St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1915-02-13
Communications.
Opelousas, La. Feb 9, 1915.

10 The Editor of The Clarion:
The article entitled CLAY
Gravel and Good Roads," which
appeared in your valued journa
Of Jan. %, seems to have stirred
up a lot of row in the Police Jury.
caused a few of its members tt
get on the warpath and also, ]
am glad to note, caused a lot OF
common plug citizens like myself
to SIT up and take notice. This
communication was not writer
by Farmers" but for Farm.
ers," and | can state to the DO.
lice jury that the sentiments
therein expressed are my senti.
ments. While we who are re.
sponsible for it are not farmers,
yet we have been hayseeds and
know what this numerous class
of our f~ellow-citizens have to en-
dure, and if necessary I can east
ly get a hundred auctual farmers
to sign and endorse the article in
question.
| ann sorry that we did not sign
this article, for had we done so
the police jury then would not
have had SO much trouble in To-
eating the parties responsible.
Some of the police jurors have
no doubt taken deep offence at
this article and are of the opinion
that we are not in favor Of good
roads. This latter is a wrong
surmise, for no one who is on the
highways daily, as are we, can
oppose such a proposition in
reality. But we do object
to buying clay under the name of
gravel and placing it on our
roads to their detriment and to
the great expense of the people
who foot the bills. [ understand,
though | am a hayman, that
gravel testing IS per cent is the
best material for road construc-
ton, whereas the stuff that is
put on our roads will not test 80
per cent pebble. The contractor
has protested against the clay
material furnished him since the
first load came in; the assistant
engineer rejected it and it re-
manned for the Chief engineer
Mr.. Robert, or the High Chief"
to put the law of official approval
on the stuff and have it put down
where it will forever remain as
an eye-sore and a detriment to
travel and a greater tax on the
freight first, last and all the
time.
ihe contractor protested Sc
much, the dear people, who
foundered around in the import
ed Rapides Mire registered so
many verbal kicks that even the
High Chief realized his mis-
take and ordered a better class
of material for the remainder of
the work. But, in this connec-
ton, much irreparable damage
has already been done and the
question is, can it ever be I'm
done? Mr.. Robert, it is stated,
was not exercising his own
judgement in the matter of Sc
lection at first, but was going
by the recommendation of
someone in some other state
where conditions are no doubt
different. We are building good
roads % for our benefit and if
we err we are the ones to suffer
in the long run. This is Louisiana
and what may serve another
state well might prove a calamity
to us.
| have been informed that DIR. /,
police juror from the third /,
ward, objects to any criticism of {
that body by citizens. The esti- !
mable doctor and those of the !
jury who think likewise :
must think that the parish and {
the fullness thereof belongs to c
hem and that the people who 9
furnish the sineWs of govern !.
nent are but pawns in the game !
If twentieth century civilization d
md uplift. The Doctor insin-
lates that we must rest in quiet Z !,
less until we receive a body =
u