The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1876-11-18
SHALL BAYOU LAFOUROHE BE
CLOSED 2
Some Opinions on the Subject, Pro
and Con,

had adopted resolution to close
Bayou Lafourche by building dyke
| ACROSS the headwaters of that import
ant effluent of the Mississippi river at
| Observation-Disclosures, indeed, survey
for the proposed work had already
been made-has brought forth few
expressions of opinion upon the sub
| ject which we transfer to our col
umns. First in order is commune
cation which appeared in the New
| Orleans Picayuae Of the 10th inst,
reading as follows:
| PAINTCoURTvILLE,
| Assumption parish, La, Nov. 6, 1876.
To the Editor of the Picayune:
| Dear SRI see in your issue of yesterday
an article headed Bayou Lafourche, Some
| thing about its Closing" which states that
| the State Board of Engineers, ON Sep
tember 30, passed resolution authorizing
| its closing by yke across its headwaters. "
| / have been under the impression-and
| still am-that it requires legislation by a
| higher power than the State Board of Engi-
necrs to close nayigable stream, ard as the
| one referred to is a part and parcel of the
! Mississippi, | have always considered that
| work upon it was of a national character,
and therefore would require an act of Con-
! gress to authorize its closing. Am | right,
| or am | wrongl II wrong, will you oblige
me by citing me to the law which places the
| residents of the bayou parishes subject to
the tender mercies of the State Board of
| Engineers!
| The article referred to states that " 1t is
said that the planters of the LafouIche
country do not object to the closing of the
| bayou" Permit me to say, SIR Editor, that
! this is all mistake. | have not met a single
| planter since the survey WAS made who ap-
| proved of the object III view. Nor is it nat
| ural that they should.
! The parish of Assumption alone, in the
season OF 1884, shipped nearly 5000 hhds
! sugar and $4,000 bbls. molasses-in 1919
nearly $4,000 lhds. sugar and $4,000 bbls
molasses--in 1856 nearly $4,000 hhds. sugar
and ~, 900 bbls. molasses, the bulk, if not
/ all of which found its way to market by boat
| out of the bayou.
| The yearly increase in consumption Of coal
rendered necessary by rapidly disappearing
/ forests, necessitates an open stream to pei
Init of its delivery i'll original packages, us
| too frequent handling would put it at q
| price beyond our reach.
In view of the iufinitC1ilRHi quantity of
money appropriated to our bayou ievees the
! past few wears SO small in fact as to have
| been like some of our annual expenses-in-
visible to the naked eye--it seems like a
| farce for the State Board of Engineers to be
wasting their time on discussions as to
whether it is the cheapest way to keep the
! lcvees up, or close the bayou.
The BAYOU residents are, L beicYe, d
prompt tax paving people, and do not in
| dulgc i'll more than the average amount of
| grumbliug, though they might justly claim
to DO So when tnsy rene, upon h Lne lac,
our midst our portion of the leyee tax is
than s hn mu IN the DARK fur a yery small
| needle in a very large taystaeh.
No, Mr. Editor our planters hau rather
bear the ills We have than lily To those We
knew not OF. This resolution OF the State
Board OF Engineers slnaeks too much OF
trlckery-lt looks Mofgany W are not an
ambitious people; we wouid prefer the
quiet ripple OF the waters. fowing past our
doors presenting TO our MINDS SO muen Ior
meditation, rather thaa nave eur s"'ltude III
trtdcd upon ny the shrek OF me locomotive
bearing upon It's nag t1e Nofa Mohopoly
or, III plainef words, aohrle rates LOT
freight, Ournelshbors IN ltrrebonhe played
with the hire and get burnt we are wiling
to be wise by their experience taught
think. however, the LeTee company VIII
hnd they have something else TO lace when
they begin their dyke: They VIII have All
an and the MACHINERY OF the courts to contend
with
length and can only offer as an excuse for
so,I;n :. the harou p o"nI:, ON The s"cct
am very truly yours, AN OLD SUBSCRIBER.
la che New Orleans Frice Current
of Saturday last appeared the follow
ing paragraph, captioned, :. The clos
ing of Bayou LafsuVehe /"
In relation to this subject it appears that
are i, }syor Of closipg the stream viii, locks
ss is evidenced by communication to one
who states that petition to close the Bayou
~ bers aeps be
Bayou. AS far as the total closing of the
however. - to lie strong objections, as this
waterway Is extenslyely used oy me plant