The star-progress., December 20, 1919, Image 1

About The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921

Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA

                
XI—NO. 9
STAR-PROGRESS
OPELOUSAS, LA., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1919
MERRY
ii'A
CHRISTMAS
PARKER SPEAKS AT
POINTS IN PARISH
TOMORROW
Candidates for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor Will
Appear at Several Places
WILL SPEAK HERE
ON MONDAY NIGHT
Whirlwind Tour of St. Landry
Begins at Leonville Tomor
row Morning Early
With the successful and enthusi
astic meeting of Sunday afternoon
at Eunice still fresh in the memory
of the Parker supporters, the tour of
the independent candidates for gov
ernor and lieutenant governor in St.
Landry, which begins at Leonville
tomorrow morning, is being watched
with considerable interest.
John M. Parker and Hewitt Bou
anchaud will leave the LaCombe
Hotel Sunday morning accompanied
by a large number of friends for a
triumphant march through the sec
cond and third wards. They will
speak at Leonville in the morning,
Amaudville iii the afternoon and at
Sunset Sunday night. At the lat
ter place Harry Fitzpatrick, one of
the best stump speakers in Louisiana,
will join the Parker forces and de
liver an address in behalf of his can
didates.
Monday morning the Parkerites
will journey to Melville, where a
mamomth meeting is planned. On
Monday night the Opelousas meet
ing .which will doubtless be the
largest political gathering of the
year in thjs parish, will be held.
Friends of the Orleans man predict
a royal welcome for him here Mon
day night, and if weather conditions
are favorable, it is likely that the
meeting will be held on the court
house square in order to accommo
date the crowd.
The St. Landry tour will be fin
ished at Grand Prairie on Tuesday
morning, from which place Messrs.
Parker and Bouanchaud will go to
Ville Platte and Mamou, in Evange
line parish.
All Parker supporters wishing to
take the trip Sunday morning are
urged to assemble at the LaCombe
Hotel in time to depart with the
speakers. It is understood that sev
eral autoes filled with Parkerites will
assist in the invasion of the second
and third wards.
of
the
his
as
as
at
as
he
NEW MANAGER
FOR PHONE CO.
Cumberland Transfers Henry
Voorhies From Slidell Of
fice to Opelousas
Henry Voorhies, a native of Lafa
yette and one of the most efficient
managers of the Cumberland Tele
phone Company, was transferred this
week from Slidell to Opelousas. Mr.
Voorhies took charge of the com
pany's affairs in this city on last
Monday morning.
The new manager of the telephone
company comes to Opelousas highly
recommended by the leading citizens
of Slidell as well as from the people
of Lafayette, where Mr. Voorhies is
well known and has two brothers.
Manager Covington, it will be re
membered, left the managership of
the local exchange a few weeks ago,
and as this has been a rather diffi
cult post to fill, the officials of the
Cumberland centered on Mr. Voor
hies as the man to straighten out
"the kinks" in the Opelousas tele
phone office. Mr. Voorhies has al
ready made a number of friends here
and there is not the least doubt that
he will make
successful manager. 1
ORTERE PITRE
DELIVERS SELF
White Man Convicted of Kill
ing Prairie Ronde Negro,
Gives Himself Up
Ortere Pitre, who escaped from the
parish prison several weeks ago, fol
lowing his conviction for the killing
of a negro in Prairie Ronde early
last spring, delivered himself up to
the parish authorities on Monday.
Pitre was recently given a new
trial by the supreme court, and
would have been tried at the last
term of the criminal court had he
not broken jail. It is now contended
that he has no longer any claims to
his second trial by a jury and must
serve his sentence of twenty years
imposed by Judge Pavy. Pitre gave
as his reason for delivering himself
as lonesomeness. He told deputies
that he was lonesome and thought it
best to go back to jail. He has been
at large for several weeks, and while
the authorities were constantly on
the lookout for him, no definite clue
as to his whereabouts could be ob
tained, although it was known that
he had never wandered far away.
-o
DRAINAGE election
IN OLD DISTRICT
ON MONDAY
Big Bond Issue Will Be Voted
On By Taxpayers of Plaq
uemine-Mallet District
NO OPPOSITION TO
THE TAX EXPECTED
Board Recently Refunded the
Property Owners Money
Voted Two Years Ago
The property owners of the Ba
you Plaquemine and Mallet Drain
age District will vote on a $95,0000
bond issue on Monday. It is expect
ed that the tax will carry overwhel
mingly, as drainage is very sorely
needed in that big district, and the
most influential taxpayers are be
hind the movement to secure better
drainage.
