The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1878-07-27

INV ASulCS DRSSN opOA
the crop of 1876 serve as an Illus
tration.
10000 hhds. of Sugar at S75. $225 0oO0
10000 barrels of Molasses at $40. 400 900
$1,000 barrels of clean rice at $l2. 372 600
Potatoes, Onions. Oranges &c. So OW
Making a total OF ............. S3.072.O0O
100000 bbls. stone coal at 40 cts. 100000
Lime. Sand, lumber &c........ 100000
This will give a yearly sum of
three and a half millions of dol.
lars, requiring the use Of Bayou
Lafourche to import and export,
based upon a small crop and low
prices. To this must be added all
the local transportation from
point to point, and the immense
trade in oysters, domestick fowls,
eggs sc.
1t is no Elusive dream to mag
inc that ere another decade pass
es away the products of these two
Parishes will reach five millions
OF dollars, and the returns for
said sums in machinery, fuel and
SO forth will amount to as much
more.
What sort of policy is that
that would close up a stream up.
on which so much depends, and
transform it into Il Canal :? What.
benefits could be adduced, to com
pensate the Inhabitants, on eth.
er bank of the Bayou, for the in
jury to their interest, that would
follow the closing of that stream
as certainly an night follows the
going down of the Sun.
You imagine that a Canal
would answer every purpose Of
navigation. What au admirable
d%elusion 1t would cost as much.
or very nearly so, to pass a load
OF stone coal over the embank.
ment at Donaldsonville, transport
1t to the planters fronts and
place it on the level of the soil.
as the coal now now costs. and
this would be the case, to a less
extent perhaps, with every thing
that would be passed in or out.
1t may be urged that railroads
will he built : admit even that
one would pass on each side of
the L%afonrche. Would that helm
the matter ?
Yon presume "that a company
might be formed, which. for the
franchises of navigation of the
Canal would construct such der
ricks, ways or tracks as might be
fonnd most advantageous and pur
form the labor of rehaudling
freight at rates regulated by the
Charter, which would not be op
pressive to the producer or mer
chant"
When fiat boats land coal.
lime. sand, hoop poles. fire brick,
lumber Sc. that must he brought
by the Mississippi river, to the
planters doors at the same fig
ntes that they would deliver at
Donallsonville, would not every
cent paid for rehandling or. re-
moving be an additional sum for
the planter to pay =?
When steamboats, come to the
planters homes and TRANSPORT
sugar and molasses to market for
the same prices that they would
demand, when taken from Don
jacksonville would not every cent
paid for rehandling and extra por
tage be that much of a burden
placed upon the producer, to re-
duce the nett proceeds of his
crOp.2
Let railroads be built, let new
canals be dug if necessary, in
crease the modes of transporta-
ton. double the facilities of trade,
arouse competition, Opnu0rd OWN
WARD, but let no retrograde mo-
ton be inaugurated.
You contend that it will cost.
SIX per cent on the value of lanLs
annually to maintain any system
OF drainage in the"catchment ba.
sin" mentioned above. Admit it.
The owners OF the lands benefit
ted will willingly pay it, if neoes
sary.
But how much will it cost to
keep the Canal, proposed to be
made out Of Bayou Lafourche,
navigable clean. and healthy?
But that Canal will he main
tanned by tolls? Is it not the
land owners that pay the
taxes in the other case. 1t will
all come out Of the peoples pock-
cts at last.
Ii ever such a scheme is carried
will be IA wotul day to the
Lafourche district.
l am no Engineer, nor do [ pro
pose to discuss this subject from
Engineers stand point, but
with all due Difference to their
knowledge and skill | honestly