After the creation of Sabine, the work of providing a government of the new parish was immediately begun. The first record of the Police Jury is dated June 19, 1843, when the board met in adjourned session. John Lebo presided, and the following members were present: T. Arthur, B. P. Byles, W. Estes, Robert B. Stille, J. R. Smart and A. Savell. S. S. Eason, who was also clerk of the district, parish and probate courts, was secretary of the Police Jury and John Baldwin treasurer. The establishment of some new roads and the adoption of rules governing the meetings of the board are noted in the proceedings, also a proposition to ask the state legislature to submit to the voters the question of a location for the parish site and the construction of public buildings.
On motion of Mr. Arthur, the first estray laws for the parish were adopted. After reciting the methods for estraying and branding livestock, the resolution provided that any person who was molested or “aggrieved” by any wild or ungovernable horse, cow, or hog, could make complaint to the nearest justice of the peace, and, after advertisement of the troublesome stock had been made for thirty days, if the owner did not offer relief, the person making the complaint proceeded on a certain day to kill the animal. A unique feature of the branding law was that “no person shall send or permit any slave or Indian to go into any of the woods or ranges in this parish to brand any horse, colt, mule, cattle, hogs or sheep, under any circumstances whatsoever, unless said slave, or Indian, be in company and under the direction of some respectable white person.” Violators of this law were compelled to pay twenty dollars for every animal thus branded, half of which amount went to the parish and half to the person giving the information and prosecuting the suit.
At this meeting the clerk was authorized to have “two windows inserted in the western end and one door in the eastern end of the building now occupied by the Police Jury.” He was also authorized to purchase necessary chairs and a table for the use of the members at their meetings, which was to be done “in the cheapest and most economical manner.” At the next meeting of the body one hundred dollars was appropriated for building a bridge across Bayou Toro, near Mrs. Curtis’ place. On motion of Mr. Stille, the following resolution was adopted: “Resolved, that Major Fauntleroy be and is hereby authorized to change the Natchitoches and the Alexandria road according to the diagram exhibited to this board, and, when completed, to close the Natchitoches road now running through the garrison at Fort Jesup.”
The board elected the first parish administrators of public schools, as follows: Thomas Ford, Hosea Presley, Daniel R. Gandy, N. J. Alford and Valentine Nash.
Mr. Stille offered the following resolution, which was adopted: “Resolved, that it shall be unlawful for anyone to expose for sale within the bounds of this parish any slaughtered hog without the head and ears attached. And it shall be lawful for any free white person to seize any such slaughtered hog exposed for sale contrary to the above section and give notice thereof to the nearest magistrate, who shall immediately offer it for sale, one half the proceeds to go to the informer and one-half to the parish.”
A resolution was adopted assessing an annual license to be paid by the proprietors of ferries on the Sabine River. The ferries then in operation were Barr’s, Hadden’s, Gaine’s, Patterson’s, Kirk’s, Haley’s and Myrick’s.
The board met in May, 1844, and re-elected the same officers for the ensuing year, with the exception that Hosea Presley was elected treasurer. T. Arthur having resigned as a member of the jury, J. A. McLanahan was seated in his place. An ordinance was passed requiring “peddlers and hawkers of merchandise of any description” to pay an annual license of ten dollars, and failure to pay same made the goods liable to seizure and to be sold for amount of the license. During this session a resolution was adopted instructing the surveyor, George W. Thompson, to run the line between Sabine and Rapides parishes, in accordance with a decision of the supreme court defining said line.
The president appointed the following standing committees for the year 1844:
Finance — Stille, Smart and McLanahan.
Claims — Byles, Estes and Savell.
Election — Stille, Byles and Smart.
A motion to proceed with the matter of erecting suitable public buildings was lost by a tie vote. Mr. McLanahan, member from the Third Ward, was not present and the board proceeded to fine him for non-attendance. This meeting seems to have terminated in some dissatisfaction among the members. Messrs. Stille and Estes tendered their resignations as members and after that date the name of the president, Mr. Lebo, does not appear upon the minutes.
