St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-03-08
SANDERS TALKS ON GOOD ROADS

Says Why And Row 0peIousas Should
Have Good Streets.
/ One who might believe that
the people of Opelousas are not
going seriously after better
streets will readily see his mis-
take by perusing carefully the
communication, which the Clar-
ion received from Mr.. L. L. Dam
lei, Alderman from the second
ward. His ideas are very good
and is well worth the best atten-
Etion that one can give to this
subject. IF his example would
| be followed by some other pro-
minent menof this community,
| Opelousas would be a city worth
speaking about that is to say. a
city in which it's citizens would
take the greatest pride and
whose fame for progressiveness
and beauty would be unbounded.
Mr.. Danel feels assured that it
is time that the people Of Opel
ousas consider building streets
in a serious manner and not en-
pasence.
Opelousas is il a better pos
| tion to spend money onits streets
! than at any time in its existence.
In former years it took practical
/ ly all the revenues Of the City to
run the Power plant, but now,
swing to our ever industrious
| Mayor E. E. Loeb this enterprise
is no longer a burden to the city
/ but a real paying thing. While
| Opelousas is getting out of debts
and making money is the time to
pave the streets.
Let other gentlemen of this
community follow in Mr.. Daniels
footsteps and give their views
ION this subject, the Clarion will
be glad to print them and to
comment on them accordingly.
Below follows Mr.. Daniels
worthy communication:
Opelousas, La,
March 5, 1918.
Mr.. Editor
There seems to. be a
consensus of opinion that Opel
ousas cannot afford to face
another fall and winter traffic
without something being done
for it's principle streets. That
while the town is high and well
drained, travel is too great for
| the best dirt roads to resist when
subjected to the softening effect
1of the winter rains. That the
loss of trade experienced in the
! last two winters must not be re-
peated. That we must do some
thing, but what is to be done is.
| the question now debated.
To satisfy myself as to what
was best to do, / have examined
| the different kinds of streets in
| Alexandra, La, and while find
| the Brick and Asphalt streets
good and nice to look at, / think
| that the Gravel street is what We
want. Bear in mind that we
must cut our garment according
| to the cloth.
From my observations, a good
gravel street % feet wide can be
laid for about $4,000. 60 per mile,
and it makes a fine, first class
durable roadway.
] I did not realize what a fine
roadway gravel made until rode
over it.
The other kind Of streets are
in my judgement too costly for
US. MY plan is for the City TO
build 10 miles of graveled streets
running from corporate limit to
corporate Limit, both East and
West, andSNorth and South.
This would cost approximately.
/ 10000. 90 which can be paid by
anticipating our revenues.
The toWnahas run on a z mill
tax, even when deprived of the
whiskey license, and meeting a
heavy monthly deficit at the
Power Pl4nt. Now that we
have the licenses and the Power
Plant is on B paying basis, levy
of 10 mills will give 8 mills to de-
vote to street Improvement. and
/ think easily give funds to ac-
complish Wnat | propose above.
! The benefit, would like the bur-
den, be equally divided; no one
would feel the hardship as in the
case where only abutting pro-
prietors are made to stand the
whole cost of the work. In the
central portion the pavement
might be made Of higher class