Three years ago a large bond is
sue Aas voted favorably, but due to
some illegality the bonds were never
sold, and the supreme court was ask
ed to annul the election. The tax
had been collected in the mean time,
and some five thousand dollars were
collected. Recently the drainage
board met and decided to refund the
money to the taxpayers, and after
working hard in checking up all the
taxpayers this amount was forward
ed to each person who had paid taxes
in the district. This is the first time
in this state that property owners
were ever refunded any tax money.
Reports from the Bayou Plaque
mine and Mallet Drainage District
indicate that the tax wil be carried
by an overwhelming vote Monday.
FIRE ALARMS WERE
FREQUENT THIS WEEK
Aside from the big fire that de
stroyed the Fisher home, there were
several alarms rang in which brought
the famous volunteer company of
this city out full tilt duriiig the week.
One was at the residence of Mar
garet Conger,on North Market street,
but the blaze there did not amount to
much and no damages were done.
Another was at the residence of
Hon. E. B. Dubuisson, on North
Court street, and there, too, the in
cipient blaze was extinguished with
out having inflicted much damage.
Some slight trouble with the auto
mobile of Hon. Henry
clerk of court, also called for the
fire fighters, but the trouble after all
was slight and the fine car suffered
1 no damage.
Lastrapes,
CARLOAD OF FOOD
TO BE SOLD ON
MONDAY
Large Quantity of Government
Foodstuffs at Low Prices to
'^e Disposed Of
SALE BEGINS AT
8:30 O'CLOCK SHARP
Rush Expected, But It Is Be
lieved That There Will Be
Enough For All
The Opelousas Chamber of'Com
merce is going to give old High Cost
of Living another smashing blow 1r>n
Monday morning next, when it will
offer for sale a large carload of gov
ernment foodstuffs,blankets and tow
els at wonderfully low figures. The
sale will begin promptly at 8:30
o'clock ,and everybody is urged to be
at headquarters early that morning.
A different plan of handling the
crowd of eager bargain hunters will
be carried out, and it is thought that
the purchasers will be better satis
fied and sales will be effected much
quicker than the last sale.
The following articles will be sold :
Tomatoes, 24 cans to case, per
case ...................$ 2.16
Peas, 24 cans ta case, per case 2.16
Baked beans, 24 cans to case
per case................ 2.16
Corned beef, 48 cans to case,
per case................ 11.04
Candy, 50 cans to case, per
case ................... 12.50
Huck Towels, each.........20
Blankets, woolen, each...... 6.00
Tomatoes, peas and beans will be
sold in broken lots at nine cents per
can, corned beef at 23 cents, candy
at 25 cents. Only one case of each
article will be sold to one family.
The limit for blankets is two and for
towels one dozen.
Practically five thousand dollars
was saved consumers on the last car
of government foodstuffs ,and it is
expected that a greater amount will
be saved this time. The car is very
large ,and it is thought there will be
enough for all comers.
f
i
!
;
'
DANCE TUESDAY
AT WASHINGTON
String Band to Furnish Music
For One of the Best Dances
of the Season
The young people of Washington
will give a dance on next Tuesday,
and it is said the old Courtableau
town is looking forward with great
expectation to making this the most
popular dance of the season.
F. L. Bailey, prominent young
Washingtonian, who is assisting the
other young men of Washington in
giving this entertainment, informs
the Star-Progress that a bevy of
Dretty young ladies from different
sections of the parish will be on hand
and as the music will be superb, the
floor as smooth as glass^a real glor
ious time is expected.
Quite a number of young men and
young ladies of Opelousas will jour
ney ^ver to Washington for the occa
sion.
—Miss Mary Margaret Voorhies,
the popular and attractive daughter
of Dr. R. D. Voorhies of Lafayette,
spent the week-end here as the guest
of Miss Helen Voorhies.
—Miss Helen Voorhies has just re
turned from a few days stay in Lafa
yette as the guest of the family of
Dr. R. D. Voorhies.
—Among the out-of-town visitors
who attended the dance here on Fri
day night of last week was Mr. R.
Delacroix of New Orleans.