On November 11th, John Ayers, B. P. Biles, James Kinner and A. Brown were seated as members of the jury. Kinner was elected president. The question of providing public buildings was again taken up, and John Baldwin, M. Fulehrod, John Waterhouse and Alexander Biles were named as a committee to arrange to lay out in town lots a tract of land (now occupied by the town of Many), title to which was vested in the Police Jury, and offer the lots for sale at public auction, for cash or terms, the proceeds of the sale of which to go to the public building fund. It should be noted that the buildings were not erected until several years later. The board directed that the secretary see to the repair of some chimneys in the buildings then in use, and adjourned.
At the next meeting of the board, May 5, 1845, Brown and Ayers were the only members at the previous session who were present. The new members who qualified were R. K. McDonald, M. Fulehrod, J. B. Elam, T. G. L. Godwin and A. H. Redding. A. Brown was elected president. The only meeting during the remainder of the year was held in September, and the business transacted was confined to minor matters. The first parish aid to a pauper was recorded in the journal.
On June 1, 1846, the following members were present: R. K. McDonald, G. Manson, J. B. Elam and T. G. S. Godwin. Mr. Elam was chosen president and George E. Ward secretary. Hosea Presley was allowed $5.25 for holding an inquest over the body of Joseph Neel, and Coroner William Stoker $20.75 for holding inquests over the bodies of James Humphries and B. A. Stone.
At this period agitators had begun to menace the good order that prevailed among the slaves by endeavoring to induce them to become disloyal to their masters. To discourage these attempts by designing interlopers to cause disturbances, Mr. Godwin introduced the following resolution, which was adopted:
“Be it resolved, that hereafter there shall be captains of patrols in the parish of Sabine; that is to say, captains for each Police Jury ward as they now exist.
J. R. Smart and Martin Brock for the First Ward,
W. W. H. Godwin and R. J. McLemore for the Second Ward,
Thadeus Montgomery and C. W. Elam for the Third Ward,
William Stoker and John Presley for the Fourth Ward,
H. Nabours and Samuel Webb for the Fifth Ward,
William Estes and Jefferson Anderson for the Sixth Ward,
C. F. Waldrop and W. G. Beddingfield for the Seventh Ward.
Be it further resolved, that it shall be the duty of said captains of patrols to call out all such persons as are subject to military duty in their respective wards or beats, and that any person neglecting or failing to turn out after having been notified by said captains shall forfeit and pay one dollar for the use of the parish.
Be it further resolved, that it shall be the duty of the captains of patrols to call out such persons at least once a month, and oftener if it be necessary in the discretion of the captains of patrols, or upon the written request of three freeholders.
Be it further resolved, that it shall be the duty of said captains and patrols, when on duty, to visit and inspect all negro quarters, and if in so doing they shall find any negroes gathered together with the intent of causing a disturbance among the slaves of the neighborhood or parish; or, further, if they shall find any slave or slaves in said quarters not belonging to the owner or owners, without a pass or verbal permit from his or her master, unless the captain is satisfied with the truth of said permit, it shall be his or their duty to chastise said slave or slaves by giving him or them not more than twenty stripes with an ordinary whip; and that they shall have no right to inflict greater punishment, under the penalty of the law. The captains of the patrols shall have a general supervisory control over the police of slaves in this parish in their respective wards, not only when on duty, but likewise at any time.”
The parish license for “keepers of grog shops, tippling houses and retailers of spirituous liquors” was fixed at ten dollars per year.
A resolution was adopted providing for the payment by the Police Jury of two dollars for every wolf killed in the parish. On October 26, the board rented the Methodist church in which to hold sessions of the district court.
At the June meeting (1847) the board resolved to submit to the voters of the parish a proposition to increase the tax levy for the purpose of erecting a public building at the parish site.
The difficulty which the young parish encountered in procuring public buildings is best explained by a glance at her small finances. The parish, like many individuals in those days, started out with no capital. In 1843 the taxes collected amounted to only $984.80, and in 1846 the taxes, peddlers’ and ferries’ licenses totaled only $1,336.64. The taxes of Yates & McIntyre, who owned considerable land in the parish, were unpaid and in controversy, the amount being $436.39. With the limited funds available it is little wonder that the parish legislature was confronted with what might be considered a heavy indebtedness.
On December 20, 1847, the board met with the following members present: W. B. Stille, Joseph McNeely, John Aten and W. D. Stephens. Mr. Aten was appointed president pro tem. The election to decide whether a public building should be erected had resulted in favor of the proposition and the board proceeded to appropriate $500 for that purpose. A proposition to provide a house in which to hold court while the building was being constructed was lost.
