The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1920-04-29

one of us will get sGuarely behind our next
General Assembly and that they make
all the slackcrs who are entitled to pay
taxes and are not paying do so. provide
decent rate for good roads, and cooperate
with the Federal Good Roads department.
We have the richest country on the face
of the globe to-day. and getting richrr
every day. and why should we not have the
best of evrrythn. if we want 1t: Just ask
some of the boys who went over what they
think of the roads in France and Belgium
and they will tell you. And our present
gold reserve would buy and pay for the
whole bunch and then leave us enough t."
soon get it all back through the regular
channels OF world trade.
With best wishes. and hoping YOU will
let me- know when the fish are really biting
in Bodcau. | am yours truly.
WILL MERCER.
Shreveport. La. April 20, 1920.
Mr.. Mercer is correct throughout.
except that he advocates the colStruc-
ton of such roads that are ahead of
our time. He is not more DESTROYS
of seeing paved or macadam roads
throughout the length of the parish
than is the writer. In fact. every man
who sees this in print. if he III Il resi-
dent of the Parish. would like to see
such roads Il aliZation-hut how to
secure them is the problem.
Wild land tlargely listed as cut-Over
land) does not yield much in the way
of revenue to he devoted to road con-
Struction. We have !; rather large
parish and many miles Of public roads.
but Il population of only about 2oWW
people-a poor combination toward the
realization of any public institution.
Yet. we want the roads.
As Mr.. Mercer wrote W. think he
must have had in mind the roads NJ
and down the river front. We had in
mind the roads of the entire parish.
ESPECIALLY those leading into the most
remote districts. and not few of them.
hut al. of them. Not all Of our roads
can be hard-Surfaced-Or improved as
we would like to see them-but all
sections Of the parish can well afford
good S;ind-clay roads even ut present.
and the Sand-clay road will lead up to
| something else. In Il word Il desire
| will be created for IL still better type
| of read. and when the season Is ripe
for its construction the s;,nd-clay road
we'll located. well graded and well
| packed will he there to serve as Il fOun.
dation for the new road of better type
As to Il choice between the preScn:
.raveled roads Of the parish. ut Their
cost of construction of to-day. and sand
clay roads Put in by Il skilled road
engineer costing much less. Of course
and thus serving Il greater number OF
the people of the parish. we would he
for the Sand-clay roads. And theil
upEeep would be much leS>-indeetl
it should he Il matter of little concern
with the split.loS road drag placed il
skilled hands.
Again. let us refer to Il map of the
parish and note the exceptional size O1
five of its wards. having in mind that
the population is scattered. and that IN
many sections the rock for hallaStin.
and Surfaciny (if that type Of road
| were selected u;oN) is not to he had
within reasonable hauling distance
But the sand and the clay are there
and they would make a reasonably
lasting road for present uses. and they
would he such an Improvement over
o@r present outlying road>-co:,>tructet
hy any and everybody. and so kept up
if repaired ut all-that they would
surely have the desired effect Of Great
ing IL demand for roads of rock surface
The Eanner'S Sand-clay road article
of two weeks ago has been commented
upon from several sources which would
seem to indicate that mt present much
thought is being given to the matter OF
road construction--;,nd we are glad OF
it. We invite other contributions Oh
tie subject and as for You Will. VT
trust this will lie only the first of man!
you will write for publication in thu
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