Lower coast gazette., 1914-12-19
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 1914.
Instructions on the Shell Road.

PpctNT trips from Pointe a la Hache TO NE"
os,oono loon orr new shell road under constant
observation. Reports reach US OF oos'foctlons
at, various points that may at any time result III
very serious disaster. Hundreds or auVoiao-
bilessare now passing over the road aa'ly a.a
oeneral speed of about Is miles an hour. Inc
roodwav is about 26 to 80 feet wide and hence
T. rarrow at the best. This includes the shell
roadway IN the Parish of PlaQuernnes Oh ~
feet. ahd 8 feet of earth road on each sue "
;noAa1together 26 feet. In the PARISH OF o'.
Rornard a considerable part OF the snell foao
soo,ns to be IL feet wide and the so-called FRISCO
oor4;on is still wider, but the total width OF the
p,holo road NAV reach 80 feet in St. Bernard as
against 26 feet in Plaquemines. Under the Id"
this road should be kept entirely Tree from any
distractions and no one has any right to IN
fr;noe on it in the slightest degree by leaving
any wagons, carts or other Instructions any
whore in the limits of the entire road. we know
Of oneinstance recently where some Wooo hau
been dumped at the roadside on the 70 loot ROAD
eand two automobiles passing at that point mar
rowlv escaped collision because one-thlrd OF the
rood was occupied by the wood and the other
two thirds of the road were no more ul"'
enough for the automobiles and the clearance
was very slight. At Carnaervon, where some
1eyee work is going on, last week a large NUM-
hor If scrapers were parked right along sloe
.f tho mule Den. occupying one side OF the roao
for nrobably more than 100 feet and on tne
other side there was also a wagon, leaving d
worry narrow passage for the automobiles going
through and thus creating a very dangerous
massage. Further up, in St. Bernard PARISH
there were several loads OF produce pafSea ."
the road, ready for an early start to the Guy
the following morning.
We note that at St. Sophie, Monsecour, FAR
view and Belair varions houses were moved OIL
the road. even where they only projected on II
A few feet. The houses were moved Dodlly OF
the end of the building sawed Oft in order TO
rive a clear road way from ditch to ditch, WIN
out any obstruction whatever. There should De
no obstruction Of wagon, cart, car, wood piles.
buildings OF Anything else on the roadway, and
byIroadway We mean the entire 26 feet OF roao'
and where they DO exist theirimmedlate remov.
al s an urgent necessity for the protection OF
lfeand limb in both of our parishes.
As we understand this matter, while the po-
lice Jury has charge Of Road District No. J.,
their experts in the roadway control are to be
found in the State Highway Department ana IL
is to be inferred that the State Highway De-
partment is the active arbiter under the law IN
regard to these road distractions and should see
to It that they are removed and prevented. Inc
Lower Coast Gazette would be glad to render
any service that it can to the public and to the
State Highway Department by publishing tree
OF charge such parts of the law as refer to keep
ing the highway clear and now that the quan
tity Of automobiles going over the road IS m
creasing every week, the situation is becoming
SO extremely dangerous as to demand lmmedlat
attention and to demand that the entire road
way from side to side, the whole 70 feet Il
Plaquemines Parish, and an equal amount, 0
greater, be kept free Of obstruction IN 81
Bernard Parish.
Il is very unwise to wait until some OF on
citizens shall have been killed before remor
II strating and the way to remedy this matter
& toao It az once. If our district attorney Woul
take the matter under consideration ne coui
doubtless give US some information which W
should be glad to disseminate through our co
~ um0S anu 10 I0t lIc puUAC NNo JNoe
rights are and just what penalties they sub]e
themselves to by violating the rules OF the ros
as laid down in the law itself and in the RI
ings Of the State Highway Department.
Quite a number Of parties seem to think tn
the earth road on each side of the shell road
a proper parking ground and not part OF t
so-called shell road. The shell road by its 81
vey and by its contract reaches from ditch
ditch with a little BERN on each side of the ro
beyond the bitches and the 26 foot road is G
tainly narrow enough for automobiles approae
ing each other at the rate of 20 to 25 miles
hour and desiring to make time and not wal
ing to slack up, the earth road is always us
either partially or entirely by these machil
IL passing. It is as essential to keep the cal
road in good condition, free Of Instructions,
II IS to keep the shell road free Of obstructio
St. Bernard Parish in the beginning :
- ~ #EEA&-