On June 6, 1848, O. Munson was elected president and George E. Ward secretary. John K. Smart, chairman of the committee appointed to investigate the sale of town lots in Many, reported that the gross sales amounted to $1,231.69, of which amount only $582.98 had been paid into the treasury. At the October meeting, on motion of Mr. Smart, $200 was appropriated to the public schools for the tuition of indigent children. The board also reduced the amount to be used for building a courthouse to $400.
The following were members of the board at the December meeting: G. Munson, Joseph McNeely, E. Brown, G. W. Morris, Joseph Vaner, A. Lout and Malen Holden. Joseph McNeely was elected president. The following June Mr. McNeely was succeeded by Daniel Richey. The payment of $25 to John Forbis for supporting two old slaves is recorded in the journal. The board met in October and again postponed the building of a courthouse. The Methodist and Baptist churches were rented, one for a courthouse and one for a jury room. The commissioners of the town of Many were instructed to close the mortgages on the lots which had been sold and on which final payment had not been made. The law allowing a bounty for wolf scalps was repealed. The estimate for parish expenses for the following year was fixed at $3,000. George E. Ward was allowed $29 for taking a census of the school children for the year 1849.
In June, 1850, the following were members of the Police Jury: Daniel Richey, T. G. S. Godwin, James S. Williams, Littleton Chambliss, N. P. Smart and N. H. Bray. George E. Ward was elected secretary and Daniel Richey continued as president. Among the new roads authorized at the June meeting (1851) was one in accordance with the petition of Leslie Barbee and others, and defined as follows: “Running from big hill by Leslie Barbee’s, to have its terminal at the Alexandria road near Polland’s.” Washington Kirkham, John Dougherty, James Isgitt and William Stone were reviewers. At this meeting Henry S. White, a new member, was elected president and E. C. Davidson secretary.
Matthew Jones was president in 1852, but was shortly succeeded by Moses K. Speight, and E. F. Presley was chosen secretary. No further changes in the membership were noted during the next several years, nor any business of importance transacted.
In July, 1859, Marion F. Carter turned over to the parish the new jail he had contracted to build at a cost of $1,500. In 1860, J. A. Weeks, E. M. Cassell, H. W. Scoggins and J. J. Horton were jurors.
In March, 1861, President Speight was authorized to draw on the State Treasurer for $30,000, Sabine’s share of an appropriation for the relief of sufferers from floods and drought. At a meeting in May, provision was made for the distribution of corn from the depots at Grand Ecore and Cobble’s Landing. In June, Allen Holland, G. G. Garner and Silas Roberts appeared as jurors. M. K. Speight was re-elected president; A. R. Mitchell, secretary, and E. C. Davidson, treasurer. The office of examiner of teachers was abolished, but restored the following day with A. R. Mitchell as examiner.
On August 13, 1861, the board appropriated money for military purposes, the organizations mentioned being the Sabine Volunteers, Captain J. T. Jordan’s Company, Sabine Rifles and Sabine Rebels. Five hundred dollars was paid to Captain McArthur’s company then at the front. In January, 1862, the board authorized the employment of a drillmaster, and in April $7,500 in parish warrants were authorized. A grant of $7 per month was made to the wives and mothers of soldiers and each child of a soldier in the service was allowed $2 per month. At this meeting J. A. Weeks succeeded A. R. Mitchell as secretary, and Weeks, Sam Webb, Garner, Munson, Scoggins, Gibbs, Chambliss, Holland and Speight were members. In June, 1862, the estimate of parish expenses for the year was fixed at $6,940. Isaac Wright became a member of the jury in August. The warrants issued to Captain Wright’s Sabine Independents in 1861, amounting to $1,025, were canceled, and in October an issue of $10,000 in script was authorized. The budget for 1863 called for $13,940. Bounties and reliefs for families of volunteers were ordered paid. This was followed by another issue of $10,000 in script for equipment of militia and relief of families of volunteers.
There was no meeting of the board in 1864. In 1865, M. K. Speight was again elected president, and James Fisher Smith, secretary. The other members were N. H. Bray, A. R. Mitchell, Leslie Barbee, William Ferguson, Benjamin Boyd, H. S. Kennedy, H. W. Scoggins, A. C. Leach, Samuel Webb. E. C. Davidson was chosen treasurer but the election was set aside and N. H. Bray selected for that position. M. K. Speight, Jr., was chosen collector.
