The Opelousas courier., 1885-11-07
improvements in Louisiana
WATERWAYS.

connected in former times with Red
river through bayous Robert and Rap
ides. These old connections are now
filed up and diked, and the supply Of
the Bguf is now drawn from springs in
the hills on the south side of Red river,
above Alexandria.
The bed of the Bout aud Teche has
evidently been occupied by a very
much larger stream than the present
ones, and tits altogether probable that
a great part of the discharge of Red
river found it's way to the Gulf by this
route.
The bed is evidently Characteristic
of a stream undergoing extinction, aud
the red soil found everywhere indi-
Gates the source of its former greatness
The banks of both bayous are every
where beautifully graded. and either
covered with sod or small growth,
making a perfect natural canal.
The average dimensions of the Beuf
are. approximately: Width of high
water banks, 125 to $50 feet low
water surface, 40 feet. height OF bank,
Is to 20 feet; low water depth, 2 to 4
feet. The low water discharge Of the
Benf, from the hills to Bayou Larnou
rie, ten or twelve miles, is about sew
enty-ive or 100 cubic feet per second.
The Lamourie robs the B9nf of more
than half oAthis, leading it into the
Choctaw swamp, and thence into Red
river, and through Lake Pearl into
Bayou des GLASSES. Bayou Lamoutie
should therefore be closed. in the inter
est of the navigation of the Bguf. In
fact, the brick and iron work fin good
conditionl of a State dam built i'll 1860
is still standing. 1t was a low water
dam, with gates, and should he re-.
stored.
Some five miles below the Lamourie
the volume of the Bnuf is restored by
Bayou Clear. u fine tributary from the
hills, and below this its low water dis
charge may be considered 100 cubic
feet per second without any seilous
error.
Bayou Boeuf never overtiows from its
own drainage. 1t has done so. how
ever, by water from Red river floods
entering it through Keary's ditch.
This was diked about 1875, and the
dixie should be carefully maintained,
- 4 t6 DNEuA CN9tttIuCS pEiUhE w SohliS
ton under the name of Couitablta,i,
discharging into The Atchafalaya. Up
to Washington navigation could be
made perpetual by works III Little
Devil, which the government has al
ready undertaken, and by a dam and
lock In the neighborhood of Port
Barre.
To continue this navigation up near
In 100 miles to Within eight or ten miles
of Alexandria, through i fertile and
highly cultivated country, il entirely
practicable, aud presents II most at.
tractiv.. scheme both in engineering
and economic features. A perfect nat
ural canal row exists. Locks only are
required. aud under the conditions TX
listing these roali be made cheap, sim
pie. Lock wallis would not be neces
safy.
This B~Rufsystem could be made com
pIete III itself, connecting with the
Conitableau and Atclafalaya, fifty
miles belaw the liend or it could he
txtsndsd down The fechr, which Is
now unnavigable above st. Martins
Vile.
There is scancluslyt. Typographical
evidence of full water communication,
iii former times, between the Courta
bleau below Washington and the Teclle.
OF this only two traces remain, VIZ:
tile Metitnquanf. three miles below
Washington, and Little Teche, ut Port
Barre. fit Is desirable to connect the
systems of the Bgaf and Teehe the
topography il favorable 10 il BIZ the
construction If il canal through u low
ailuviai region. not more than four or
five miles long.
The l'eche can be described in the
same terms as the BRuf-7a perfect nat
uraI canal, with nh %anlltlr supply for
lockage, running through . rich attd
fertile country. The artifieial extern
sion from st. Mattinssille ta The head
would be about fifty miles
The lockage of the Teelie Wis stn.iittt
and undertaken for thu State in about
1899 by State Epglaeef Louis Htb+it
One luck tf the Bosuf s. stem, wi.s built
BIZ the State s0un after the viii. It's
useless i'll construction and location.
| More recently survey have been made
by the general government. hut 10 arr
prouriatioIs oil wuIk also, levels aud
~traTers by thu Board of State Elgin
GERS Id 1879.
The Charenton canal, 1000 feet leiig,
connecting the Tecile with Grand Lake,
has been atsiertakoa t,y the ggstvelsl-
meni. and m appropriation 81 s25,OUO
made. We are iutsalllied tllst z tsiae W
the land Is the present a~,tsstiueEit,n. +
is q project of gteat simplicity and
merit, aud should BIZ pushed. as y
saves fifty miles Of bad Navigation ia
getting to fle Techs, and would great
IN assist the development OF lumber
aud other interests of that section.
The scheuue of locking and inaprov-
ing ths Plaaneanine stands On lts va
merits. Its prartieability is demon.
strated BY careful surveys. L would
shorten the water route I'd Washington
ana Opelousas i24 miles, 10 tue TecliH
II7A miles, aud to the mouth Of Red riv-
Ter fifteen miles.--N. @. Times Demo
Graf.
At q Gents.