The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1914-09-24


bly, of the State of Louisiana of the
year 1919, and adopted at the Con-
greSsional election held on the 5th
day of November 1912, and as readop-
ted by the Constitutional Convention
of the State of Louisiana for the year
1913.
Section l. Be it resolved by the Cen
eral Assembly Of the State of Louisiana,
two-thirds (2-3) Of all the members cleo
ted to each house cCrcurring, That
paragraphs two (2) and three 60 of
Article Two Hundred and Eighty-one
esd of the Constitution of the State Of
Louisiana be amended so as to 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 hereinabove
granted. shall have further power and
authority to establish and maintain
drainage systems and the governing au-
thOrities Of such districts. when au-
thOriZed by a majority in number and
amount of the property taxpayers Gf said
district qualified to vote under the Con-
stitution and laws of the State of Louis
lana who vote in an election held for
that purpose may, for the purpose of
establishing and maintaining gravity
drainage in Such districts, impose and
collect for a period not exceeding forty
(4O) years forced contributions or acre
age taxes not exceeding fifty cents $50
acre of land. which is susceptible of
gravity drainage, in the subdivision
where such an election is held. The
governing authority of such subdivi-
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 sa me are imposed and that no
such bonds shall be issued for any other
purpose than that for which the said
contributions or acreage taxes, ars vo-
ter, to run for longer period than for
ty (40) years. bear a great ter rate of In
terest than five per centum per annum,
payable annually or semi-arnually. or
to be sold for less than ninety per cen
tum go per cent? of par. And the Board
without submission to the taxpayers
are authorized to levy additional taxes
under the terms and conditions of this
article and within the limits fixed
thereby for the purpose of perfecting
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
avails 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 it must be levied
and pumped in order to be drained and
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 a majority of
acres in the area to be affected 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 amount sufficient to drain
and reclaim it, 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
not exceeding five per centum per an
mum, payable annually or semi-annually,
and shall be sold for not less than
ninety per centum f90 per eant) of par;
and said Board of DRAINAGE Commits i
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 mainta!s,
drainage district to pay the interest an
nually or semi-annually and the princi-
pal falling due each year. or such
amount as may be required for any
SAID
bonds at maturity, provided, that such
forced contributions or acreage taxes
for 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- !
by the governing authority of |
any subdivision, which have heretofore |
not been declared invalid by a judgment |
of a court of last resort in the ST tie of I
Louisiana and more than sixty (6O) |
days have elapsed since the promulga- /
ton of the proceedings evidencing tha |
issuing of said bonds. are hereby rocog-
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 Ineir validity
or constitutionality is questioned.
section :. Be IL further resolved, etc,
That this proposed amendment 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, II adopted, the
same shall take effect Immediately
thereafter.
Section g. Be 1t further resolved, etc.
That on the official ballots to be issued
1T said election there shall be placed
the words For the Proposed Amend
nent to Paragraphs Two CD and Three
I'd OF Article Two Hundred and Eighty
one OF the Constitution Of Louisiana.
and the words "Against the Proposed
amendment to Paragraphs Two (2) and
rhree (S) OF Article Two Hundred and
Stghty-one OF the Constitution Of Lou
siana," and each elector shall indicate,
IS provided in the general election laws
u the State, which of the propositions,
For or "Against," he votes.
THOMAS c. BARRETT,
Lieutenant Governor and President Of
the Senate.
L. F. THOMAS
speaker OF the House of Representatives.
Approved: July 9, 1914
L. E. HAIL
Governor Of the State Of Louisiana.
true copy: -
ALVIN E, fIHBERT,
Secretary of Stata