
values. If we are to accept we'll authen-
t!cated statistics and the personal ex-
periences of those from other states,
permanent roads do bring these things.
They result in more wealth, more en-
hghtenment, more comfort and social
benefits not before enjoyed.
However, some of US do not take these
things into consideration, or think ''the
game not worth the CANDLE" In other
words, everybody wants the roads, but
many do not want to be taxed to secure
them. Hence the opposition and the
petition to request the Police Jury not
to order an election to take the sense Of
the property electors of the parish on
the question of voting tax and issuing
bonds for road construction; and be-
cause of this has sprung up this new
movement to create a good roads dis
trict, embracing Wards One and Two.
We do not represent to thoroughly
understand the road problem locally, but
we have always staunchly stood for bet
ter roads, and cannot understand the
opposition to the movement that has de-
veloped in some sections of the parish.
1t is true that north and south roads
constructed along railroad rightofways,
and to reach the principal towns Of
our parish, and the proposed road east
to the Webster Parish line would not
touch either Ward -Four or Ward Five.
But glance at map of our parish and
you will see that it is much elongated
north and south, and were it possible to
construct three hard-suaface roads, to
follow the Cotton Belt north to the
Arkansas line, the Louisiana Railway
south to the Red River Parish line and
the ", S. and P. east to the Webster
Parish line fifteen of the twenty-eight
postoffices of the parish would be
touched. 1t would naturally follow that
the other four wards of the parish would
benefit more directly from these three
roads than Wards Four and Five, but it
is also true that the total assessment of
the residents of the four wards is more
than six times as great as that OF the
residents of Wards Four and Five COM
bined.
When we come to review the assessed
values of the parish why should any
one-a resident of any ward-register a
kick when taxed for any public i'm
provement, especially that as much
needed as public roads? The 1918 parish
assessment roll has not been completed
as yet, but the 1912 roll showed the total
assessed valuation of holdings of resi-
dents Of the parish to be only ST 1921 ,245,
as against S2,o21, 070 for nonresidents.
If the value of the holdings of nonresi-
dents was increased only S621, APO (and
it has increased materially since the 1912
roll was completely the figure would
then be just double that of the holdings
of residents. So the nonresident would
contribute much more toward the con-
struction of our proposed hard-surface
roads than the resident. Did you know
that? If so, do you permit it to in
fluence you stand for or against tax?
Let's take the assessed value Of the
holdings of the residents OF the parish
by wards and see who would contribute
most toward the construction of roads
all taxed alike. The assessment Of resi-.
dents of Ward One is $271, TAO, Ware