Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1858-06-05
l'Ef PARISH OF PO1NTE COUPEE SATURDAY, JUNE s. 1863
(Communicated.1

Communicated.
E. J. PuLLEN, Eso-DMr Sir If tn
attention of your readers is not who'll,
absorbed in watching the movements q
the great Father Of Waters, and it's rava
ges upon it's immediate territory, | ma.
hope to excite some interest in its grea
oh-shoot the Atchafalaya, and that large
portion Of our Parish at present under
its control.
For six years past (within which pc
riod many new settlements have beer
made upon the lower portion Of the river
chiefly by residents of the Mississippi
and the Feliciana Parishes, who were Of
course totally inexperienced in every.
thing relating to swamp coutry,) the
river has never threatened to encroach
beyond it's natural banks. Since 1853,
the larger bayous upon the east side Of
the Atchafalaya, through whose channels
the river relieved itself during high wa.
ter Of large portion Of it's surplus con
tents which was expended over the
swamps, have been closed by the State
many Of the smaller sloughs and eouless
have been stopped by individual proprie-
tors, and the back lands have thus been
kept dry.
During this long period of exemption
from high water the Acknowledgements har-
dened their hearts,; and cut no ditases, and
neglected their lerees.
The long immunity from overflow
that We have enjoyed has doubtless
created feeling of security that has
been productive of great carelessness
and neglect of means that, if reasonably
employed, would have fully protected US
from any disaster that high stage ofw
ter in the Atchafalaya could entail upon
US. The experience of the present sea-
son has taught US much. 1t has taught
us in the first place that our lands are
more easily and chesply protected than
any alluvial lands in the State. That,
whereas on the Mississippi, Red River
and Bayou Lafourche, levee of from
eight to twelve, and in some places ff:
teen feet in height, is required to pro-
tect the country from inundation. our
front will be made entirely secure by a
evee of four feet elevation over tie acreage
teig1t Of tie break. 1t has taught us
some secrets that we did not know, re-
yarding the nature Of the soil, that may
be turned to good account in the future
OF levees and embankments.
That deep bitches are Of equal value for
he protection, as in the improvement of
'lluvial lands. And finally that the in
crest of individual proprietors is SO
closely identified with the good of the
whole, that it becomes the duty Of each
'neto make practical application Of
he information acquired, in some instan-
es at considerable cost; and our policy
8 whole to enforce without relaxation
r partiality the entire law Of our Police
ury in relation to roads and levees.
90 much indulgence in this respect has
lready been granted. We have too easi-
Y persuaded ourselves that we were &C.
ure; and the menacing waters have
early surprised US in the lethargy OIL
.lse security. ~
Leaving for the present these general I
efections, which l have thrown out en-
assast, Intending to revert more in ezten-
J, upon . future occasion, to some points
,hich have at present but briefly no. 4
ced, / will conclude this communica- !
on with as much local intelligence as
" limited means Of observation will
ermit. Crevasses snd Transportation I
'ater have played sad havoc with our
,ads. From Csruth's plantation down
ards land travelling is interrupted at
very three or four miles by q cre- I
asse, q broken embankmcnt. or . Z
formed by water oosing :
trough the levee. A crevasse took :
lace on Sunday morning in the 'evee I
pposite the Mock tract about four miles |,
Alan c;mmanort All attesnnfa II clone