New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-01-10

On assuming cndfge OF llle d.
fairs of this Parish in June,
1912, every member of this jury
pledged his every effort to the
upbuild of the Parish, and par
ticularly, to do his utmost to pro-
mote system Of Road building
and maintenance which would
provide safety and comfort to
the travelling public at all sea-
sons, and to permit a more eco
nomical harvesting of crops.
How these pledges have been
kept, is evidenced by the work
already accomplished.
The Model Road, while per-
hapS a disappointment to us, still!
provides the best thoroughfare
which has ever existed between
New Iberia and Jeanerette. The
acquisition of the Wyche Road
does away with the hardships inn
posed by a toll and furnishes the
residents of two County seats
with a short and good road for
their own use. The road leading
to Loreauyille has been convert
ed from a bog into splendid
highway, while Lourd's Lane and
Curtis Lane, for years considered
beyond repairs, now furnish easy
access to and from that import
ant section known as Petit Anse.
The bridges spanning the Techc
at LOreauville and Olivier were
both out of commission at the
time of our induction into office;
these have been reconstructed
and will serve the heavy traffic
to which they are subjected for
many years, the one over Rose
dale Canal, washed away by the
floods of last summer, has been
replaced by a substantial struc-
ture build on pilings to stand
for generations; and finally num-
erous delapidated and unsightly
bridges thhouahout the Parish
have been removed and substl-
tuted by galvanized iron culverts.
the advantages of which are so
patent, that it is useless to dis
cuss them. In addition, | may
mention the contemplated pro-
jects which will soon give Burke
Station, Lydia, Patoutville and
the Salt Mines more direct and
better communication with New
Iberia.
Nor have these things been ac
complished at the expense of
other localities. believe that
to-day, thanks to the effort of
the Jury to properly drain the
public roads. that these are all
better than for years back, and
are in condition to be further
improved with the outlay of
comparatively small capital.
Recently, the jury disposed of
$40, 100000 of Good Road Bonds.
OF this amount 100000 has
been set aside for the Wyche
and Burke Station Roads, and
So, 10000 expended in the pur-
chase of an Austin Ditchins
Machine; few dollars more have
gone for necessary expenses con
nected with the floating of the is
sue and for urgent road work;
so that the available funds now
on hand for the furtherance Of
our projects are approximately
1914, 100000.
Believing it to be the desire Of
this Jury to utilize this money to
the greatest advantage to the
entire Parish, | have saught the
adoption of some plan which
would accomplish this. With
this in view, | have invited sug-
gestions and discussed PROPOSE
tons, not only with you gentle
men, but with every citizen whom
I have found to be interested in
this all important subject. The
result of my la'bors I now submit
to- you in the following plan,
which to me, appears the most
feasible to secure the relief
which we seek.
| would, in the first place, d.
vide the Parish into three road
districts: The LIST, to consist of
that section of the Sth Ward,
West Of Bayou Teche and Of the
1st and I'd Wards; the Cd District
to be made of the 7th and 9Th
Wards and the 3rd District to be
the Bird and 4th Wards and that
portion of the Sth Ward East of ;
Bayou Teche. The 9th Ward, [
would not include in any of the
road districts. This being the :
central ward and the locality of ,
the County seat, all main roads
to be first worked would lead