Ponchatoula's Expansion Blocked, 1904, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Sandra McLellan, Jul. 2005
Special thanks to Jim Perrin for donating it to the archives.

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PONCHATOULA'S EXPANSION BLOCKED, 1904

In the Ponchatoula Enterprise, 13 Apr 2005

BY JIM PERRIN, Local Historian

The population and commerce of the town of Ponchatoula were expanding during the 
opening years of the twentieth century.  The 1890 federal census had listed 459 
residents in Ponchatoula and the 1900 enumeration showed a population of 711 or a 
65% increase during the decade.

In 1902 the state legislature passed a law granting towns with populations of over 
1,000 residents special taxing authority with the corporation limits.  Since the 
federal census of 1900 had indicated that Ponchatoula's population was far short of 
a thousand residents, the Ponchatoula Board of Aldermen adopted an ordinance on 20 
November 1903 to greatly expand the town's corporate limits.  The size of the 
corporation in 1903 prior to the adoption of this ordinance was generally the same 
as that originally laid out by the town's founder James Clark in the 1850's.  Now, 
according to the November 1903 ordinance, the corporate limits of the town would be 
expanded a mile and a half to the east, two miles to the south, two miles to the 
west, and two miles to the north.  This expansion would greatly increase the 
geographical size of the town, increase its population through the incorporation 
of rural citizens, and increase the number of town tax payers.

Serving as mayor of Ponchatoula in 1903 was Daniel A. Edwards (ca. 1849-1931) who 
had become the mayor in January 1902.  Serving on the Board of Aldermen in 1903 
were former mayor William Jackson, William L. Wright, John E. Young, and future 
mayors Elmer Dwight Parker and William Rufas Haight.  

Acting quickly after the passage of the ordinance to expand the corporate limits, a 
special census of the newly enlarged community was conducted and the population was 
said to number 1,159 residents, which was more than what was needed to qualify for 
the state standard of 1,000 residents to be classed as a town.  After receiving the 
special census data, Louisiana Governor William Wright Heard issued a proclamation 
14 Dec. 1903 stating that hereafter Ponchatoula, having more than a thousand 
residents, would be classed as a town.

Even before Governor Heard's proclamation was received the administration of the 
town of Ponchatoula adopted on 1 Dec. 1903, the budget for the year of 1904, 
anticipating revenues that would be available to it as a town under the laws of the 
state.  The town budget was $3,550 with $1,800 slated for the use of the town's 
public schools, $800 for street and sidewalk improvements, $600 for the town 
marshal's salary, and $350 for incidental expenses.  Expected revenues also totaled 
$3,550 and were expected to come from $900 in taxes on real estate and other 
properties, $250 occupational license taxes for businesses and occupations, and 
most importantly $2,400 from occupational licenses from the two barrooms in town.  
Obtaining the projected 68% of Ponchatoula's budget provided from the two barrooms 
was an important element in the decision to expand the town limits so that the 
population would reach 1,000 persons and qualify Ponchatoula as a town in the eyes 
of the state.

Opposition to the expansion of the corporate limits was almost immediate as some 
Ponchatoula citizens went to the district court to block the implementation of the 
ordinance and filing suit against the Mayor of Ponchatoula and the Board of 
Aldermen.  A petition was filed in court on 19 December 1903 asking that the move 
to expand be halted as it was unreasonable and would be a burden on the taxpayers 
of Ponchatoula.  The petition was signed by Ponchatoula residents John J. Fannaly, 
William Fannaly, Dr. John A. McCorkle, Charles D. Abels, George P. Duffy, William 
E. Settoon, Andrew J. Pusey, and John Buckel.  

Another complication was the fact that the Parish of Tangipahoa wanted to receive 
the occupation license fees from the barrooms rather than the town of Ponchatoula.  
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Festus P. Mix (ironically a native of the Ponchatoula 
area) filed suit on behalf of the parish seeking the court to order the barroom 
owners to pay the parish occupational tax.  The litigation against the Ponchatoula 
barroom owners (Frank J. Campbell, William Hart, P. H. Aherieux, George Walker, J. 
F. Hawkins) had been going on since the spring of 1901, and after trials at the 
district and appellate levels, the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld the lower court 
ruling that the parish occupational license fee must be paid in order to operate 
the bars. 

The massive expansion of the corporate limits of Ponchatoula was blocked by the 
district court who ruled in favor of John J. Fannaly and the other petitioners.  
Governor Heard was a bit premature with his proclamation of 1903 stating that 
Ponchatoula had a population of over a thousand since the expansion of the 
corporate limits on which the 1903 census was based was cancelled.  However, 
within a few years the population of Ponchatoula increased reaching 1,055 
residents by the time the 1910 federal census was conducted.  Ponchatoula was 
growing in population and in succeeding years would slowly grow geographically 
with the addition of several subdivisions such as the Garrissere and East Side 
subdivisions to the east, the Arnold Subdivision to the west, and the Diamond A, 
Goslin, Ferrin, and McClellan subdivisions to the south

Anyone with comments, questions, or additional information about Ponchatoula's rich 
heritage may call Jim Perrin at 386-4476