The Natchitoches enterprise., 1914-10-01

as Act No. 1872 of the General Assem-
bly of the State of Louisiana OF the
gressional election held on the 5th
tday of November 1912, and as readope
ted by the constitutional convention
of the state of Louisiana for the year
1918.
Section l. Be it resolved by the Cen
eraI Assembly of the State of LOUISIANA
two-thifds (2-3) of all the members eiec-
ted to each house concuirlhs' 70 lla d { {
para graphs two (2) and tnrce t"' oh
Article Two Hundred and FightT-ohe
(2SD of the Constitution Of the state or
Louisiana be amended so as to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2S1.
Paragraph 2 Police JurIes IN any par
ish or parishes may in ACCORDANCE WIN IN
law create drainage districts. which IN
addition to the powers herelnaboVe
granted, shall have further power ana
authority to establish ana MAINTAIN
DRAINAGE systems and the governing au-
thorities of such districts when au-
thorized by ma jority in number ana
amount of the property taxpayers Gt sa 10
district qualified to vote unGer the toh-
stitution and laws OF the state or LOUIS
lana who vote in an election heid TOT
that purpose, may, for the purpose OF
establishing and maintaining gravity
drainage in such districts. impose ana
collect for a period not exceeding forty
(4u) years forced contributions or acre
age taxes not exceeding fifty cents C5o
cts.) per acre per year on each and every
acre of land. which is susceDttble o.
gravity drainage. in the suhsFlS13n $40 \ =
where such an election is held. The
governing authority of suI subdlVl-
sions, when authorized s set tn may
incur debt and issue neSotaoleN 7ds 10
represent same, secured by the t~-.eu
contribution or acreage taxes above de
scribed provided that the total amount
of debts thus incurred or bonds issued
shall not exceed in principal ana 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 otheT
purpose than that for which the sara
contributions or acreage taxes, are No-
ter, to run for longer period than FOR
ty (40) years. bear a greater rate or IN
terest than five per centuIn per annuln,
payable annually or seml-ennuaily' OF
to be sold for less than ninety per cen
tum go per cent? of rar. And the Board
of Commissioners oil Drainage District
without submission to the taxpayers
! are authorized to levy additional taxes
under the terms and conditions OF th!s
article and within the limits tlXed
thereby for the purpose of perfect1ng
and completing any system of drainage
eighty per cent of which shall nave Deen
accomplished at the time of said add1-
ayails of said additional levy of taxes
into bonds under the terms and condi-
! tions set forth in the present article.
Paragraph g. When the character of
any land is such that 1t must be levied
and pumped in order to be drained ana
reclaimed the Board of Drainage Com
missioners of the district in which the
land is situated. shall upon the petition
of land owners, whether individuals or
corporationS, resident or nonresident
owning not less than majority OF
acres in the area to begaffected, ascer-
tain the cost per acre of draining and
reclaiming said land incur debt against
each and every acre OF land thus situa-
ted for an amoun> sufficient to drain
and reclaim IL, 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
net exceeding five per centum per an
mum, payable annually or semi-annually,
and shall be sold for. not less tb1!
sI'a rs - 50
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 mainte...
the drainage of the said district or sub
drainage district, to pay the interest an
nually or semiannually and the princi-
pal falling due each year, or such
sinking fund for the payment of said
bonds at maturity, provided, that such
forced contributions or acreage taxes
fer all purposes shall never exceed
Three Dollars and Fifty Cents $3.50
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
dny subdivision. which have heretofore
not been declared invalid by a Judgment
of a court of last resort in the State of
Louisiana and more than sixty 500
days have elapsed since the promulga-
tfon of the proceedings evidencing the
issuing of said bonds. are hereby recog-
nized and declared to be valid and exist
ing bonds and obligations of the district
or subdivision issuing the same. and no
court shall have jurisdiction to enter
tain any contest wherein .neir validity
or constitutionality is questioned.
Section g Be 1t further resolved. etc.
That this proposed amendement shall
he 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 9. Be it further resolved, etc,
That on the official ballots to be issued
at said election there shall be placed
the words For the Proposed Amend
ment to Para graphs Two (2) and Three
(3) OF Article Two Hundred and Eighty
one Of the Constitution of Louisiana,
and the words Against the Proposed
Amendment to Paragraphs Two (2) and
Three t3) of Article Two Hundred and
Eighty-one of the Constitution of Lou
isjana,' 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. z. THOMAS.
Speaker Of the House of Representatives.
Approved: JULY o. 1914
ii L. r. HALL.
Governor of the State OF Louisiana.
A true copv:.
ALVIN E. HEBFRT,