The Natchitoches enterprise., 1916-08-31
Progressive Nateiitoches.

The good citizens of Natchitoches
parish are to be congratulated upon the
splendid victory for progress achieved
at the polls on Tuesday last when the
Jefferson highway tax was voted by
substantial majorities in property and
numbers. The great international
highway, running from Winnipeg to
New Orleans, will bisect Natchitoches
Parish, passing through such prosper
Gus towns as Marthaville, Robeline,
Natchitoches, Grand Ecore and Clar-
ence.
Caddo has more than a general in
terest in the success of the highway
project, since its good road system will
form link in the international chain.
Shreveport, in fact, might properly be
said to be the Louisiana gateway of
this great model road enterprise. 1t is
directly on the line of the Jefferson
highway and the roads radiating from
it in all directions will, when completed,
tempt the tourist to leave the main
highway and seek the facilities for
sightseeing afforded by the intersect-
ing arteries. For more reasons than
one, Shreveport has a special interest
in the success of the Jefferson high
way movement and the success of the
tax in Natchitoches should be source
of local qualification.
Natchitoches builded well when it
gave a majority of 5000, 900 in property
values and $50 in numbers of the high
way tax. Paying the cost of construct
ing the model road through the parish
would have been good investment
even if the highway were to be used
exclusively for interstate tourist ira
vel. But the local uses to which it will
be put and the appreciation in farm
values it will bring will prove greater
advantages accruing from its construc-
ton than the profits to be derived from
the lingering of tourists.
The experience of every community
with good roads is that they are in
dices of prosperity. They mark COM
munity development as unerringly as
increased bank clearings prove the ma
terial advancement of populous centers.
Because of the facilities they afford
for marketing farm products, good
roads enhance the value of abutting
and adjacent agricultural lands. They
are an always reliable source of inter-
communication between country and
city. They add to postal and delivery
facilities and make rural life more at
tractive. They bring the rural school
closer to the country home. In fact,
as stimulus to both urban and rural
development, their value is almost in
calculable.
Town and farms along model high
ways cannot stand still. Civilization
will not permit them to. They are
swept along with the procession of pro-
gress even if, as rarely happens, the
incentive of their existence does not
stir the farmer and town business man
to greater effort in behalf of local de-
velopment. This is the evidence of ex-
perience. Good roads have proved
rlfGfAaeAyeE FIze7sver srigsis --.T--T'
Natchitoches is destined to be a Nee
ca Of tourist travel in the years to
come. In the entire south there is no
locality that holds out such allurements
to the student of American history as
Natchitoches. Many of its institutions
are centuries old and are at once the
delight of the antiquarian and the gen.
eral sight-seer. The parish has a
charm and natural beauty all its own
and majority of its towns are wide
awake, progressive and modern. 1t
does not require the special gift of pro-
phecy to forsee that when the Jeffer-
son highway is reality, Natchitoches
parish viii be specially marked for OBJ.
servation and study on the itinerary Of
a vast majority of the tourist travel
ers over that international artery.
From Winnipeg to New Orleans, there
is no locality that will be found more
attractive and inspiring,
Again we congratulate the citizens Of
Natchitoches upon the patriotic pride
they displayed in the development Of
their community in voting the Jeffer.
son highway tax.-Journal.