Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1858-01-20
The Legislature.

is TO the Democratic party that we are
to look, or from whom we must ex>
pect all laws and reforms of laws
which are at present demanded by the
people. That they may harmonic,
or that no impediments may arise in
the way of useful legislation, is our
sincere wish. Upon all measures of
public utility it is to be hoped, indeed,
that harmony and good feeling will
characterize the entire body of the
peoples representatives the body, as
a whole, is represented as being unu~
sually intelligent and practical, aud
much good and wise legislation is con-
~seqnently expected.
Among the many important subjects
which will claim the early attention of
the Legislature, there IRE none perhaps
Of greater moment, or embracing grea>
ter interests, than that of closing Bay
on P~laquemine, u memorial TO that eff
feet, signed by a large number Of our
citizens, being now in readiness to be
presented to the Legislature.
The main consideration relative TO
this subject-and we believe the only
one now that has any weight with the
parties interested-is the question,
whether the closing Of this Bayou will
cause the river to rise higher than
usual below. Scientific men have
contended that it will, while others,
equally learned in such matters, as
earnestly contend that ii will not, for
the reason that thecurrent, being made
swifter below in consequence of the
closing Of an outlet and the additional
volume of water that passes down,
would cut the channel deeper, and
therefore prevent any unusual heighth
of the river at the flood season, which
might be apprehended through the
closing of an important outlet.
Upon these points we, Of course, do
not pretend Il any knowledge. 1t is
to be hoped, however, that the matter
will be definitely and satisfactorily de-
termined.
1t cannot but b. admitted that the
Bayou Plaqnemine, in its present state,
is doing an immense amount of injury
to the country in the direction Of
which it flows, and that if it is not
closed up, something should be done
at once to check the evil 1t is doing
and the greater evil it threatens TO do.
Already are the lakes aud bayous into
which it flows so blocked up with
drift wood that navigation is nearly
suspended. Indeed, Bayou Plaque>
mine has long since lost all the benes
fits arising from Navigation, from the
cause here stated. And il the RATS
which the drift wood forms are allow
ed to remain land to clear them out
imposes a heavy tai upon the State)
Bayou Plaquemine would soon be
blocked up, causing the water to rise
and overflow the whole country, de>
stroying splendid plantations, driving
a large number of citizens from their
comfortable and thriving homes, and
altogether doing inealculable injury.
Il is a subject which certainly deserves
the most serious attention Of the Les
gislature.
With respect to the effects to be aps
pretended from closing Bayou Pla>
quemine, we make the following ex>
tract from an article that appeared in
the franklin Banner some months
since, the whole of which we shall
publish IN our next:
Mr.. g. w. Morse, State Engineer in 1854,
was ordered BY he Legislature to survey the
Mississippi near Bayou Piaqnetpine, and 10 ex-
anime that bayou and report nputl its effect On
the river, also as TO the advisabliity of stop
ping the bayou by 4 ieyee or by driving piles
across il. In this report be took strong ground
against closing he bayou; but by referring to
TIA maasuremPuts he madp If annpnra pIatp ~
me that his appreliensionS were not well found
ed, he says, : The cross Sectinn of the river
above the bayeH averages I5i455 cub!g feet,