The fire boys are always on the
job and the fire that gets the best of
them must be some blaze after ajl.
j
Dance proves
very popular
Barrilleaux's Auditorium the
Scene of Another Success
ful Dance Last Friday
The young people of this city and
surrounding country were treated to
one of the most enjoyable and so
cially successful dances given this
year at the Barrilleaux Auditorium.
A large number of the leading young
men and young ladies of Opelousas
and nearby towns assembled in the
beautiful dance hall, and it is said
by all that Friday's dance was one of
the best given in this city in years.
Mr. Barrilleaux is being given the
co-operation of the dancers of Ope
lousas and he now feels assured hat
he will make his auditorium the most
popular amusement center in this
section *of the state. Already young
men and young ladies from other
parishes are beginning to taste of his
hospitality, and it is freely predic
tt d that shortly the big auditorium
will be too small to accommodate the
crowd of dancers who intend to
come to the next dance.
LARGE CROWD HEARS
PARISH CANDIDATES
AT WASHINGTON
Big Entertainment Goves for
Benefit of School Proves
Successful
FONTENOT MAKES
A DECIDED HIT
Düpre, Eastham, Alex Lafleur,
Lewis, Schell, Fontenot,
Andrus and Lastrapes
A crowd that packed the Plonsky
opera house at Washington on Tues
day night heard a large number of
the parochiel candidates) lay their
claims for office before the voters
of the fifth ward. The occasion of
the meeting was a fair given for the
benefit of the school, and people
from every section of the ward had
gone to Washington to assist in mak
ing this the gala event of the sea
son.
The candidates for the legislature
were the first to address the mam
moth gathering, Judge Gilbert L. Du
pre being the one to open the ora
tions by a severe attack on the New
Orleans ring. He was followed by
E. K. Eastham, Alex .Lafleur, James
J. Lewis, J .Franklin Schell. Then
Ariel Fontenot, popular young can
didate for sheriff, in the home of his
friends and surrounded by staunch
supporters, who assure him that
Washington is going for him by an
overwhelming majority, very forcibly
laid his claim for the sheriff't office.
He is said to have made the best
speech of his campaign, and as a re
sult won over to his cause many
votes.
Henry Lastrapes, Jr., running for
re-election, told of his eight years'
service as clerk of court, and asked
to be re-elected on his record.
The last speaker of the evening
was A. L. Andrus, candidate for as
sessor. Mr. Andrus, being the last
speaker and having a longer dis
course than any other speaker, was
allotted more time. He went over
his record as assessor in detail, show
ing that he had been the friend of
j the small taxpayer and that he had
battled for them before the State
Board of Affairs on many occasions.
He said that he was proud of his
record and that he expected to be
re-elected on the strength of .the
good work he had done as assessor.
Hon. Jas. A. Going, mayor of the
Courtableau capital, was the chair
man of the meeting and in this ca
pacity no one can take anything
from "Jim."
MANY SLOW PAYING
POLL TAX FOR
THIS YEAR
Only Three Thousand St. Lan
dry Voters Have Qualified
in This Respect
DECEMBER 31 IS LAST
DAY ONE CAN PAY UP
Voters Appear to Be Slow in
Paying Dollar Duty and
Many May Lose Out
Every man in St. Landry loves to
vote. This parish has the reputation*
of being a "political hot bed," but
somehow or other interest in .the ap
proaching election does not seem to
be as manifest as in former years;
Hundreds of St. Landry voters have
neglected to pay their poll tax and
indications are that unless they speed
up many will be disqualified for the
next two years and will be denied
the right of expressing their choice
at the January election.
Out of a total of more than five
thousand registered voters, only
three thousand have paid their poll
tax to date. Over two thousand
have to perform this duty within
the next ten days if they wish to par
ticipate in the election next month.
The election is but one month off
and there is no doubt that interest in
the various candidates wil lbe more
manifest as January 20 approaches.
Unless more interest is taken in the
payment of poll taxes, quite a large
number will be disqualified and have
to stand aside and let the fellow who
paid up do'the voting in Janna • *.
There is always a considerable
rush made on the taxcollector's of
fice during the la^t few days of the
year, and as so mtny St. Landry
voters are far behind x^he ppjment
of their poll tax, it woulo^ot be sur
prising to see the ta^Wlectors
force busy until the very last minute
receiving poll tax money. In the
event such a thing happens, it is
feared that many will be unable to
reach the office in time for payment.
