The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-07-01
From Lockport.
LocKpoRT, June 10, 1876
EDITOR SENTINEL:

l
EDITOR SENTINEL
AS your readers we'll know, a
Police Jury Ordinance was passed
at the last session of the Jury, i'm.
posing tax of one per cent ON
all the taxable property, az per
assessment rolls, beginning at
Mrs SEWN near Raceland, on the
right descending bank to the Gulf.
This tax was asked for by the
people, i'll order to raise q fund to
endeavOr to drain the prairies,
Lakes Long and Fields, thereby
reclaiming thousands Of acres Of
swamp and prairie lands. The pro.
posed work is no scheme, speclla.
tlon or visionary projects, but y
great public necessity. and will he
executed under the supervision of
competent, Trustworthy and inter
ested men, and in accordance with
a sketch drawn by those we'll
known Civil Engineers. Messrs.
WrOtnOski & GOrlinski, who
claim (frOm surveys) that there Is
a fall or descent of nine feet in a
distance of eleven miles. 's'
The work to be done lies
through prairie marsh, with small
insignificant ridges intervening.
There are several bayOny into
which the proposed cutt -Oif, or
channel, will empty, thereby di-
minishing the work one. half-ss
these bayOus lie in the same tlirec
ton. The tax aggregates 1880.
40. The committee charged with
the management Of the work and
disbursements Of the tax, held a
meeting in this place to deliberate
what would he the proper manner
in which to begin operations. AT.
ter mature deliberation, it was
resolved that II committee of five
he named to call on the Governor
OF the State and represent the
feasibility. as well as the great
Importance OF the work cOntem-
plated and ask for tue loan of q
Dredge Boat from the State to
dig out the channel. Messrs JObn
S. Billin, II. ii. Michelet, ,Sostheue
FOlse, Ferdinand Barilleaux and
g. j. Barker were selected on
above committee. II the State,
through its Representatives, can.
aud will extend the Joan of u
Boat suitable for the work, the
advantages and profits to the
State would be incalculable, and
the extent OF country for farming
and herding cattle would be I'm
mense. These valueltss. swamp
band prairie lands, which the State
cannot sell, would be eagerly
sought for and entered. This DOE.
tion OF the Parish having such "
narrow strip OF cultivabls lands.
and the population increasing 80
rapidly, this is the. only means Of
relief. Ii the State were able, an
appropriation would be ~ order.
In fact, there was at ore time
S2O,OOO asked for from the State
to do this same work, and, only
tor the war, would have been a,,-
prOln lated. r. ra 3. isss.sfel 5
All we ask for now is the lssn
of a suitable Boat, and we,will do
the work ourselves, with our
money derived from the tax, and
what can be obtained by subscrip
tiOn. The Drainage Committee III.
SO solicited a committee Of two
viz: Cleophas Lagarde and Bl.
lis Foret-to solicit 8 subscrIptson
from Mr.. Chas Morgan, Or his
agents, and from other rich corpo
ratiOns. The first named c,sDinit-
tee were also authorized fo solicit
subscriptions. You, Mr.. BdItot,
take hold Of this important ques-
tion, agitate it, keepft befofe the
people, and when these. vast and
| waste lands are reclaimed Won
too may claim share of the rood
work. C.n.n