The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1882-04-01
The Levee Aid.

On March II the SENTINEL, in
speaking Of a call made by the
President of the Police Jury of
Point Coupee for aid to assist HIM
in maintaining the Levees in that
Parish, said:
1.-The people Of Lafourche have 100 miles
Of Lerees to watch and protect in their
own Parish. with the exception Of one small
settlement the people of LafOurcho will
not be injured by any crevasse in Point
Coupee more than the inhabitants OF Green
land. The people III Lafonrche have enough
to do to guard their " levees.
The above was simply d state
ment of tact.
The Assumption Pioneer howev
er upon reading it puts on it's
war paint and goes for the SENT
MEL, the Police Jury aud the peo
pie Of Lafou,chc generally.
And feeling all inability to do
the subject justice i'll English it
rails away in French also. The
action OF the people Of Aafourche
is characterized in English as
''selfish" and in French as reflect
ing no honor" upon them.
The wrath Of these mighty
Gods of Assumption is terrible to
b, hold.
Since February /, the people of
Latourche have been working up
on their Levees day and night.
Watching and guarding them
with the energy OF men in despair,
they have displayed an ability,
perseverance and indOmitable
will in the face of overwhelming
destruction that has never been
exceled by any people. For one
entire month, before the sound Of
danger was heard in Assumption
Point Coupee or Baton Rouge,
torch lights Indicated bands Of
toilers working by night from one
end OF L;ltOurche to the other and
the sound of the mauland the axe
was heard day after day, strength
eni"g and repairing their Levees
Eleven Crevasses have broken in
their levees nine they have
closed, aud to day they have the
satisfaction OF seeing a large part
Of their arabic lands safe from
overflow.
And still the levees are con
stantIy watchedby day AMI guar
ded by night, ana not until the
falling of the water will this su
pervision be ended.
For almost an entire month.
while the people Of Assumption
were iattering themselves secure
from disaster the people of LA
foulche neglected their fields and
growing crops to preserve their
levee>.
But this does not suit the God.
like majesty of the Assumption
Pioneer. They must now neglect
their own safety and rush to the
aid OF others.
In silence, and quietly they
fought the waters, when they
came ; they looked only to their
own strong aims and stout hearts
to save themselves and theii
property. This they did for the
whole month of February whilst
other Parishes were dreaming of
tancied safety. NJ Que came 10
their aid, 10 one offered them
any assistance. Now when their
battle is fought, they are expected
torsooth to rush TO the aid of
others aud do for them what the
people of Lafourche have done
for themselves without help or re
ward.
In the article above quoted the
stated that there was
but one small settlement that
could be injured by overhows
the river. That was u state
ment of fact. We re.iterate the
same fact to day.
But when the Assumption Pho
undertakes to intimate from
the statement OF that fact that
the SENTINEL, the Police JnryI
or the people OF Llfourcue have
no regard for the interest or wei,
OF that settlement it draws
conclusions that the language of
the SENTINEL does net justify.
The Police Jury sympathisc
that settlement in the calam
lty that has overtaken it. 1t sym
,athlses with the misfortunes of
all who are in the pathway of the
wild waters, but it has some sym
for its constituents and Eel
low citizens, and thinks that at
ter witnessing the terrible strug
gle the people OF Lafourche have
had in saving the greater portion
Of their own lands fgom inuuda
ton, neglecting their crops and
other labors tor nearly two
months, enough has been done
them without taking their
hard earned taxes to assist other
parishes i'll doing what Lafourche
has done for herself.
And now will the Pioneer please
answer this question.
Why should niue tenths of the