In 1868, the members of the jury were Speight, Bray, Kennedy, Tyler, Harmon Carter, Edmund Duggan, John Jacobs, W. A. Youngblood and John Tynes. E. C. Davidson was elected parish attorney.
In June, 1869, M. P. Hawkins and J. M. Franklin qualified as members, and in October A. K. Addison and C. B. Darnell also qualified. At the January meeting (1870) Jeff Salter was appointed collector and Alfred Lout and Thomas Wiley were new members.
The Police Jury appointed by the State qualified in October, 1871, and organized by electing John Caldwell, president, and W. W. McNeely, secretary. The other members were Alfred Litton, M. P. Hawkins, D. W. Self and Thomas A. Armstrong. J. Fisher Smith was elected treasurer, and E. F. Presley attorney.
In December, 1872, Edmund Duggan was elected president. Other members were John Carroll, J. H. Tynes, Alfred Litton and James M. Gibbs. K. W. Sibley was secretary. In July, 1873, J. H. Caldwell was appointed treasurer. At this meeting the old question of building a courthouse was revived after many years. In October, 1873, a tax of ten mills on the assessment of the preceding year was authorized for building purposes, and R. B. Stille, W. H. Aldredge, John Davis, A. H. Hogue and A. Harris were appointed as a building committee.
In July, 1874, R. G. Brown qualified as a juror in place of John Carroll, who had died since the previous meeting, and in January, 1875, the following members composed a new board: M. K. Speight, Sr., Edmund Duggan, R. G. Brown, H. H. Callens and S. T. Sibley. Mr. Speight was elected president, R. A. Forbis, treasurer, and James F. Garner, assessor and collector.
Edmund Duggan was elected president in January, 1876, and at that meeting the tax levy was increased from 14½ to 29 mills. The trustees of the Baptist church were paid $25 rent for their house for the year 1875.
The board in 1877 was composed of R. M. Armstrong, president; Wade Anderson, D. W. Carroll, G. W. Addison and J. M. Gibbs. The following June the Police Jury received a demand from the Parish Board of School Directors to levy a tax not exceeding two mills for public school purposes. E. F. Presley was elected treasurer and later was also chosen attorney.
In July the parish was redistricted into eight wards, but the act did not become effective until January, 1879, when the jury was composed of the following members: W. W. Arthur, T. J. Stringer, D. W. Carroll, Daniel Vaudegaer, W. H. Farmer, H. H. Callens, C. B. Darnell and W. L. Shull. This was the first jury after the “reconstruction” period. In August, a 3-mill tax for three years was levied to build a courthouse, and, the voters sustaining the levy, plans for a building were received in December, at which meeting W. W. McNeely was elected treasurer. P. P. Bridges qualified as juror in place of H. H. Callens, deceased.
During this period two newspapers were published at Many: the Sabine Index by J. H. Caldwell & Co., and the Sabine Southron by E. F. Presley. The Index was awarded the parish printing on its bid to do the work for nothing and pay the parish 30 cents additional.
In May, 1880, W. W. Arthur was president, and J. H. Mitchell, secretary. J. T. Lunt was contracted with to erect a courthouse at a cost of $2,500. A. H. Hogue purchased the old jail and lot from the parish for $112.50.
In August, 1881, D. W. Carroll was succeeded as a member by W. T. Alford, and in January, 1882, A. W. Estes was elected secretary. Plans for a new jail were adopted and the contract for building the same awarded to J. T. Lunt for $1,600. H. S. Kennedy qualified as a member from Ward 7 in 1882 but was succeeded by J. M. Stoddard in June, 1883. Jasper DeLatin was police constable.
In June, 1884, R. A. Forbis was president; T. J. Stringer, W. T. Alford, Henry Ferguson, William Aten, H. H. Cassell and Jehu Graham formed the board. A. W. Estes was elected treasurer, and J. A. Small, constable.
In January, 1885, on motion of Jehu Graham, the board passed a prohibition ordinance, and from that date to the present, whisky has not been legally sold in Sabine Parish. At the next meeting, W. M. Webb appeared as a member in place of Henry Ferguson, deceased. W. T. Alford was elected president in place of Forbis, resigned.
