The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1917-02-24
STEEL BRIDGES IN WEST
FELIclANA.

The roads of West Feliciana are all
dirt roads, II truth must be told The
good. natural drainage having insured
fairly good reads with little attention at
all for the most part OF the year, aad
this In no doubt the cause of consid'
cradle apathy on the subject. But the
large importation into the parish with.
In the past two years OF automobiles,
many of them owned by farmers, has
quckened popular interest In more
permanent roads than those nov had,
and one does not need to be prophet
or the son OF prophet TO predict that
in a very short while. the slogan OF al
will be. Gravel roads,
But though natural drainage could do
much for the roads, the numerous large
creeks the same ones perhaps crossing
public roads at different places and
apparently augmen,iug the number OF
water.courses were an insuperahle OBJ
siaele. which neither old time optimism
or present day necessity could ignore
Moreover some Of these creeks were
dangerous with even q slight rise of
water, and In times OF freshet an
actual menace
Thompson creek In indeed river,
even rs the Spanish explorers called II
"Rlo Felieiana," and It's bed when filed
by waters pouring from the hills on
each side up 10 Wilkinson county
form stream to b. rcckoned with,
not TO mention the qnicksand that
makes IL more OF less dangerous ut all
times. Alexander has wide bounds, Zig
BAYOU Sara is another river, and when
IL pe,lrs out its flood into the Mlssis.
sippi after continued rain the rear can
he heard half mile away. Little
Bayou Sara Is little only by comparison.
Fording streams like these was a
primitive method that has cost the
people of West Feliciaha thousands
upon thousands of dollars. by loss of
time. delay In business, Including poor
mail service 10 the individual. wear
aud tear ON vehicles Gould this sum
be computed In actual dollars and
cents. It would be amazing Even
though intangible. people have begun
10 awaken To- he losses sustained by
the at times impossible creeks and
branches.
In the spring Of 1915, there began a
crusade 10 pat Ia steel bridge, or
bridges. over Thompson creek. A com.
mittee fFom Jackson Dr ] W Lea,
" n. Yost and ]. A. Rodick met local
people al the court houpe, April "a 10
discuss plans therefor Two plans were
suggested by Mr. Rodiek. G. T.. large
single bridge at the Jackson ford, or
three shorter ones, AT the main creek a
short distance above the ford, another
over the west prong of the creek aud
a third al Rag branch, all of these
bridges To b. Of reinforced concrete
Of the steel girder type sith tiai arches
and calculated 10 carry load OF 5000
pounds per square foot the one al the
east prong TO be 300 feet long, west
prong 2so feet Rag branch loo feet.
Cost Of bridges either plan approx
mately $l0,ooo
Mayor Briant appointed committee
composed OF W n Smith, G. T. A.
Souls, A H. Moses. q VI Lester and
y. q Hamilton To confer with a com.
mtllee Of East Feliciana citizens. These
committees after going over the ground
together made recommendations In
favor OF three bridges
The Police Jury of West Feliciana
being petitioued TO take action did so
at its July meeting II went farther.
The expenditure OF s25,o0O was author
lzed, for bridge building OF this
amount, $4,000 was TO be applied 10
the Thompson creek bridges East
+ FeliciaHa paying a like amount, and
+ the remainder for bridging Tunlca
Bayou 18th ward, Big Bayou Sara,
Little Bayou Sara tPinekneyyilie road
and two bridges on Alexander's creek
/ Upper Jackson and Star Hill roads }
The expense vas predieated on the
revenues from the taxes of the Louis
lana Railway q Navigation Co. SO soon
as It's railway was subject to taxation,
issuing certificates OF Indebtedness to
the contractors bearing FIVE per cent
interest, This project entailed no
extra taxation whatever.
The bridges were built and are an
encouraging beginning for permanent
work Of this kind, and the success Is