The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-03-18
Crevasse i'll Ascension.

! CrevasSe i'll Ascension.
4 Break at the Julien Landry Place, o.
the East Bank.
Yesterday morning about half past
o'clock break in the levee, resultin,
from crayfsh hole, occurred at til,
Julien Landry place, on the left bank Q
the river in this parish, about six mile
above Donaldsonville. Measures were a
once taken to close the breach, but ii
spite Of the efforts made, its width hat
Increased to forty-fv feet by P. NJ, an.
as We are preparing to send the CHIEF
| to press Saturday evening We receive :
! report from the engineer supervising
the work that tho break is ninety fee
wide.
The broken leFee is sight feet higl
and the depth Of water passing through
is probably six or seven feet. About
seventy-fve feet outside Of the mair
levee, and running parallel with it, il
an old levee which obstructs the flow Of
the water towards the break to u con.
siderable extent. The average depth Of
water pouring over this old levee has
been estimated ut only one foot, but it is
evident that the embankment is being
cut away by the terrific force Of the cur
rent, thus hourly angmenting the vol
ume Of water passing through tue Gre
vase, Independently Of the increasing
width Of the break in the main leyee.
There is some batture outside the old
levee, and the plan Of operations is to
encircle the break with trestle-work in
the form Of . horseshoe, extending out
upon this batture, the framing to be
filled in with bales Of rice straw and
sacks Of earth, q large supply Of which
are on hand on both sides Of the break.
The construction of the framework was
begun above and below tile break
and at shutdown last
evening the upper end had been compile
ted TO point outside the old levee.
This morning, however, the current
made q small break in this frame, and
another one has been started about
twenty feet farther up which is intended
to cover this break. On the lower side
work vas begun too nsar the gap and
when the frame had been constructed
about half way out to the old levee the
depth Of water was SO great that posts
could not be driven aud the work was
commenced anew about seventy feet
farther down. From the latter point the
framework had this evening been built
out rs far as the old levee, and tomorrow
the task Of planking and filing it in will
begin. As there is strong eddy in the
river at the place where the crevasse
the main current comes from
below and the greatest strain will be on
The lower framework. Capt. N. w.
barton, who has charge Of the lower |
work, is confident Of success and thinks |
'he creyasse will be closed by Wedues- !
lay evening. All the planters on the
EAST bank OF the river in this parish are
III the qNi cire to render such aid as may |
le in their power. There will be no lack |
II labor or material the main essential
8 wise direction.
Mr.. Duncan f. kenner's tug arrived
rom New Orleans this evening and took
! large fat-boat from here to the scene
II the crevasse. It is proposed, we
believe, to. load the fat with sacks Of
arth and sink it opposite the break
The main body Of water rushing
trough the break passes over the Julien
landry and Alolph tracts to the woods.
)nly small portion Of the Bowdon
lantatIon, which is directly above the
landry tract, is affected, but the water
rapidly backing upon all the adjacent
laccs below.
Tie rear fields of the Marclland, Means
nd Gibson places are submerged, aud
re learn this afternoon that the Bocaee
nd burnside plantations, four and five
lilies below Donaidsonyiilc, are similar
J affected.
The water is also said to have reached
'"er New River, aud unless the break is | ,
osed within few days it will damage ,
large and valuable area Of country. /,
We know that no effort will be spared 8
encompass this end, and ne feel conf !
mt tho desired result will be achieved. | j;