Remember, December 31, at mid
night, is the last minute in which you
can pay your poll tax and be able to
vote in the January primary and all
other elections during 1920,and there
will be several. So get busy ,pay up
now and thus avoid the last-minute
rush made by the many tardy ones.
FIRE DESTROYS
FISHER HOME
South Court Street Residence
Gutted By the Flames Last
Tuesday Forenoon
The beautiful residence of Elijah
Fisher, Sr., located on South Court
street, this city, was entirely destroy
ed by fire last Tuesday forenoon,
only the household effects 'being sav
ed. There was some difficulty in
ringing in the alarm on time, and it
is thought that if the fire company
had had sufficient warning, the
property might have been saved.
Mr. Fisher recently purchased this
property from Mrs. Herbert Cres
well, who had purchased it from F.
J. Dietlein, and it was considered one
of the most desirable homes in Ope
lousas. The value of the property
was in the neighborhood of five thou
sand dollars, and it is said that the
insurance carried was for about three
thousand dollars.
Echoes from Washington indicate
that the fair was very successful and
that Tuesday night's entertainment
was one of the most successful and
pleasing ever undertaken in the
town, and as a result the treasury
of the school is considerably replen
ished.
MRS. GEISEN IS
DISTRICT AGENT
Former Resident of Opelousas
Promoted by Extension
Department of L. S. U.
The many friends of Mrs. M. B.
Giesen, former ladies' demonstra
tion agent of St. Landry, will be de
lighted to learn of her recent pro
motion to district agent. Mrs. Giesen
was awarded- the promotion she so
well deserved at the convention of
demonstration agents at Baton
Rouge* last week. The announcement
of her promotion by Dr. Perkins,
head of the Louisiana State Universi
ty Extension Department, was re
ceived with much satisfaction by all
agents who will in the future work
under the former St. Landry agent.
Mrs. Giesen is well remembere l
in this city, enjoying a large circl:
of friends, who have watched her
career as an employee of the govern •
ment agricultural department with
much pride. This parish is included
in her district and there is no doubt
that she will receive a warm welcome
Gicsen will assume charge of her new
whenever she visits St. Landry. Mrs.
Ihrie, who is presently filling this
duties about March 1st, when Mr:,
important post, retires to engage in
private business.
—-o
DEJEAN YOUTH
EXPIRES HERE
Yeung Son of Mr. and Mrs.
J js. De jean Passes at St.
Landry Sanitarium
The many friends and relatives of
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dejean, promi
nent and well known residents of the
Plaquemine Point section of St. Lan
dry, were grieved to learn of the
death of their son, Oldan, six years
of age, at the St. Landry Sanitarium,
on last Wednesday morning at 7
o'clock.
The Dejean youth was brought
here for surgical attention last week
and on Friday afternoon Dr. 'O. P.
Daly operated on him for bowel trou
bles. The boy improved nicely fol
lowing a very serious operation, un
til Tuesday, when complications set
in and the worst was to be expected.
Funeral services were conducted
from the home of the bereaved par
ents to the Catholic Church in
Church Point .where interment took
place on Thuré«4ay morning. The
sorrowing relatives have the sympa
thy of their many friends and rela
tives, who join the Star-Progress in
expressing deep condolences.
BAZAAR WAS v
BIG SUCCESS
_>
Prairie Ronde School Enter
tainment Proves Success
ful Affair Financially
Concerning the recent bazaar giv
en at Prairie Ronde for the benefit
of the public school there, the Star
Progress has the following account
from a correspondent:
On December 14 we people of
Prairie Ronde gave a bazaar for the
benefit of the school. The Lafleur
hall was artistically decorated with
or ,. ss and holly. When the lights
;*e lit, they gave thsi decoration a
b. Jiancy that it seemed we were in
. arden of paradise.
The time was spent in merry mak
ing until the wee hours of twelve.
The gumbo table was held by
Mesdames Emar Andrepont, Marcel .
j Durio and Frank Ledoux; the cake
table by Mesdames Emar L~ fleur,
i ur Prud'homme, Sr. The follow
ing contest was won by: Mr. Edward
Manuel, a "splash-me doll."
Miss Rose Pitre, a pound of candy.
Miss Irene Manuel, an embroider
ed scarf.
Miss Flora Levy, a box of candy
of divinity.
The door receipts, after all was
settled, amounted to $93.90*