The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-03-07
Bayou Teche.
Its Value as Navigable Water

FRANKLIN, La, Feb. %, 1891.
To the Editor of the Picayune: Dear
Sir-The improvement OF bayou Teche
from st. Martinyille to Port Barre, on
the Courtableau, has been agitated for
many years and many examination and
surveys have been made by the state and
general government, with nearly always
the same result as the one just complet.
ed.
Bayou Teche is, in that part of it I'M
der consideration, simply a high water
stream, an outlet OF the COurtableau
As soon as the Mississippi falls it ceases
to be navigable at a point some eight
miles above st. Martinville, and to rend-
or 1t available at such times would re-
Quire either dredging throughout the
entire distance or the construction OF
locks at st. Martinville and Port Barre.
To build a lock at st. Martinville would
not solve the problem, because as the
COurtableau declined all the water
would run out Of the bayou at Port
Barre, the stream being simply a large
ditch open at both ends, with the bed at
Port Barre but slightly higher than at
st. Martinville.
During low water the stream from
Port Barre, for distance of several
miles, is practically but rivnlet, the
only source of supply being from springs
issueing from the banks. There are
ample supplies of water for slack water
navigation from this source and from
bayou Fuselier, the latter being liy-
ing stream of some size.
The bayou from Breaux Bridge to Bort
Barre is, at points, very narrow and has
many short bends, around which a vess-
Ell more than 100 feet in length would
find it difficult to proceed.
The examination just made was, as
specified by the act of congress, with a
view to improving the navigation by the
construction of locks" and the objection
TO that means of improvement arises
from the fact that all the plantations
have bitches, which throw all the drai-
mage into the bayou. Even with the
strong current which always prevails
during high water. the bayou has been
steadily filling up, and If this current
was destroyed by the construction of
slack water navigation, a bar would
soon form at the mouth Of each ditch or
canal. Between st. Martinville and
Port Barre are not less than forty of
these bitches, the distance being about
fifty-five miles.
The necessity for some improvement
of this stream is urgent. for the reason
that at the time of harvesting the crops
the roads are generally impossible, and
the construction Of low water dam at
st. Martinville would give constant and
certain communication by backing the
water to point within very short dis
lance of Port Barre, while at the same
time permitting the flow Of the usual
current of the stream.
1t would not interfere with the pre-
sent navigation, for all freights from
above are now and have always been
transferred at st. Martinville. BY the
construction of this dam small steamers
could at all times navigate the bayou
and reliable means OF communication
be established.
The United State engineers estimate
the cost of building one of the locks at
$4,000. To put in two, which would
be necessary to make connection with
the COurtableau, would require another
expense Of a similar amount, and to
dredge the bottom and short points
would require fully $l5O.OO0, making
$5OO,OOO.
An approximate estimate Of the pro-
duce shipped from this portion of Bayou
Teche would be 1900 bales cotton, $3.50
tons cotton seed, 100000 pound sugar,
10000 barrels mOlasses and 1900 bar
rels rice.
The supplies for towns and planta-
tons would give about one-third the
same tonnage. The value of the plan
tatiOns from st. Martinville to Port
Barre cannot be short of $2.OO0,OOO.
1t will he noted that the lower Teche
from st. Martinyille to its mouth, is not
embraced in the report of the engineers.
That part. though sadly in need of 60
vernment aid in the way of dredging. is
one of the most important inland
streams In tho Statn running fhronnh