The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-10-03
OUR BREAKWATER.

One unquestionable duty of the Gen
eral Government is, to see to the i'm
provement of harbors and navigation
of rivers. In fact in all federation Of
States the General Government is the
factor to whom each and every part
looks to see that all mea of inter-
communication aud improvement be
so justly and equally divided, that no
part should be benefited TO the detti-
ment of the other. Otherwise n
State richer than its surrounding
neighbors, might so annoy, interfere
with or obstruct the outlets of its
neighbors as to virtually make them
it's tributaries.
This is SO we'll recognized that all
representatives in Congress make it
their first duty at each and every ses-
siou to see that the State he represents
gets 'ts fair proportion of the annual
appropriations for internal improve
ments.
Since the war the Eastern, Middle
and Western States have monopolized
nearly the whole Of the money ex-
pended on internal improvements
Last session of Congress, Mr.. Blan.
ehard, our representative, than whom
none has watched more closely the in
~terests of his constituents, obtained,
after a great deal of trouble, an appro-
p1iation to build a breakwaier at the
lower falls, directly above this Town,
in order to protect the ever caVing
banks at and below the mouth of Ba-
YOU Rapides, and at the same time
straighthen the current Of the river,
whicn, by it's own velocity, according
to Ead's principle, would scour a
channel navigable at all stages of
water.
So far 80 good. MIR. Blanchard has
done more than his duty.
In obedience to orders from the pro
per department and as a consequence
of the appropriation, an engineer or
contractor arrived some time ago and
is said to have started blasting the up
per falls, bnt no movement has been
made to begin work on the breakwa-
ter. The river is now at it's lowest
stage of water and in just the coDdi-
ton to enable the builder to lay the
foundations of the breakwater. If this
chance is allowed to pass the matter
will have to be deferred till next sea-
son. 1t is triaing with our Congress
man, with us and with the department
under whose orders the engineer OF
contractor is working.
This season shows the absolute ne.
cessity of the work. The mouth Of
Red River is closed, it is in fact dried
up; all that part of the Red River val
ley west of Alexandria, say from
Black river to near Shreveport, has
become isolated from New Orleans, ii
has no direct outlet for it's produce,
except by the way of Alexandria via
the Morgan or Texas Pacific Railroad,
Small boats can navigate Red River
from the upper falls to Shreveport at
all seasons; therefore complete the
work or the falls, making them easy
of navigation and we become reship'
ers of all the produce tributary to Red
River below Shreveport. It is time
for our people to move in the matter.
If the contractors are allowed to frit
ter their time away without any pro-
test from US; whenever the river rises
they will allege a thousand plausible
excuses for the delay, and next season
will find us without a breakwater and
without an appropriation.
1t is for the Town Council to take
the initiative. Let them respectfully
demand from the engineer or contrac-
ter some light on the subject. After
all, it is our money and we have a
right to see what is done with it and
where it is going.
American rivers like its citizens, are
mighty uncertain, and they can swal-
low a heap; it behooves US, therefore,
to see that some is left for another
time. We do not wish to halloo be-
fore we are hurt, but we wish to avoid
the hurting, if possible.
Our confreres, the Shreveport Times
and the New Orleans Times Democrat,
will, no doubt, help US to ventilate this
matter. They are both interested to
see this thing Strengthened, the former
as the organ of the section which will
be directly benefited by the work, and
the latter as being the exponent of all
undertakings which are necessary for
the improvement ofthe South.
Mr.. Contractor, please rise and ex-
plain.
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