In 1886, J. C. Ryan was elected police constable. In January, 1887, an effort was made to abolish this office but failed. M. B. Petty was elected constable. Two years later, J. C. Ryan was elected and, with the exception of one year when C. M. Williams served, has held the position up to the present.
In 1888, Jehu Graham succeeded W. T. Alford as president, but in June of that year a new set of jurors qualified as follows: R. A. Forbis, president; A. W. Estes, secretary and treasurer; H. S. Ellzey, T. J. Stringer, H. M. Gandy, W. M. Webb, H. H. Cassell, J. M. Fuller and William Tyler.
In April 1890, Mr. Ellzey, for a committee, reported favorably on a petition of the taxpayers of the parish asking that an election be ordered to vote on the proposition of levying a tax of 5 mills on the property valuation for a period of ten years in aid of the Gulf, Sabine and Kansas City Railroad, and recommended that said election be granted. An ordinance was drafted ordering the election and providing that the railroad should be built from the north end of Sabine Parish, via the town of Many, to the south line of the parish, and that the road should conform to the standard of a trunk line and be completed within three years from the date the tax was voted. The election was ordered to be held on May 15.
In July 1892, the members of the board were W. D. Hall, T. J. Stringer, H. M. Gandy, W. R. Alford, T. J. Cranford, H. H. Cassell, Jehu Graham and W. C. Rainer. Jehu Graham was elected president and A. W. Estes, secretary. In October the board ordered suitable resolutions to be spread upon the minutes in memory of R. A. Forbis, deceased, who had long been president of the Police Jury.
At the meeting in April 1893, the jury gave its approval to efforts being made toward the construction of a railroad from Many to Marthaville. This road was chartered, but construction never began.
In January 1894, H. M. Gandy was elected president, and at a subsequent meeting, an election was ordered to vote on the proposition of levying a tax of one-half mill on the taxable property valuation for ten years in aid of a proposed railroad from Victoria, Louisiana, on the Texas and Pacific Railroad, to Many. The citizens voted in favor of the tax, but the road was not built.
On October 7, 1895, the board received a petition for an election to vote on the proposition to levy a 5 mills tax for ten years in aid of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad, which proposed to build through Sabine Parish in consideration of that subsidy. The petition was referred to a committee composed of Jehu Graham, W. R. Alford and W. C. Rainer, who recommended that the election be granted. Every member voted to order the election. November 15 was fixed as the election date, but it was later changed to December 2, to coincide with similar elections in DeSoto and Vernon parishes. In January 1896, the board canvassed the returns and declared the result: 544 votes for the tax; 438 against. The railroad was to run north–south through the parish, within five miles east or west of the town of Many. The road was built during the year, marking the beginning of a new era of progress in the parish. H. U. Sally qualified as a juror in place of H. H. Cassell.
On March 13, 1896, the jury met in a special session to consider plans for suppressing a threatened epidemic of smallpox in Many. Until this time, there had been no provision for a parish board of health. The Police Jury created a health board with Don E. SoRelle, president; Leo Vandegaer, secretary; E. C. Dillon, treasurer; and Dr. W. J. Mobley, health officer. $500 was appropriated for use by the board and $100 for vaccine points. At the April meeting, a new board of health was appointed: John S. Carroll, president; Leo Vandegaer, secretary; W. J. Davis, treasurer; Dr. T. M. Tramel, parish physician. Stringent regulations were adopted. C. P. McDonald qualified as a member of the jury at this meeting.
In July 1896, the following were members of the jury: P. I. Cook, M. S. Antony, J. W. Nabours, W. R. Alford, T. J. Cranford, C. P. McDonald, Jehu Graham, S. M. Wiley and H. U. Sally. Jehu Graham was elected president. Cranford, Alford and Antony were designated as a committee to contract for building a new parish jail. Plans for a structure costing $6,210 were accepted, to be paid in four annual installments, and a 2 mills tax levy was made to liquidate the debt.
In February 1897, the board met to devise plans to aid drought sufferers in the parish, as crops the previous season had been the shortest in the country’s history. The parish’s surplus funds were offered to the needy, and ward meetings were ordered to organize private aid. Railroads volunteered to transport provisions free of charge to stations in Sabine Parish.
