The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-01
For Rapid Progress St.
Mary Needs But The
Cooperative Energy
OF Her People
|. 0. Pecot Of Franklin Re-
views The Unlimited Pos
sibjities of This Commun-
lily And The Necessities
For Realization

The talk of L. o. Pecot OF franklin,
delivered at the Inter-cor,n,uni.y Meet
ing in Morgan City, February 10th, was
an interesting and inspiring review Of
the splendid resources of St. Mary
Parish and a statement that the reali-
zation of it's possibilities cannot be de-
MED if the citizens will plan, push and
persist
That those who were unable to attend
the meeting shall not miss the fine mes
sage this address contains, the talk Of
Mr.. Pecot is reproduced below:
"The gathering here this eevning, is
indeed happy event. believe that it
is the beginning Of greater and better
things for the future development Of
this rich and interesting section of our
State, and of our own Parish of St.
Mary.
THAT the Parish of St. Mary stands at
the top Of the list of the many parishes
of this State, can scarcely be denied.
To realize whether this statement is true,
we have but to review its present status.
Education, the bedrock of society,
today reaches the homes of the humblest
as well as the rich. Our system of pub.
lie schools is established in every ward
Of the Parish, and the High Schools Of
Franklin, Morgan City, Berwick, Pat.
terson, and Centreville Agricultural
school, are indeed monuments to the zeal
and public spirit Of our citizenship.
"This Parish can also well boast of
its public officials and our laws are
strictly, but sanely administered and
enforced. Our bills are promptly paid
and in fact the affairs of our Parish are
run on . cash basis. Our criminal ex.
penses are much less than many parishes
Of our size and population and our
criminals are comfortably cared for in
a modern and sanitary Jail. A beauti-
full and modern court house thoroughly
equipped in every way adorns the public
square of our county seat-Franklin.
All of this is due to the integrity and
ability of our public officials and in this
respect the people of our parish are to
congratulated as well, for careful con-
sideration in the choice of our public
officials. -
eve are proud Of our gravel road
running through the parish distance of
fifty miles, built of the best material,
without the imposition Of extra taxa
ton. We believe and tourists have said,
that our model road is generally regard
ed as one Of the best and most SUBJ
stantial road from Houston to New Or
leans. We have every reason to be-
lieve and to say, that St. Mary intends
before very long, to have model roads
through every lateral road in the Parish.
est. Mary has soil which from
standpoint Of production is rich and
fertile. Our sugar industry is equal to
any in the land. We can grow almost
anything that can be produced from the
soil. In this respect we have done won
derfully well, but can do better, if we
only try diligently and persistently.
"Our vast cypress lumber industry,
which furnishes its just proportion Of
lumber in the manufactured state, to the
markets at home and abroad, must not
be forgotten. Thousands Of families
and several communities are supported
by this industry alone.
"Then we have our fish and oyster in
dustries, from which to the present time
Morgan City has derived great benefits.
by bays and lakes, Morgan
City, Berwick and Franklin, could by
means of this industry alone, bring to
themselves untold wealth and prosper
ity. This mighty industry is yet in its
infancy in our Parish, and to develop it |
properly we need the encouragement and
cooperation of our public spirited and |
men.
"We have right here magnificent !
'hipyard situated at convenient spot |
n the second port Of our State-Morgan
City. This shipyard furnishes employ
nent to hundreds Of people and means
much for the future deyelnpment of
Morgan City.
"My friends, when we look back into
he past, and notice the progress st.
Nary has made in the last ten or fifteen
ears, how is it possible for us to under
ate and underestimate its possibilities
FOR the future? Our Parish has still
asst areas of wild and idle lands equal .