The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1880-06-19
Down among the KaEanals
OF the Sea-!

)I all cACuISlOii 10 lUc he" C'tIui
they have been eXcavating, from
.he deep waters of the Bays East
Of Bayou Lafourche, into that
Bayou, the Editor of the Sen
rINEL left Thibodaux on Monday
June I, by Morgan's Rail Road
for New Orleans, from which city
the excursion was to depart OF
the following morning.
Fly the same road the party
reached Bayou Des Ailemands AT
10 o'clock \. NJ. on June S, and
Immediately embarked on the
steamer Joe Wehre, anchored at
the wharf with steam up and
ready for the cruise.
The excurs.onistS were agreea
bly, surprised when they saw the
transport upon which they were
to pass the next two or three
days, that vessel far surprising
in capacity and comfort any idea
they had formed Of the little
steamer.
The Joe Webre il Il practicable
illustration of the result of enc.
gy aud vim, when properly texer>
cised.
She was built in Bayou BHuf
about ten miles in the rear OF
Rac-land, a small stream OF whose
locality but few citizens Of La
fonrche have any personal know
edge.
The Boat is 10 feet in length.
IS feet wide, 81 feet in depth and
has varying capacity Of III
hogsheatlS OF sugar in : feet
water. She was bnilt in 1878 al
a cost of about 100000; the m;
chinery being entirely new, from
the New Orleans Foundries. Hel
average speed is about eight
miles per hour with GO to sc
pounds Of steam, but in deel
water IL miles may be made.
Capt. Hotard, her builder and
owner, located some years ago or
Bayou Beuf, some II Or Is miles
from the crossing of the railroad
at Bayou Des AIlemands, wher
there were only three or -four
families residing on its banks
His practical eye and thought
tu' mind soon perceived that thert
was an opening in these Lakes
and Bayous, for any enterprise
that would build up the waste
places and induce immigration
therein.
His first venture was the eret
ton of saw mill for cutting into
lumber the immense quantitie,
Of cypress trees whose mosscovel
ell tops indicated the long lines
of swamps that abouuded il
that vicinity.
To ship this lumber to Market
it had to be boated to the Rail
road station at Bayou Des All,
'mands. The old fat boat plan 0
transportation was too slow 70
the progressive ideas of Capt
Hotard. The conception of bull.
inga steamboat and the exec,
ton of the idea were simult;
neouS.
The labor which the operation
Of his mill demanded, soon tran.
formed the rugged banks of tn,
Bent into a settlement Of labo-
rions, energetic families, who's,
males found employment unde.
the proprietor of the place. T,
farther indnce good men to settl,
aronnd him. Mr.. Hotard built =:
school house, at his own expense
and to enable the people to hav,
the benefit of a good teacher, h,
furnishes board free to that pc
SON.
The appearance of q steamboa
on these waters at once attracted
the attention Of the :nhabitant:
OF the surrounding islands, an,
now Captain Hotard's 5oat i
kept busy transporting the sn
plus produce grown by them
such as Potatoes, Onions, Mel
ons, Rice sc. to the station a
Des Allemands, or to New o
leans by way of the Compan,
Canal. His boat also carries t,
Market, the Sugar from the pla,
t,tions Of Laforest and Never OF
Grand Bayou, and the produce o.
the Derbigny and Rousseau pla
ces ofthe Nacherie Dugue Liva,
dais. ..
The Joe Web-e is furnished
with comfortable cabins, kitche,
ands other conveniences; i
staunch ana neatly constructed
rejecting great credit upon tn
skill of her owner.
The Excursion Party was con
posed OF Capt. VIM. A. Bisland
John Bis!and, Edmond McCullou
Alex. McCullom. VIM. McCullom
Judge +. S. Goode, Lucius Suth
on, Panl Tai>ans, Capt. II.
Minor, Col. Duncan S. Cage AM
John i. Winder of the Paris1. O
Terrebomne E. w. Blake, J. S
Goode and S. T. Grisamore O
the Parish of Lafonrcte. ard Col
Louis Bush Of New Orleans. an,
last but not least. Mr.. Whitne,
OF the n. 0. Democrat.
At the Bridge over Des ALE
mands was lodged an acre O