The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1920-11-05
LOUISA Is CITY
OF CIVIC PRIDE
NATURAL BEAUTY is ENHANCED
BY WELL-PLANNED STREETS
AND PRETTY HOMES.

4 The Courier Journal has been doing
good piece Of work lately through
articles by Mr.. Tom Wallace, associate
editor who has been travelling through
eastern Kentucky He has written ar
ticles from nearly all the more i'm
portant towns
Below we publish nearly all he said
about Louisa and Lawrence county.
The senior editor of the NEWS was
out OF town when Mr.. Wallace visited
Louisa, and he did not call at this Of
fee so we are not responsible for any
thing in the article. We do not know
where he got his information:
BY TOM WALLACE.
Louisa KY, Oct 22.--The beautiful
little city of Louisa grew from around
1900 in 1910 to about 1000 in 1920
Lawrence county of which Louisa is
the county seat lost population.
Gas which exists in quantity in this
county, has little or no effect on popu-
lation Its labor requirement is e&
tremely small oil which has been
produced here in paying quantities for
a<good many years has an effect on
latioh but no considerable effect on
rural population; 49, ~
am told here that this county
might have had by this time $3.50, 000
OF State aid had it gone after State
aid soon enough. The magistrates
were of the opinion that there was not
political opportunity in road build
ing, They believed the country peo-
pie opposed to taxation. They delayed
the game for their own political ends.
so runs the story. and considerable
loss OF rural population resulted.
j.. ... Roads to Be Made. ... ..
1t now is recognized that there is no
political opportunity. in delaying road
making. The business men and bank
ers say they now have the politicians
on their side of the argument and roads
viii be made, A.. ....=s
Lawrence Is county large in area
and rich in agricultural resources. II
borders five Kentucky counties and is
just across the Big Sandy from West
Virginia, From Fyffe, on the bound
airy of Morgan county, TO Fort Gay,
across the bridge from Louisa is per-
haps forty miles. OF bond issue of
$250000 already voted $l25,000 will be
loaned to the State as this county's
participation in the building of the
Mayo Trail The other half will be
used to connect Louisa with the ag-
ricultural districts at the heart of the
county.
Country Is Beautiful. "
The striking feature of Louisa after
n fortnight in the mountains is morn
ing sunshine. The valley towns Of the
higher Kentucky mountains-and all
towns are in the river valleys-always
are shrouded in thick, gray fog in the
early morning 1t Is clean fog, not the
"smog" that is made by smoke and fog
in the large cities along the Ohio, but
the sun is invisible long after sunrise
on perfectly clear October days. Even
tually II appears, looking like a pale
moon through the thinning mist. FL
nally there is sunshine.
Louisa lies where the Sandy Valley
has broadened at the mbuth OF Tug
river. Both streams, each about the
size of Kentucky river at Frankfort,
are crossed by a single, bridge between
Fort Gay, w. Va, on the Norfolk x
Western. and Louisa on the Chesa :
peake & Ohio. For cents a bridge
toll, you may walk across the bridge
and see two rivers, that would be ia
nous boating streams II they were in
England or New England. For 3 cents
the view from the bridge is bargain.
Town Well Laid Out.
Louisa was laid out ninety mine
years ago. Its streets, running exact
ly at right angles, without exception,
are seventy-five feet wide. There are
some alleys forty feet wide. Every
street is bordered by fine old trees
which must have been planted long
ago. AT midday there is shade at the
middle of the streets as well as on the
sidewalks
For many years the wide streets
were problem for the town. It cost
"A great deal to pave them, so they
were left unpaved. AT present some OF
them are paved with Kentucky rock
asphalt. More rock asphalt is being
put down, An excellent plan for beau
LITIGATION and economy has been adopt
ed. In the business section the asphalt
is laid from curb to curb of the con-
crete sidewalks. In residence streets
the asphalt surface is made as wide
as the average Louisville street. A
stone curb on each side OF the asphalt
leaves room for wide belt of grass
between the sidewalks and the street
Gas Rate Is High.
have not seen city or town bet
ter laid out than Louisa. No obstacle
stands in the way of carrying out any
city beautiful" plan that civic pride
may hatch, but as IL stands Louisa, a
town of many attractive residences, set
well back from the street, provides an
inspiring example of what a city OF
100000 might be If IL were started ON
such plan as that which was adopted
by the funders of Louisa nearly cen
fury ago. ..
Louisa is paying West Virginia
corporation IS cents for Kentucky gas
which is selling at 20 cents across the
river in Fort Gay, because the Public
Service Commission in West Virginia
has established a maximum of % cents
Aside from this cannot discover any
1T, tai 4 Lot