The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1881-03-26


Sufficient to pay all claims approved dow
70 February !, 1881. l presume that tn
funds lately placed in the Treasury will b
sufficient to liquidate all claims agains
the Parish.
Warrants have been drawn for the pay
ment OF all claims that have been present
ed.
On February g, received notice that
erevasse had occurred on Whites place
about twelve miles below Lockpe ant
lmm diately sent telegram to Governor
I l.. A. Wilt, who. at once. sent member
of the Board Of State Engineers to thu
scene OF the disaster.
! subsequently a quantity of lumber, bags
and nails were forwarded to the citizens
who undertook 10 close the breach in the
1 Levee
On February %, 1 was officially notified
thai there was danger OF IA crevasse nea,
the lower line OF the Maj hews plantation a
compile OF miles above Lockport, occasione.i
by the construction of q Rice tlume,
Doubts having arisen as to whom was
given the authority to decide whether this
Was proper occasion 1or the Levee h,spec-
tor to interfere under the AUTHORITY of Act
NO. os vi the Legislative session OF ] 0. ]
appointed Msssrs. G. Lae,arde. Jus,ilien 70
rel, Francis Barrilleauu, Hamilton Ayo, r.
L
det, committee to examine said Il 81
and ascertain whether said work should -
closed by the Levee Inspector, and dir
"a tue Inspector to notify thell of Ia
appointment, and appoint a time for thei.
to assemble on the spot to make tie neces-
s;ry investigation. No report from said
committee has been received.
The construction of tais Rice Flume on
Tie Matthew's plantation, being made. as l
am informed i'll the month of February last,
Is evidently in violation of Law. an action
'na1 Is most dan2erous in practice, and
should not be permitted. The proper time
Tor the construction OF such fumes is in the
summer season when u sufficient length OF
time; can De had, previous to high water in
the bayou. to enable the earth to become
compact and firM.
The President of this body has been made
TO labor under difficulties during the past
year that have been caused by The failure
OF the hoard OF State Engineers TO prepa re
''pians for rice fumes aud send the same
To- this body tor its guidance, as is ~equired
OF them by Act No. 81 of the Legislative
session OF $50, section ).
On the - OF February Mr.. w. s. p q
Morris, hoad Inspector of D. .trlct No I. re
sisled his station, when l appointed Mr..
C-idomont IhibodauX to iii the vacancy
untli the present meeting OF this Jury.
regret To ne obliged to inform the Jury
that'therc is !. leak in the dome OF this build
lug which admits considerable rain into
luis room aud is injurious to the building.
ne SherliIs office OF this Parish is in
need OF IL sale tor the preservation OF valua-
Ole papers and funds that are often placed
III the custody of the Sheriff lis legal c,,sfo
d'an. At present being tax collector rem
ders Il still more requisite that a safe should
De Placed IN his Office
pace before your body two propoSitioDs
for ii suitable Sale for the Sheriff 3 Office.
l consider 1t my duty to direct the atten-
ton Ct this body tc the condition of the | O.
wees III Lower Bayou Ltiourche, the dan
gers witch they threaten and the damages
inflicted by their incapaoility of restraining
the wateis OF the Bayou within it's chan
mel.
1t is notorious fact. that before the wa
ter i'll the Mississippi river reaches the foot
OF The Levees at Donaldsonvile. it is run
nlns over the tops OF the Levees. or burst
Inss through them i'll that portion of the
Bayou which Is below Lockport. For this
ano1noly there must be some reason,
The survey made under the direction of
the United States Engineer DEPARTMENT.
some SIX or eight years ago establishes the
cause very dislnctly. When the wafer il
WITHIN two feet OF The base of the Levee 1T
Donaidsonvi1le, the capacity of inlet is then
fully equal to that OF the outlet in front of
Eafah@s plantation between the tops OF
the Levees.
AS consequence when the BAYOU fills
above that poirt at its ent, ance, the mar
rowing OF tue passage ut Haran.'s aud other
points. operates as d dam. holding the wa
ter back, causing it to overflow the Levees
or oulst fhem asunder, in either case iuliict
ing great damage to the people.
ms retention OF the risin" water is not
done Sd much by the want of space between
levees as 1t Is by oostructious in the bed Of
tue s. feta'h, such rs s'umps, logs &c. around
and abou which immense deposits Of sand
are formed, and by which they are held
firm.
This being we'll known fact. pro ven not
only by The surveys made, but by the oxpe
fiehce OF iorty years any attemps to main-
tam ievees sufficiently strong to hold the
water within proper boundaries will be flu
tile, unless those distractions are first re-
moved.
here are said TO be some ten thousand
dollars of an uuexpended appropriation
ma'te oy Congress fer the improvement of
the navigation of Bavou Llfourche. in the
hands OF the Engineers. Department of the
United States. That which has already
been expended has been of little practical
benefit to the navigation of that stream, or
to the people who are interested in its navi-
gation.
1 he obstructiOns that are within the bed
OF the Bayou must be removed.
III TINS way the navigation would be i'm
proved, and aG the same time, the dangers
from high water would disappear
The proper period for fhe removal Of
those instructions, at least for the largest
and most conspicuous ones, is when the
Bayou IS high and running in a strong cur
reht.
A dredge worked in high stage of water
Would. by the renewal of the outer crust of
the Battures cause them to crnmble and
wash away, "a d during the low water sub
sequently the snags and logs could he effec-
tually removed.
recommend that the Police Jury consid-
er the propriety of appointing a committee
OF three to five citizens Of Lafourche, who
are personally interested in this work, to
visit and confer with the officers Of the
United States Engineer Department, in re-
ference to the expenditure Of the unexpend
ed balance Of he Congressional sppropria-
tlons above named so that it may be used
in such a manner as will accomplish the OBJ
Jeets tor which it was appropriated. and at
the same time protect from overflow two
thirds OF this Parish and they also be au-
thorized to confer with our Representatives
and Senators in Congress, to obtain their
aid and influence in such proper expendi-
ture OF those Government funds.
In order that said committee can act
promptly. would suggest that an appro-
prlation of one hundred dollars or SO much
as MIGHT ha uaeeSSar, 4o .laf.o,, IN,