The Natchitoches enterprise., 1914-09-17
NATCHTTOCHES. LOUISIANA.

as Act No. 1872 of the General Assem-
bly, of the State of Louisiana OF the
year 1912. and adopted at the Con-
gressional election held on the 18th
day of November, 1912. and as rea1oD-
ted by the Constitutional Convention
of the State of Louisiana for the year
1918
Section l. Be it resolved by the Cen
eral Assembly of the state # Louisiana,
two-thirds (2-3) of all the members cleo
ted to each house occurring. That
Article Two Funlre1 and Eight,'-one
t2S1) of the Constitution. of the State of
Louisiana be amended so as to read as
ARTICLE PSI.
Paragraph 2 Police Jurfes IN any par
ish or parishes may in accordance with
law create drainage districts, which in
addition to the powers herelnaboVe
granted. shall have further power ana
authority to establish and maintain
DRAINAGE systems AMI the governing au-
thorities of such districts. when au-
thOrized by majority in number ana
amount of the property taxpayers ct Sa1d
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 Oh
establishing and maintaining gravity
drainage in such districts. impose and
collect for a period not exceeding forty
(4u) years forced contributions or acre
age taxes not exceeding fifty cents C3o
cts) per acre per year,on each and every
acre of land, which is susceptible OF
gravity drainage. in the subdivision
where such an election Is held. inc
governing. authority OF such subd1Vl-
siOne, when authorized as set forth. may
incur debt and issue negotiable bonds t.
reDresent same secured by the forced
contribution or acreage taxes above de
scribed provided that the total amount
OF debts thus incurred Q" bonds issued
shall not exceed in principal and inter
amount
by said annual contributions or
acreage taxes during the period Tor
which the same are imposed and that no
such bonds shah be issued fer any 0the,'
purpose than that for which the sail
contributions or ecreags taxes. are No
ter, to run for a longer period than for-
ty (40) years. bear a greater rate OF IN
terest than five per centum per annum
pavabIe annually or sem-annually, or
to be sold for less than ninety per cen
tum go per cent? of par. And the Boar
of Commissioners oil Drainage District
without submission to The taxpayers
are authorized to levy additional taxes
under the terms and conditions Of tins
article ana within tho limits fiXe3
thersby fRr tie purpose Of perfcotmS
and completing any system or drat1aTf
eighty per cent of which shall have bee"
accomplished at the time of said adj
tional levy of taxes. and to fund the
ayails of said additional levy of ta%e%
into bonds under the terms and c0ndl-
Paragraph 8 When the character OF
anv land is such that it must be levied
hrd 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 o.
corporations, resident or nonresident:
owning not less than majority OF
acres in the area to be affected, ascer-
tain the cost per acre of draining and
recIaiming said land incur debt against
each and every acre of land thus situa-
ted for an amount sufficient to drain
and reclaim il, and to issue for such
debt negotiable bonds for the total ag-
cregate amount of the total cost OF
such drainage, which bonds shall run
not longer than forty (t0) wears from
their date and bear interest at q rate
not exceeding five per c2ntum per an
mum, PAYABLE annually or semi-annually,
and shall be sold for not less thaa
ninety per eentua t9o per cent? OF parl
and said Board of DTg.inage Commist
sslossarag agsslaaaas-eaGla~xea as1HoDga as any
bonds are outstanding levy annually up
on each and every acre of land. wheth
er public or private. situated in said
drairage or subdrainage district forced
contributions or acreage taxes in an
amount per acre sufficient to maintP..i
the drainage of the said district or sub
drainage district to pay the interest an
nually or semi-annually and the prlnci-
pal failing due each year. or such
aInouRt may be 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 ($3.50)
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
any subdivision, which have heretofore
not been declare - @id by a judgment
of court of last resort in the State of
Louisiana and more than sixty 800
days have ELAPSED since the promulga-
tion Of the proceedings evidenDing the
issuing of said bonds. are hereby rCCO--
nized and declared to be valid and exist
ing bonds and obligaticns of the district
or subdivision issuing the same. and no
court shGll have Jurisdiction 10 enter
tain any contest wherein .neir validity
or constitutionality is questioned
Section .. Be it 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, If adopted. the
same shall take effect Immediately
thereafter.
Section g. 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 Paragraphs Two CD 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 go of Article Two Hundred and
Eighty-one of the Constitution of Lou
isara," 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. JARRETT,
Lieutenant Governor and President of
the Senate.
L. F.. THOMAS.
Speaker Of the House of Representatives.
Approved: July 8. 1914.
L. r. HALL,
Governor of the State Of Louisiana.
true copy:
ALVIN f. HEBERT,
Secretary of State