The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-07-13
4TH WARD JUROR
SAYS ROAD BOARD
NOT TOTING FAIR
Providing Funds For Con
struction of Several
West Highways
OPELOUSAS-PORT BR.
Highly. UNCONSIDERED
Mr.. Brown Asks Business
People to Take Matter
Up With Board

of the police jury form the fourth
ward, issued the subjoined open letter
relative to the action of the board of
commissioners Of the eleventh road
district of st. Landry.
He points out that the board is lay
ing plans to construct two sub-roads
west from Opelousas-Sunset link OF
the Pershing highway; that plans are
being laid to build another road along
Courtableau from Washington; Grand
! Prairie road is being built to the Evan
geline parish line; that the recon
struction of the Opelousas-Port Barre
! highway is not even contemplated and
in this connection the board simply
states that if there are enough funds
left after the completion of its pro-
gram it will then take up the matter
of reconstruction of this last named
road. To this Mr.. Brown protests and
his protest is voiced in the following
communication addressed to the peo-
pie:
Opelousas, La, July Z, 1921
To the Taxpayers and Business Peo-
pie of Opelousas:
! 1 have heard considerable discuss
ion of late regarding the building of
the Port Barre road I understand
from the commissioners of the eleven
til road district, which is composed
of the first ward and part of the fifth
ward, that they are unable to use
the funds on hand for repairing roads,
that they would have to build out
right. If you remember this road dis
trict voted to issue s5O0,000 worth
of bonds, which were sold more than
fone year ago and the money deposit
ed in bank. The taxpayers Of the
district, and especially those of OPP
elousas, where the largest vote and
largest amount Of money is paid,
feel sure, were under the impression
: that what is known as the Pershfng
highway would be constructed and at
least one road east and one west from
Opelousas would be built.
fIa am correctly informed, the fifth
ward and the second ward did not
have sufficient money to build their
part of the Pershing highway. There
fore. 500, 1000 of this fund was set
aside to supplement this work. In adj
: dition to that, we afterwards formed
: what is known as the fourteenth road
district. which includes part OF the
fifth ward, the first and part of the
second, and voted to issue 100000
worth of bonds to be sure Of having
enough money to build the Pershing
highway.
I'D to date we have been promised
: state and federal aid for the Pershing
; highway through st. Landry to the
, Lafayette line, and also for the road
from Opelousas through Plaisance to
Debaillon bridge, leading to Vile
{ Platte. But the work on these two
highways has been delayed on account
: Of the state and federal aid money not
being available.
, The only roads that the eleventh
) district have under construction up
: to now is about eight miles from
Washington through Grand Prairie
, to the Evangeline line, this being en-
tirely in the fifth ward; and another
: road. from Mr.. /. H. Gains place up to
I Mr.. Joe Devillier,s connection with
, the Port Barre road, distance OF
Esome four miles. / understand they
: have surveyed one road from Opeiou-
!. sas out by Mr.. Joe Boagni's, known
as the West Bellevue road, and two
. other roads, one running from DR.,
( Daly's west to the sixth ward line, the
g third from Shuteston west to the ward
2 line or near Mr.. Lee Mills farm.
: | also heard that the board con
templates building a road from what
|, Is known as the Mel DuriO place, west
j. of Opelousas, through Prairie Ronde
2 to the parish line, and perhaps one
3 from washington down the Courtab
!. leau to the road district line, and
! should there be sufficient money left
l they would build the Port Barre road
3 Some of the commissioners have
d stated to us that 1t was their conVic
: ton and belief that the people whd
have not enjoyed the use Of gravel
roads in their neighborhoods IN the
past should be served first, before the
I main roads that have been graveled
should be rebuilt. OF course they dc
e rot contend to apply this 20 Inc road
( through Opelousas to Sunset. To this
: extent we fully agreed with the board
$ but as far as the general public is con
5 cefned and the taxpayers, It doesn'f
j seem fair and equitable to me that
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