The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-03-26
FAVORS GRAVEL ROADS.
Why | am a Voter For the 5 Mill Tax
to Build 100 to 1875 Miles of
Gravel Roads in Our Parish

will vote for this tax for the great
Public Improvement, to our parish as
a whole. AS with the milage to be built
feel there is not a man in this parish
no matter where located that will not
derive and receive much more benefit
than the money it will cost him for the
payment of this small extra tax OH his
property. Yonr land may not be
located on the gravel road, but Friend
you will be near enough, that with an
extra effort of your own and your
neighborS you Can build good dirt road
which may be one to three miles, that
will lead you to a gravel road that CON
meets every town in our parish, and
with all towns conrec,ed with the
gravel road. Each and every land
owner is bound to receive a benefit. /
feel that with these good roads each
tract of land the value of same will III.
crease, in the near future.
Why do | say values will be increased
make this explanation as dealer In
Rel Estate l don't think have ever
had bunch of northern men here
showing them our country but that /
was asked this question; Why don't
you people in this parish vote tax on
your lands and build gravel roads and
they tell me if you had good ROADS,
they would feel like making their
home with us. Now when we can 10,
cate fine family, this creates a de-
mand for land and when we have this
demand created our lands at once be
gin to advance in price and IN order to
make this parish a desirable place to
live, we must make this Improvement
ourselves, not expect the northern man
to come here and do it for Us. We as
owners must make the start, then
when the man with money comes 1t
sees we are building up good country
and then he locates with us, spends
his money and efforts to help us lm'
prove the country. | am the owner OF
four different small tracts OF land il
this parish and | feel that when these
roads are built none will touch my
land, hut shall vote my assessment o
about $4,000 for this tax no matter
where the roads are located as my tal
would only be $500 per year for these
| fine roads connecting up each town II
our parish and feel should not ira
vel one mile on these roads | woult
gain much more on account OF the in
creased value on my lands caused b.
the building of good roads. You ma.
say the writer lives in town and ha
land Tor sale and to him these roads
NAV be a benefit but in my opiulol
| it is the man who lives 10 to i
miles from town who will derive tn
greatest benefit as his trip to town W
all know is made much easier and wit
more pleasure over a good road thai
one that is mud and water and | thin
the average farmer in his hauling t
market his crop each year can save t
himself in money more than the ia.
will cost him besides having tn
| pleasure of travelling good road.
) wish to say this to the small tax pave
and the laboring men of our parish, t
build these good roads takes muc
labor for team and men, some one ha
!, got to be paid for this work and ] thin
: lust as much Of this money to be e
> pended for labor should be paid to th
a neople of our parish and feel that OF
0 Police Jurors or the parties who hay
t charge OF this work would give
S preference to our home people. Th
d being done viii give the man chan'
TO earn money enough during the co
stpuction of the roads. to much MOI
: than pay his total tax,
e From investigation | find in Il
e Towns of this parish that the Buslne
n men are almost as unit for this t
; and are willing to vote tax on the
. business and business houses and the
homes in town for the building OF go'
II roads, These same business men a
= generally large land holders and a
!. also willing to have their lands tax
It and are earnestly working to ne
e carry the tax and these same people a
o Saoro+orv bryan and Sir Ce