Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1859-08-06

have been perfectly secure from over
flow and Louisiana would have been the
richest State in the Union. But O shades
iof Harmanson, how hast thy rich legacy
been squandered by improvdent leyis-
lat'oa and injudicious, not to say dis
honest, Swamp Land Commissioners
How hast thy sacred trust fund been
diverted from its legitimate use and
Isquandcred. While year after wear the
talrest portion of Louisiana, have been
inundated by crevasses, and millions Of
property and thousands Of families have
been ruined for the want of proper az
'pllcation of the Swamp Land Fund. that
fund has been lavishly squandered by
reckless Legislation and proAigate State
Officials. What citizen of New River
who remembers the ,desolating scene
which this settlement presented in 1857
during the Doyal and Courier crevasses.
does not shudder at the thought of an
other? How grateful then should they
be to those who instead of throwing,
away the money donated for their pro.
lection, husband it to be applied as the
Act requires in protecting them from
overflow.
At every session of the Legislature
large appropriations are made out of the
Swamp Land Fund for the purpose of
cleaning out and removing distractions
in insignificant Bayous, which benefit
only few and in many instances. none
save the contractors who arc the pets of
those having the letting out of the con-
tracts. At the session of the Legislature
before the last in the general scramble
for the Swamp Land Fund, an appropri-
alton of twelve thousand five hundred
dollars was made out of this fund to the
parish of Ascension. How was it expend-
ed? $4,000 of it was expended in clean
ing out Bayou M'Call, and $500 was
spent in removing few logs and brush
from the banks Of New River. Again.
at the last session Of the Legislature an
additional appropriation of twelve thou
sand dollars was made to continue the
works on New River! Thus the sum Of
thousand dollars of the fund
has been appropriated to do what? Why
to cut and remove few logs and brush
from Bayou that is not navigable and
which will require a hundred thousand
dollars to make it navigable for any
practicable purpose, even if it can ever
be made 80 How much better would it
nave been for our representatives to
,ave placed the whole sum at the dispo-
'al of the Police Jury to be expendedin in
the planters from overflow!
But it is ever thus, we send men to
epresent us, who while sticking about
appropriations for practical purposes, for
! little buncomb will misapply thou
ands of dollars from trust fund in Or
ler to gull their immediate constituents
nto the belief that they are doing some
hing for them. Had the people of Neao
Rirer, been allowed fair chance to OBJ
ain a share of the appropriation WE
hould not SO much complain; but they
we're not allowed that chance. In the
even thousand five hundred dollar grab
here was, it is true, an advertisement
Inserted in the Coast Journal, published
ut of the district and which probably
ot twenty of the inhabitants of New
liver ever read, stating that bids would
e received until a certain time, for the
7ork On New River. But before that
advertisement became generally known
4 this settlement, the time had expired
'hen bids were to be received. Again,
ne work according to the advertisement
yas to be completed within time that
0 reasonable man could expect to com
lete it.
In the second, or twelve thousand dol
II grab, it seems that the people Of
lew River will not even be invited to
Ike smell. We have not the bill be-
ire us, but we read it as it was intro
uced in the Legislature and as it pass
/. Our recollection Of it, is that the
ppropriation is a continuation Of the pre-
INT contract--at least that is our un-
of the law and we believe
is the understanding of the nominal
ontractor. We are not prepared to say
neither such is the understanding of
le Swamp Land Commissioner in this
istrict or not Some months since we
him note upon the subject,
ut received no reply. When at Baton
ouge about two months since, the Com
issioner informed us that he had not
ceived our letter, we then verbally told
m it's object and requested written
ply, which he promised, but as yet we
I'VE received none. We hope, however,
e Commissioner will soon find time to
aswer, until then we dismiss the SUBJ
ct--icadsaa.
The same ladies who would faint to
,e q mans shirt ON q clothes line will