The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-21
GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS
Continued from page three)

Continued from page three)
payers such drainage as is reason
able and practicable.
Iberia & St. Mary Drainage District
We have made careful inquiry
into the affairs Of this District, and
found the accounts of the District
kept correctly, and in satisfactory
manner.
We, however, found upon hear
ing evidence of the tax payers of St.
Mary Parish, residing in this Dis
trict, and upon making physical
examination of the canals located in
this Parish, that the condition of the
canals is such that it is impossible
for large portion of the lands
located in this Parish, in this Dis
trict, to be properly drained.
There. is in bank to the credit of
this District the sun OF $40 292 81
We feel that some of this money
should be used to give the neces-
sary relief.
St. Mary Parish is entitled to re-
presentation on this Drainage Board,
and the vacancies now existing
should be filled, so that the tax
payers interest would be looked af-
Ter.
After making a thorough exami-
nation of all districts, such as Drain
age, School and Road Districts,
created by the tax payers in various
sections Of the Parish, we found that
while provisions was made to dig
canals, erect school buildings and
construct roads, with one exception
Patterson School District) no pro-
sion was made for the maintenance
# same. This we are sure is utterly
-:lpracti-ablc, and we respectfully
,,,ccmr: ended that in the future this
-.,portart item be taken care Of in
the organization of such districts.
The law requires all Boards who
are the custodians of public funds,
should receive interest on the daily
balances that they may have on de-
post in the Banks where these de-
posts are kept. We refer now only
to Drainage Districts. We find that,
18th one exception (The Franklin
Drainage District) that such interest
is not required of the banks, or re-
ceived by the Drainage Districts. =.
We would recommend too, that II
there be surplus, and this surplus
Icing increased annually, and not
y ceded for the purpose of additional
drainage in the district, those who
have authority should go on the
market, and where possible purchase
and retire as much of their bond is
cnc as is possible to retire at that
time.
We wish to emphasize the neces-
sity for the provision of mainte-
nance, because then you are provid-
ed with a fund that you can operate
legally, and be relieved of :he re-
sucnsibility of using surplus fund
s. aside for other purposes, and
which should be sacred.
We say too that it is very impor-
tant that those in control of. our
drainage districts, and other bodies
of like character, should hold a meet
in at least once year, and that the
proceedings of said meeting, giving
al itemized account Of their re-
ceiots and disbursements, should be
o.. ,lished in a newspaper published
l. or near their respective districts.
Atchaf.laya Bay Ship Channel
\ number of tax payers called our
al. antion to the fact that the connec-
ton of the Parish of st. Mary with
t. .Atchafalaya Bay Ship Channel
{: 1oany had never been satisfactor-
i, Explained to them. AS toiv au-
st1rized and expected to, investigate |
;na :ers of this character, we have |
*. re so, and make the following re-
port in reference to same.
We find that in 1907, one third
i the property tax payers of the
Parish Of st. Mary signed a petition
addressed to the Police Jury of said
Parish, requesting that an election
De called to vote q tax of one mill
o accumulate the fixed sum Of
I650O.O0 per annum, to continue
or seven years, and to aggregate
he sum Of $45,5O0.OO. This cleo |,
ion was called, held and the tax was
'otei.
We find upon further Investigate
ion that the sum of $55.827.97 was
objected during that period Of sew
II years, which total exceeded the
mount of $45,500.00 by $1O,327.97
The original amount, we assume,
,as based on the assessment at the
ime of the voting of the tax. We
ssume that the over plus was Great (
on account of the increase in I
It is evident that dur
e the payment Of this stipulated
I'M to the Atchafalaya Bay Ship
han.el Company, that this increase