The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1881-03-19

Sufficient to pay all claims approved down
70 February /, 1881. / presume that the
funds lately placed in the Treasury will be
sufficient to liquidate all claims against
the Parish.
Warrants have been drawn for the pay
ment Of all claims that have been present
ed.
On February %, l received notice that a
crevasse had occurred on Whites place.
about twelve miles below Lockport, and
immediately sent "a telegram to Governor
l.. A. Wiltz, who. at once. sent member
Of the Board of State Engineers to the
scene of the disaster.
Subsequently quantity of lumber, bags
and nails were forwarded tn the citizens
who undertook to close the breach in the
Levee
On February %, was officially notified
that there Was danger of IL crevasse near
the lower llne OF the Mathews plantation, a
couple Of miles above Lockport, occasioned
by the construction of IL Rice tiune.
Doubts having arisen as to whom was
given the authority to decide whether this
was IL proper occasion for the Levee Inspec-
tor to interfere under the authority of Act
No. IS OF the Legislative session Of 1880, !
appointed Msssrs. G. Lagar,.e JustiIien Fo-
fet, Francis Barrilleauu. Hamilton AyO. T.
). johnson. j. Z. Rousseau aud August Le-
det. a committee to examine said fume
and ascertain whether said work should be
closed by the Levee Inspector, and direct
ed the Inspector to notify them of their
appointment, and appoint IA time for them
to assemble gu the spot to make the neces-
sary investigations. No report from said
committee has been received
The construction of this Rice Flume on
the Matthews plantation, being made, us /
am informed III the month OF February last,
is evidently in violation Of Law. an action
that Is most dangerous i'll practice, and
should not be permitted. The proper time
for the construction Of such fumes is in the
Summer season when a sufficient length of
time, can be had, previous to high water in
the bayou. to enable the earth to become
compact and firm.
Inc President Of this body has been made
to labor under difficulties during the past
year that have been caused BY the failure
OF the Board Of State Engineers to prepare
''plans for rice fumes and send the same
to this body tor its guidance, as is required
OF them By AcL No. 80 of the Legislative
session of 1880, section ).
On the y Of February Mr.. w. S. p. 0.
Morris. Road Inspector oe District No. |, re-
sis1ed his station. when l appointed Mr..
Cildomont Thibodaux to fill the vacancy
regret to he obliged to inform the Jury
that.there is a leak in the donle.ot this build
ing which admits considerable rain into
this room and is injurious to the building
The Sherit1s' office of this Parish is in
need OF safe for the preservation of valua-
ble papers and funds that are often placed
III the custody Of the Sheriff lis legal custo
dian. At present being tax collector re,,-
ders II still more requisite that safe should
be placed i'll his office.
place before your body two propositions
for Il suitable safe for the Sherif7s office.
l consider it my dnty to direct the atten-
ton ct this body to the condition of the G.
Wees in Lower Bayou Latourche. the dan
gers which they threaten. and the damages
inflicted by their incapabiiity of restraining
the waters OF the Bayou within its chan
mel.
1t is a notorious fact, that before the wa
ter III the Mississippi river reaches the foot
OF the Leyees at Donaldsonville, it is run
mug over the tops OF the Lcvees. or burst
ing through them in that portion of he
Bayou which Is below Lockport. For this
auomoly there must be some reason.
TIE survey made under the direction of
the Cuted States Engineer Department,
some six or eight years ago establishes the
cause very distinctly. " hen the water is
within two feet OF the base of the Levee 1T
Donaldsonvilie, the capacity of inlet is then
fully eqnal to that Of the outlet in front of
Farang's plantation between the tops OF
the Levees.
As consequence when the Bayou fills
above that point at its entrance, the mar
rowing ofthe passage ut Harang's and other
points, operates as "A dam. holding the wa
ter back, causing it to overflow the Levees
or burst them asunder, in either case infiict
great ltlmaTn fO ho popr,1a
This retention OF the rising water is not
done SO much by the want Of space between
levaes as it is by instructions in the bed Of
the stream. such as s:umps, logs &c. around
and abou which immense deposits Of sand
are formed, and by which they are held
firm.
This being well known fact. pro ven not
only by the surveys made, but by the cxpe
rience OF forty years any attemps to MAIN
tain ievees sufficiently strong to hold the
water within proper boundaries will be fu-
tile, unless those Obstructions are first re-
moved.
There are said to be some ten Thousand
dollars OF an unexpendcd appropriation
made by Congress for the Improvements: of
the navigation of BAYOU Lafourche. 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-
cation.
he obstructions that are within the bed
of the Bayou mnst he removed.
In this way tho navigation would be inn
proved, and at the same time. the dangers
from high water would disappear
The proper period for the removal of
those nbstructions, at least for the largest
and most conspicuous ones, is when the
Bayou is hi igh and running in strong cur
rent.
A dredge worked in high stage of water
would. by the removal of the outer crust of
the Battures cause them to crumble and
wash away, a. d during the low water SUBJ
sequeEtly the snage and logs could be effec-
tuaily removed.
recommend that the Police Jury consid-
er the propriety of appointing n 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 Enginee, Department, in re-
ference to the expenditure OF the unex pend
ed balance of he Congressional appropria-
tions above named so that it may be used
in such manner AS will accomplish the OBJ.
Jects 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 ofthose Government funds.
In order that said committee can act
promptly, would suggest that an appro-
priation of one hundred dollars or SO much