Yesterday's News

OIL JUBILEE.

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During the 1951 Oil Jubilee, people gathered on the Lake Arthur pier for festival-related activities.

Texas man dies at 111; rites here

Funeral services were held here Tuesday for an 111-year-old Port Arthur, Tex., man, born in slavery on a plantation near Mamou just prior to the opening of the Civil War.

Pierre Lartigue was buried in a cemetery at Silverwood after services at the Christ Sanctified Holiness Church here, leaving more than 170 direct descendants.

The Revs. N.C. Swallow of Port Arthur and G.C. Chaney of Jennings officiated at the 1 p.m. service.

Grand jury says rice buyers in conspiracy

The Grand Jury of Jefferson Davis Parish is endeavoring to put a stop to the practice among the rice buyers of agreeing on a fixed price for rice, permitting one of the buyers to make the purchase, and then dividing the rice after the sale is made.

Stock Sale Assures Country Club

A new country club will be constructed here.

V.B. McCutchen, president of the Jeff Davis Holding Corp., announces that more than 80 of the 100 shares of stock for the club have been subscribed, and the remaining shares, at $500 each, will be placed within the next two weeks. Members are from several parish communities.

Fenton substation

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The United Gas substation is pictured in Fenton in 1947.

Welsh Lions Club adopts resolution for road project

WELSH - The Welsh Lions Club recently adopted a resolution requesting that the police jury of Jeff Davis Parish rebuild the bridge over Bayou Serpent on the parish due north of Welsh to Kinder to meet the specifications for a hardsurfaced highway.

The resolution also includes a request that the parish governing body ask the State Highway department to include this road in the state road system, and that the road be hard-surfaced.

Joe Naebors, club president, named the following to serve on the road improvement project: M.L. Van Ness, chairman, Jerry Romero and John Lyons.

BICENTENNIAL BEARDS

A beard growing contest is under way in Jeff Davis Parish.

Officially titled the "Jeff Davis Parish Bicentennial Beard Growing Contest" it is sponsored by the Jennings Jaycees and the parish bicentennial committee, according to Jaycee President Jimmy Richert.

Richert said trophies will be awarded in several categories of judging at Lake Arthur July 4.

Entrants must be at least 18 years old and be residents of the parish.

An entry fee of $1 will be charged. Entry blanks will be available Monday at merchants in Jennings, Lake Arthur, Welsh and Elton.

Grid practice to begin

JEFF DAVIS PARISH NEWS Aug. 16, 1945

Coach Jerry Simmons has issued his call for fall football practices to start next Monday, Aug. 20, and around 35 aspirants for Bulldog positions are expected to answer the call.

With the first football game of the year only three weeks away, the coach has a hard task to get his rather green squad whipped in shape for the opener which will see the strong Opelousas High School team come here for three season’s initial fray on Sept. 14.

GRAND MARAIS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL AFTER HEAVY RAINS

A family of fourteen almost perishes when levee breaks, father swims for aid and sheriff and police rescue members as water starts to engulf home near Earl Robbins farms; Red Cross aids destitute as clothing, money, chickens and pigs are lost.

Single lane traffic directed over Old Spanish Trail West; oil field activities halted when boilers are put out by rising tide; streams at highest point in years.

LAKE ARTHUR PLEASURE PIER.

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In 1905, those headed to Lake Arthur for fun in the sun were able to enjoy the Pleasure Pier.