The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1914-09-10


bly, of the State of Louisiana of the
year 1912, and adopted. at the Con
greSsional election held on the oth
day of November, 1912. and as readop-
ted by the Constitutional Convention
of the State Of Louisiana for the year
1913
Section /. Be it resolved by the Cen
eraI Assembly of the State of Louisiana,
two=thirds (2-3) of all the members cleo
ted to each house corCurring. That
paragraphs two (2> and three CD of
Article Two Hundred and EightT-one
(2SI) of the Constitution Of the State of
Louisiana be amended so as 20 read as
follows:
ARTICLE PSI.
Paragraph 2. Police JurIes IN any par
ish or parishes may in accordance with
law create drainage districts, which IN
addition to the powers hdrenaboVe
granted. shall have further power and
authority to establish and maintain
drainage systems and the governing au-
thorties of such districts. when au-
thoriZed by a ma jority in number and
amount of the property taxpayers 81 said
district qualified to vote under the Con
stitution and laws of the State of Louis
lana who vote in an election held Tor
that purpose. may. for the purpose of
drainage in such districts. impose and
collect for period not exceeding forty
(40) years forced contributions or acre
age taxes not exceeding fifty cents go
81
acre of land. which is susceptible of
gravity drainage, in the subdivision
where such an election is held. me
governing authority st such subdlV-
Sions. when authorized as set forth. may
incur debt and issue negotiable bonds to
represent same, secured by the forced
contribution or acreage taxes above de,
scribed provided that the total amount
of debts thus incurred or bonds issued
shall not exceed in principal and inter
est the aggregate amount to be raised
by said annual contributions or
acreage taxes during the period Tor
which the same are imposed and that no
such bonds shall be issued for any other
purpose than that for which the said
contributions or acreage taxes are No-
ter, to run for a LONGER period than for
ty (4D) years. bear a greater rate of in
terest than five per centum per annum,
payable annually or semi-annually, or
to he sold for less than ninety per cen
tum I59 Psr cent OF par: ana thG hoard
of Commissioners OF Drainage District
without submission to the taXpaverS
are authorized to levy additional taxes
under the terms and conditions Of this
article and within the limits fixed
thereby for tile purpose of pcrfectin|
and completing any system of drainage
eighty per cent of which shall have been
accomplished at the time of said addi-
tional levy of taxes. and to fund the
avals of said additional levy of taxes
into bonds under the terms and cOnd1-
tions set forth in the present article.
Earagraph 3 yYhfn The character of
any land is such that II muSt be levied
and pumped IN order to be drained and
reclaimed the Board Of DRAMA ge Com
miseionerE OF tho district IN which thu
land Is situated, shatt upon the petition
of land owners, whether Individuals or
corporations. resident or nonresident.
owning not less than a ma iOrity of
acres in the area to be affected, aScer-
tain the cost per acre of draining and
reclafming said land incur debt against
each and every acre of land thus situa-
ted for an amount sufficient te draia
and reclaim II, and to issue for such
debt negotiable bonds for the total ag
gregate amount of the total cost of
such drainage. which bonds shall run
not longer than forty (40) years from
their date and bear interest at a rate
not exceeding five per centum per an
mum: payable annually or semi-annually.
atla shail ps sod .fafg Hok lsss tAaa
es9esx FS s, 8 B, 80
sioners shall each year as long as any
bonds are outstanding levy annually up-
on each and every acre of land wheth-
er public or private. situated in said
drainage or Subdrainage district forced
contributions or acreage taxes in an
amount per acre sufficient to maints::I
the drainage of the said district or sub
drainage district to pay the interest an
piallY or Semi-annually and the princi-
pei falling due eaeh year. or such
amount a. may 10 required FOR any
sinking fund for the payment OF said
bonds at maturity. provided, that such
forced contributions or acreage taxes
for all purposes shall never exceed
Three Dollars and Fifty Cents ($3.5O)
per acre per annum.
All bonds heretofore issued under and
by virtue of this Article 2S1 of the Con-
stitution by the governing authority of
any subdivision. which have heretofore
not been declare in -Glid by a judgment
of a court of last resort in the State of
4 ISL w
days have elapsed since the promulga-
tion of the proceedings evidencing the
ISSUING IF Faid bonds ere hereby rccoE-
nized and declared TO ne valid and exist
ing bonds and obligat tions of the district
or subdivision issuing the same, and no
court shall have jurisdiction to enter
tain any contest wherein tneir validity
or constitutionality is questioned.
Section .. Be 1t further resolved, etc,
That this proposed amendement shall
be submitted to the qualified voters of
this State for adoption or rejection at
the Congressional election to be, held
in November, 1914. and, IL adopted, the
same shall take effect Immediately
thereafter
Section g. Be 1t further resolved ETC.
That on the official ballots to be issued
the words For the Proposed Amend
ment to Paragraphs Two (2) and Three
(3e OF Article Two Hundred and Eighty 4
one Of the Constitution of Louisiana
and the words Against the Proposed
Amendment to- Paragraphs Two (2) and
Three 90 of Article Two Hundred and
Efghty-one of the Constitution Of Lou
is'ana," and each elector shall indicate
as provided in the general election laws
of the State, which of the propositions,
For or Against" he votes.
THOMAS c. BARRETT.
Lieutenant Governor and President of
the Senate.
l.. e. THOMAS.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Approved! July o. 1914
l.. n. HALL,
Governor of the State Of Louisiana.
A true copy:
ALVIN E. HEBFRT,
Secretary of State.