The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-09-01

| 90 ACk NO. loA VI LH0 al AooVih
bly, of the State of Louisiana OF the
year 1912. and adopted, at the Con-
gressional election held on the 9th
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 Gen.
eral Assembly of the state of Louisiana,
| two-thirds (2-3) of all the members cleo
ted to each house concurring, That
paragraphs two ca and three CD OF
Article Two Hundred and EtEhty-one
(2S1) OF the Constitution Of the State OF
j 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 OF said
district qualified to vote under the Con-
stttution and laws of the State of Louis
lana who vote in an election held for
! that purpose, may, for the purpose OF
establishing and msir tanning gravity
| drainage in such districts, impose and
collect for period not exceeding forty
! (40) years forced contributions or acre
! age taxes not exceeding fifty cents $50
! 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. The
governing authority of such subdivi-
sions. when authorized as set forth. may
| incur debt and issue negotiable bonds to
t represent same. secured by the forced
/ contribution or acreage taxes above de-
! Scrihed 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 for
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 vo-
ter, to run for a longer period than for
| ty t40) years. bear greater rate OF In
terest than five per centum per annum,
| payable annually or semi-annually, or
| to be sold for less than ninety per cen
! tum go per cent? of par. And the Board
| OF Commissioners of Drainage District
! 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 nf drainage
| eighty ner 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-
| lions set forth in the present article.
Paragraph 3. When the character of
| any land is such that it must he levied
! and pumped in order TO be drained and
reclaimed the Board Of Drainage Com
mssoners of the district in which the
! L. IT, -, So,I rI,,
| 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
| retaining 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
their date and beaA interest at rate
not exceeding five per centum per an
mum, payable annually or semi-annuaRy.
| and shall be sold for not less than
ninety per centum 600 per cent? of par;
and said Board Of Drainage Commits
| sioners shall each year as long az any
bonds are outstanding levy annually up-
| on each and every acre of land. wheth-
er public or private, situated in SAT-
| drainage or subdrainage district. forced
| contributions or acreage taxes in an
amount per acre sufficient to mainta:.,
the drainage of the said district or sub
drainage district, to pay the interest an
! nuallv or semi-annu3lly and the princi-
pal falling due each year or such
amount as may he required for anv
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 (S3 50)
per acre per annum
All bonds heretofore issued under and
by virtue of this Article PSI of the Con
stjtutiOn by the governing authority of
any subdivision, which have heretofore
not been declared invalid by judgment
of a court of last resort in the State of
Louisiana and more than sixty f6O)
days have elapsed since the promulga-
ton 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 1SsutrS the same. and no
court shall have jurisdiction to enter
! tain any contest wherein ,neir validity
or constitutionality is questioned
Section :. Be it further resolved, etc.
( That this proposed amendment shall
be submitted to the qualified voters of
this State for adoption or rejection at
[
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 (2) and Three
(3) of Article Two Hundred ard EIGHTY
ore of the Constitution of Louisiana
and the words Against the PROPOSED
| Amendment to Paragraphs Two (2) and
'Phree 90 of Article Two Hundred and
Eighty-one Of the Constitution Of Lou
isiana, and Zach 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.. r. THOMAS.
Speaker Of the House of Representatives.
Approved: July g. 1914
L. r. HALL.
Governor of the State Of Louisiana.
A true copv:
ALVIN f. HFBFRT,
Secretary of State.