The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-12
J. II. Thurmond Replies To
Democrats Road Article

Editor Ripnville Democrat, Arcadia:
Fools enter where angels dare not
tread
Mr.. Editor, you have certainly
right about faced. as you nave always
been unalterahly opposed to any criti
cism through your columns of any
parish official. Your policy, go and
talk the matter over with Them" The
big stick must have been wavcrin.
over your head. for You certainly
knew who, where and when all this
| (busineSs) mess came up AS official
printer YOU are supposed to have in
your files such information as you ask
for You know the previous Police
Jury sold those bonds; you know how
they were gulled out of thousands of
dollars; you know why the money for
said bonds is not in this state; You
know who hired G. r. Wilson as Par.
iSh Engineer. For the benefit of those
who do not know, Mr.. Wilson has con,
tract signed by cX-presidcnt Of the
Police Jury stating he is to receive
8 10 per cent. making $35.OOo,Oo to be
paid as. work progressed. Mr.. Wilson
went to work. After surveying so many
miles he reports to the then Police
Jury that he had laid out enough
roads to consume the one million dol
lars. He was ordered to keep on sur
veying. The consequence is Mr. Wilson
by order of Police Jury has laid out
roads to the amount Of one and one
half million dollars. This gives Mr.
Wilson an additional Sl7,50O, making
So, 800 for his services You may call
Wilson what you please but You art
bound to hand him the bouquet, when
it comes to drawing up an engineering
contract The present Police Jury Ia:
no way, and at this stage of The game
no desire to repudiMe any contract
made by our predecessors. You as
sert the approval of last $2,5Oo0O was
violation of injunction of W. l.. Ham
ner, ct ais, NJ @95, 3rd District
Court" J. c. Theus, attorney for W
| j.. Hammer, ct ais came personally be-
fore the Police Jury and released
roads in Wards / and G., for which this
$4,000 was paid.
Right here l will state that the
above injunction is why there are not
today 800 teams at work in the parish.
I'VE understand that representative
of the Highway Department said this
that and luther" You were handed
the tommy rot part of it! They have
10 per cent for finished work. He did
say that the Police Jury were sole
managers Of this fund and at any time
we could withdraw application for
State and Federal aid, land it looks
like we just as well do this) and place
this money as we saw fit.
If you will allow me to suggest here.
after let July list, 1920 be the dividing
line in your attacks. You have a
right-any citizen has right-to
criticise my official acts. This Police
| Jury and I as an individual don't pro-
prose to be made the Goat"
"The Democrat is not placing the
blame anywhere" Your readers are
the judges. Hereafter if you mean
Brown, Smith Or Jones, call them by
name. l can take care Of my end of
the line if my replys are >printed as
written. In conclusion Mr.. Editor, let
me suggest, before you shoot another
double charge of black powder very
likely loaded by someone else) with no
shot, you refer to your files. You can
get dates, names and amounts. Then
load her with smOkeless powder, 1C
tblue whistlers, take good aim and pull
the trigger Then you will have meat
in the pot If for any reason your
files have been destroyed, you will find
in the Police Jury Office, Mr.. J. S.