The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-02-02
COMMUNICATED.

M. Editor: We do not pretend
to read our laws through legal spec
t~acles, but II common sense inter
probation OF those hereafter cited,
may he summed up as follows:
We premise by stating, that the
building Of our !evees is delegated
to the State, ard the keeping mp Of
the same, to the Police Juries; and
for some wise purpose, it is made
the duty of the various District
Judges to charge the grand jnries
III reference to sections 925 and 926
Of the Revised Statutes amended iu
1876 and which reads as follows:
Sec. 925. Whoever shall wiifully
and maliciously cut, alter, break,
pull down or destroy il ANY man
ner whatsoever ANY public or pri-
vate levee or embankment, the
same being within a levee district
in the State of Louisiana and made
for protection from overflow, or
shall aid or abet any person in so
doug, shall on conviction be i'm
p~risoned ut hard labor in the State
Penitentiary not more than ten
years or tined not exceeding five
thousand dollars.
Sec. 926. Refers to persons at
tempting SO to do. and provides "A
lesser penalty, to-wit /; three years
Imprisonment or three thousand
dollars fine.
AS all laws have some purpose
in view, the object of the above is
manifest, aud that is, protection
from overflow; and inasmuch as
the building and maintenance OF
our leveeS are matters under COZ,
troll of tue State and Parish, it is
reasonable to look to those sources,
to have these laws observed.
Though relieved from the build
ing and repairs of our levees, as
was formerly the case, a great ma
Jority OF u people still continue
to do both, without a murmur; be
sides paying their levee tax, cheer
fully.
The burden of our complaint is
against some OF the steamers navi
eating this Bayou. The cribbiny
erected to strengthen levees, are
frequently destroyed, and the le
wees themselves weakened and dam
aged byithese boats. For instance,
boats are introduced in this trade.
dlsproporti0ned to the size of this
bayou, and under the very erroneous
idea that by the navigation laws,
they have a right to do as they
please, will attempt to turn in Il
space which nature has not provid
ell, and through main force aud by
use OF capstan force their bow into
the banks near the brink of a leyee.
aud finding the stream too narrow
to allow their turning, will work
their way around by cutting by
means OF their stern wheel, describ
ing a circle on the opposite bank
aud destroy the embankment mn to
tue very edge of the levee. and
thereby rendering the levee inse
cure.
This is no exageration, but rath
a mild statement of the m0dus
operandi Of some of the steamers.
and III proof of what we say. We
would suggest that the foreman Of
the Grand Jury and the members
our Police Jury investigate for
themselves at the turning point at
Mr. ). N. Bourg's aud Mai. Thos:
Il. Ellis just below town.
Now it does seem strange. that
boats coming into this BAYOU and
bidding for patronage, Should in
t1ict such damage on the inhab;
tants from whom they derive sup
port.
AS 1t is impossible for this state
OF affairs to continue always. it.
may be as we'll for owners of steam
ers to ponder over the law referred
to, and for the public to create such
sentiment in the community as to
exact its enforcement.
1t is now in order to hear from
The Grand Jury and the Police Ju
~ about this matter. Riparian
proprietors on the Lafourcle, de
mand protection, and if this indie
nifty is permitted to continue, the
result will 0e such an Indignation
meeting as will be likely to bring
these offending steamboatmeu to
heir senses. i.
-@t some OF THE SUFFERERS.