Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1858-02-17

Bayou P~laquernine.
e "a sentIneI.

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MR. ED1roR:-The question ii relation 10.
closing Bayou Plaqueuline appears to lie still
unsettled iii the Legislature. Many take a
stgcng and bold stand IN its favor, but several
Ii both The upper and lower house still halt in
their opinion, ID doubt whether duty demands
that they should not vote for or against the
measure.
Bat an amendment TO the Bill is about being
offered, that we think will meet all, conscieu-
tious scruples against it. 1t is. in substance,
thst the mouth of the Bayou be stopped the
coming season, and that commissioners be
chosen to take charge of the subject, and.as
high water approaches next season. If they find
that the water encroaches so as 10 endanger
tbs Isvees on the Mississippi below, and that
the Arguments Of the friends Of this measure
prove unseund, then these commissioners shall
BE authorized al once to cut away the dam and
lot The wafer pass freely into the bayou.
This plan is certainly practical and safe,
since the Mississippi at this point always rises
slow enough TO give them ample time to watch
che approach Of danger, and to provide against
e in due season.
That the bed of the river will be washed
out TO give ample room for all of its waters
when the bulk. weight and velocity of the cur-
rent Is increased BY stopping the mouth of the
bayou. we have no doubt. An argument in
she House a few days since, by one of the
Lafourche members, in relation to the Bayou
Lafourche, strongly corroborated the argument
OF the friends of the Plaquemine Bill. He
stated that formerly the waters of the La
fonFche were fifteen feet deep, and they passed
on. between it's banks uninterrupted by bars,
It's own current keeping the channel clear.
But a raft. placed in the bayon BY order Of Gen.
Jackson, had caused sediment to form there
which had filed up the bed Of the river, and
caused the water TO break through the ~lerees
He says remove the raft, aud the river will
keep its own channel clear.
As the Mississippi has no RATS in if, all that
IL wanting Is body, and velocity which an in
creased bulk will give, TO keep the channel
clear, aud allow all Of its waters TO pass freely
60 the Gulf without danger 10 the Ievees,
Some of the members from the upper pars
ishes fear that the stopping Of Plaquemine will
haze = tendency to throw too much of the
water of Red river through the Atchafalaya.
We do not see how they can come to such a
conclusion. The choking of the waters of
Grand River BY drift thrown in from Plaque
- ..NN1k ,-aEn -. ,.LrJ;6cx-nno 1
IN The wafer Al The mouth of Red River. The
Siapping Of all the hayous lending out of the
Atchafaiaya on Inc east has bud no effect on
Red River. And the citizens Of Auakapas are
interested in keeping open the Atchafalaya
that they may have constant steamboat naTiga~
tion 10 New Orleans by way of the mouth of
Red River. In an these respects the interests
Of the citizens III Aitakapas and those of Red
River are the same. And should any change
eventually threaten 10 turn the entire waters
Df Red River through The Atchafalaya, and cut
OF The people Of Red River from The Missis-
aippi, ths same change would cut off the Alta.
kapas trade from This outlet. In this event, the
people Or Red River would wish 10 stop PIP the
Alchafalaga, and the Aitakapas people wonld
have no objection 10 it. If the Red River
delegation oppose HE stopping Of P%Iaquemine,
and eveasnally find it TO their iaterest 70 stor
mp the Aichafalayn, will they not find it diff
cult 10 bring The friends Of the Plaquemine
Bill 70 support their measured Time will
suswef tile question,
PLAQUEMINE.