The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1872-07-13
Mack's Bayou Navigation Com
pany.

GENTLEMEN I'm accordance
with my promise l will proceed tol
give a detailed and saccinct &C
count of my late trip 70 Bellevue,
under the request of the President
of the Mack's bayou aud Bodeau
Navigation Compxay. The stm'r.
Hernet arrived from New Orleans
about the ga or oath instant, in
tending to 60 through thorough
repairing. She was induced by
the company to try and make the
trip. / went on board in compa-
nv with Capt. Geo. Alban, also
one of the stockholders of the
company.
/ did not expect TO 60 further
than the "Seweli Bridge now
known as the JAS Foster place,
and told tue captain and owners
that the river 10 that point on the
bayou was, aud would be the most
difficult portion ofthe whole route,
q distance Of some eleven or
twelve miles from Shreveport. We
anticipated that the bridge across
the bayou would stop us, unless
we could induce Mr.. Foster to re-
move it; then we also anticipated
much difficulty from drift and
floating timber, as-we had been
Informed that the LATE hurricane
had throwR many trees into the
bayou. When we reached the ex-
pected place of difficulty we found
Il clear of any impeachment, and
reached the bridge in two or three
hours We found the space be,
tween the piers of sufficient width
20 let as through, and about three
inches space from the bottom o:
the bridge 60 the hurricane roof OF
the boat We sought q conference
with the agent Of the place, Mr..
Smith, Who Informed us he had
been Instructed by Mr.. Foster to
let 40 person trouble or interfere
with the bridge. This was a poser
The gentlemen owners of the boat
said they we're SO much pleased
with the prospect Of making the
rouad trip that If we would &C
they wosld venture the risk. They
are both Eorkmen, and energetic
werkiagmen they took down
everything to the top of the roof
and ghded handsomely through
Replacing things, we proceeded
TO what is known as the Public
Bridge, q distance of some thret
miles. This structure is an ole
dIlapidated concern, some 16 OF
IS years old, and we think quite
unsafe, as the planking is quite
rotten. The piers of this bridg,
were not of sufficient width by
some % or 3 feet to let US pass
The Captain, not daunted, seemed
deternined that no difficulty
should present itself to stop on
progress; SO he spread apart the
four piers and cut a gain of som,
fenr inches ia each post by which
we got thro0gh and left tn,
bridge standing. L will state tha
two years ago Capt. Thos. Moore
Oapt, Albsn aud myself had gon,
through in a skitf up to Mr.. n. A
Durdin's, some 6 or 8 miles abov,
Bellevue, on the Bodcau. In ther
passing from this bridge to tn,
next bridge, distance OF severa
miles, known then rs the "Smitl
Bridge" this space between
bridges was literally packed aud
damned with logs, trees aud float
ing debris. This, we we're pleased
to find all removed by the untir
ing eIertions of the company, an;
the bayou nearly clear.
/ here remark that it was th,
fear, for pretended fear) of thi
floating mass that caused the in
junction, restricting the furthe
opsradous OF the company frou
doing then, what we are now try
ing to effect in navigation for on
hundred or 120 miles to within L
or II miles Of LewisviIle, Arkan
sas, through one of the fuest re
gioas of our north western sectio
Of Louisiana. ls-sFH H-vs
After passing this last bridge
which is known as the "Foste,
and FulliIove bridge our trouble
were ended no iinpediment o
difficulty was found out to tn,
Bodcau, at Snider's Bluff, AM
thence TO the Bellevue landing
I am, and have been for years
Surprised that a stream of thi
magnitude, opening up an expor
trade of thirty or City thousan,
dollars, and giving access to til,
immense Cypress Brakes of th,
Bodcau bottom, superior to an,
that can be found in Louisiana
and other fine timber for boat
building, such as white oak, hick