In June, the tax levy for the year was made as follows:
- Parish tax: 6½ mills
- School tax: 1½ mills
- Jail tax: 2 mills
- Railroad tax: 5 mills
The new jail was received from the contractors. The assessor was instructed to assess all longleaf pine lands at $4 per acre.
Jehu Graham was re-elected president at the January meeting (1898). In April, the board met in special session, revised the road laws, and fixed the budget of parish expenses for the year in compliance with a new law. In July, an ordinance was adopted fixing the parish license for the sale of liquor at $2,000. This action was intended to discourage attempts to open saloons in any incorporated towns of the parish.
The same officers were continued for the year 1899, and at the April meeting, the matter of building a new courthouse was considered. The board decided to work parish convicts on the public roads, and a superintendent of convicts was elected. At the June meeting, a per capita tax of $1 was assessed on every man subject to road duty, and a tax of 50 cents on two-horse wagons and 25 cents on one-horse wagons and vehicles was levied. The proposition to build a new courthouse was again taken up at the July meeting, and different plans and specifications were considered. The plans of a Louisville firm of contractors were accepted, and 2 mills were set aside for the construction of the building, which was to be completed at a cost of $17,000. R. G. Bozeman became a member of the jury at this meeting. On motion of Mr. Wiley, the old wooden courthouse was sold at public auction. In October, the board adopted resolutions in memory of M. S. Antony, member of the board from Ward 2.
In response to a petition of the citizens of Ward 6, that ward was divided and Ward 10 created at the January meeting (1900). M. G. Antony qualified as juror at this meeting. The board met the following month for the purpose of accepting the new courthouse from the contractors. President Graham’s report as superintendent of the building was presented, declared correct, and the building accepted.
On May 14, a special meeting was held to elect a parish board of health. The following were appointed members of that body for a term of four years: J. E. Lee, Lem Walters, Dr. S. H. Cade, Dr. J. R. Franklin, M. F. Webb, Dr. Mott, J. J. Brown, Dr. T. M. Tramel, J. E. Bullard and J. W. Ford. Three hundred dollars was appropriated for the smallpox sufferers of Wards 5 and 8.
In June 1900, G. M. Addison, W. L. Speights, H. M. Gandy, John J. McCollister, T. Laroux, J. M. Paul, D. E. Stephens, W. L. Shull, John Edmundson and J. T. Tanner comprised a new board, which organized by electing H. M. Gandy president. Plans were adopted for building bridges throughout the parish. In October, the board adopted a memorial for W. L. Shull, deceased member. In January 1901, W. C. Mains appeared as a member from Mr. Shull’s ward. I. D. Rains was awarded the contract for erecting an iron fence around the courthouse yard. Surveyor Dan Vandegaer was employed to classify the pine timber of the parish, and the assessor was instructed to assess the same as follows: first-class at $4.50 per acre, second-class at $2 per acre.
In January 1903, H. M. Gandy was re-elected president, and D. M. Miller qualified as a member vice G. M. Addison, resigned. In October of this year, the treasurer was authorized to procure teams and tools to work convicts on the public roads. An ordinance was adopted which prohibited the importation into the parish from Texas of any unbaled cotton, cotton seed, hulls, or any other product that might convey cotton boll weevil, and provided for a fine not exceeding $500 for violation of that act.
In January, 1904, the officers which served the previous years were re-elected. The board at the following meeting instructed the assessor to assess short leaf pine lands at $4 per acre and long leaf pine lands at $8 per acre. The president was authorized to contract for steel cages for the parish jail at a cost of $2,550. The board was composed of the following members: D. M. Miller, W. L. Speights, H. M. Gandy, J. J. McCollister, H. H. Ferguson, E. F. Latham, W. R. Ross, T. F. Wiley, John Edmundson and J. T. Tanner. In October, 1905, owing to the prevalence of yellow fever in a neighboring parish, $500 was appropriated to maintain a quarantine against the disease.
During the present century the work of the Police Jury has been largely along the line of public improvements. Good roads and bridges come in for their share of consideration. In January, 1907, the same officers were continued for the year. Dr. D. H. Dillon was elected president of the parish health board, but he resigned in July to accept a similar position on the state board. Dr. T. L. Abington was elected to the place and was also chosen coroner at the November meeting.
