The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-02-03
OPEN THE WATERWAYS,
Discussion Of the Bayou Lafourohe Cues
ton, and What it may Lead to--Argu-
ments in Favor of Closing the Bayou


close the Bayou Lafourche is assum-
ing wide range, and newspapers in
various portions of Southern Louisi-
ana are exhibiting commendable in
terest in the matter which should be
productive of good results, inasmucll
as it will enlighten our representa-
tIves in Congress upon the merits and
dement's of the scheme aud enable
them to take such action in the prem
ises as will be most conducive to the
public interests.
The weight of opinion SO far elected
from the press is entirely opposed to
the stoppage of any of our waterways,
and particularly of the important one
which takes it's course from Donald
sonville to the Gulf of Mexico, con-
tributing largely to the commerce
and general welfare of a section of
country which comprises a consider
able proportion of the valuable sugar
and rice producing lands of Louisiana.
In addition to previous quotations
from our exchanges, we present the
following paragraph from the YER
million Banner as illustrative of the
prevailing sentiment:
The plan of closing Bayou Lafourche in
favor of Morgans Railroad is very Justly
opposed by the people on that bayou. The
| TACT that a lock is to be put in the d IKE does
not render the stream navigable, as the lock
| will stop the flow of the water from the
| Mississippi, and leave the bayou empty, so
that no boats run in it, What is needed,
is to open more outlets to the Mississippi.
| Bayou Plaquemine should be opened again,
| and leveed if need be- The closing of this
bayou did great injury to the people of the
Attakapas by closing their most direct water
route to New Orleans, leaving them at the
mercy of merciless railroad, or to go up
the Atchafalaya to Red river, and thence to
New Orleans. We say open the Plaquemine
There is case in point which
should go far toward settling the Ba-
you Lafourclte question; and it would
be curious result, if agitation of the
| oSHCHiO W ulOChdNo TIC L@alOuICu0
should lead to the removal of the
dyke which blockades the Plague-
| mine
The only arguments advanced in
favor of closing Bayou Lafourche are
| 1. A saving to the State of the cost of
maintaining l5G miles of evees 2.
The reclsmation OF swamp lands by
opening drains into the bed of the
stream, in Which tie water level would
| always be below that of the surround
ing country. 3. An increase of the
volume of water aud velocity of cur
rent in the Mississippi river, Tending
to augment the :" scourn of sand bars
and sediment at the bettom of the
stream, thus deepening the basin,
lowering the altitude of the annual
floods and lessening the strain upon
the levees aud the danger of ere
vases
IN the face of the enormous agIicul-
tural production of TIE section through
which the Lafourche passes, contrib
uting so largely to the wealth and
prosperity of the State, the first argu-
ment loses it's assumption Of com
mendable economy and becomes rank
injustice and parsimony. Instead of
begrudging the small expense incurred
in imperfectly maintaining the levees
protecting this fertile region, the State
should be willing to eKpend treble
the amount as an inadequate return
for benefits derived.
The second argument is met by the
experienced editor of the Thibodaux
Sentinel with the assertion that ample |
drainage can be secured by clearing
out natural drains-the little creeks
and bayous which intersperse the
section of country sought to be bene-
fitted; and that to close the Lafourche
would be to impede rather than ad-
vance the reclamation of swamp
lands.
The theory presented in the third
argument was warmly advocated by
Gen. jeff Thompson, late Chief State
Engineer, and is, we believe, also
held by his successor in office, the
present incumbent. And yet it will
be remembered that when the flood of
1874 was at its height, Gen. Thomp-
son flew post haste to give relief to
the overstrained levees by cutting
away the dyke which closed Bayou
Plaquemine, and was only prevented |
from the accomplishment of this task