In July, 1908, the board was composed of the following members: Dr. T. J. Satcher, T. W. Conerly, J. W. Nabours, A. F. Addison, T. Laroux, J. L. Latham, W. R. Ross, T. F. Wiley and J. T. Tanner. W. R. Ross was elected president. Messrs. Ponder & Ponder were chosen as attorneys, and Dr. W. E. Tatum was elected president of the board of health.
The same officers were continued for the year 1910. J. B. Fuller appeared as a member from Ward 10 in place of Mr. Tanner. John H. Boone was employed as parish attorney. The board subscribed $500 for stock in the Parish Fair Association then being organized in Many, the motion being offered by J. W. Nabours. On November 8th an election was held throughout the parish to vote on the proposition to levy a special tax of 5 mills in aid of the public roads for a period of ten years, which resulted in favor of the proposition.
In January, 1911, Dr. Tatum tendered his resignation as president of the board of health and was succeeded by Dr. W. E. Dillon. J. L. Latham was appointed a member of that body, vice Dr. Satcher, resigned. Miss Mattie Langford and Miss Florence Nabours were presented with scholarships in the State Normal School. On motion of Mr. Fuller, at the April meeting, citizens of Wards 5, 6, and 10 were granted permission to build telephone lines throughout the wards.
In July, 1911, J. B. Fuller was elected president of the jury. Mr. R. E. Stoker was granted a scholarship in the State University. The treasurer was instructed to pay all outstanding indebtedness. At the October meeting the matter of building a model road to connect with the roads of DeSoto and Natchitoches parishes was discussed, and a committee composed of J. W. Nabours, J. A. Tramel, T. F. Wiley and W. R. Ross. In 1912, the budget of parish expenses called for $32,500, of which $20,000 was for public roads. At the June meeting $1,000 was set aside for the erection of dipping vats for the eradication of the cattle tick in the different wards of the parish, provided that the patrons of said vats pay half of the expense of erecting the same. On reconsideration, however, the matter was laid over to a future meeting. An ordinance defining vagrancy and providing punishment for the same was passed by the board. The report of the committee appointed to confer with committees from DeSoto and Natchitoches parishes on the good roads proposition was set aside and the matter left for the consideration of the new board.
In July (1912) the Police Jury was composed of the following members: R. S. Gandy, Ward 1; S. J. Speights, Ward 2; H. M. Gandy, Ward 3; J. A. Tramel, Ward 4; T. Laroux, Ward 5; John L. Latham, Ward 6; W. R. Ross, Ward 7; D. J. Holmes, Ward 8; G. R. Pearce, Ward 9; J. B. Fuller, Ward 10. The board organized by electing H. M. Gandy, president; A. W. Estes, secretary, and J. C. Ryan, police constable. On motion of Mr. Ross, the board decided to apply to the state for a convict camp to be employed in the construction of public roads, and on motion of Mr. Ross, certain roads between principal points in the parish were designated as state highways. Owing to stringency of state finances, the parish was given no encouragement from that source for road building, and at the October meeting the application for a convict camp was withdrawn. The sheriff was ordered to push collection of the per capita road tax levied by the board. The board met in special session on November 18 to devise ways and means for the construction of state highways. By resolution 40 per cent of the special road tax for 1912 was set aside for the construction of state highway No. 1, from Many, via Fort Jesup, to the parish line near Robeline, and the president was authorized to co-operate with State Engineer Atkinson in making surveys and preliminary surveys, and to advertise for bids for constructing the road. The engineer completed the survey of the road, the contract for building awarded, and Sabine’s first highway, constructed by modern methods, was commenced when this chapter was being concluded.
On January 6, 1913, A. W. Estes tendered his resignation as secretary of the board, after serving that body in that capacity for a period of thirty-one years, the longest record of any man except one (Hon. John B. Parrott, member of the Parish School Board) in public position in Sabine parish. William G. Caldwell was elected secretary for Mr. Estes’ unexpired term.
The membership of the Police Jury has always been composed of some of the parish’s best citizens, whose aim has been to work for the best interests of their country. The present jury is devoting its energies to better highways, which are as important in modern life as railroads, and with the construction of good roads the full development of the resources of the parish are certain to follow.
Back to: Sabine Parish – Louisiana History & Genealogy Project
Back to: Louisiana History & Genealogy Project
Source
Belisle, John G., History of Sabine Parish, Louisiana, Many, La. : The Sabine banner press, 1912.