The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-09-03
COMMUNICATION
THIBo DAUx, La, Aug. 25th 1892.
IN II 1s1 nVi

DEAR SIR Il nave WftCt6n q snort
communication in regards the Lafour-
che ~levees, and inclose you same.
Should you deem it worthy vf publica-
ton, please insert in your valuable
paper. l know that my views will be
called unscientitic, impracticable and
yet l believe the mass of our citizens
will coincide with me. | believe they
as taxpayers, would sanction the pro-
posed work, with a reliance, that the
pressing exigences of the MON ent
would be fully met.
To the leree boards in charge of the La
.tourche terees.
GENTLEMEN.-Permit me to say a
few words in reference to the great and
important work that has been entrus-
ted to your care. You have on the La
fOurcle about INT hundred and forty
miles of levee (both sides). These lev
ees as they stand to-day, represent
millions OF expenditure. They repre-
sent the toll, aud endurance of at least
four generations gone by, and afford
to-day tar less protection than fifty
years ago. In the vicinity of Thibo-
daux, in the last eighty years these
levees have grown from almost moth
ing, to huge embankments, nine or ten
feet above the surface Of the land on
which they are reared. And yet they
are inadequate. The confined waters
of the Lafourche at every flood period
would pass over these barriers many in
ches. Eighty years ago at Thibodaux
and below, at low water, there was a
channel depth of eight to twelve feet.
Today at same stage, there is a depth
Of only two toithree feet. Does not this
indicate that the bed Of the Lafourche
has risen, or filled about seven feet in
slightly years! If the figures are approx
imately true it requires bu. a short
mathematical calculation to date the
period hence, when the bed CT the La
fourche will be entirely above the
land, and walled in with huge EN-
bankments ranging from eighteen to
twenty-five feet in height. With this
experience, will you continue this cost
ly and inadequate system and rely on
levees aluueY
Should these levees be raised three
feet, with suitable crown and base, re-
quirihg approximately two and a half
lnllllOuo CuUIC dlUtSOI CdI LII, duu COSO-
ing perhaps $500, 1000, would the
waters cease to rise one inch higher
every year, Would such a work render
this beautiful country secure from over
flow? Would succeeding generations
approve or condemn your efforts!
Levees alone, will never afford ade-
quate protection, to our a~lluviai lands
from overflow. These costly works
must be combined vithsuitable out
let's. These outlets should consist
whenever possible) III the ample cap
acity of the stream itself to discharge
its waters into the sea without hinder
ance. From Donaldsonville. the sea
is reached by way of the Lafourche,
some eighty miles shorter than by
way of New Orleans. Yet the LafOur-
che cannot take advantage of this ex-
ceedingly favorable condition for the
dischat &c of its waters OF account Of
the distractions now existing below
Lockport in the shape of logs, sand
bars, mud islands and willows.
j, These Instructions ha We been accum-
ulating since 1915, and now We find
the channel practica ~ closed. 1t is
now optional with you whether you
improve this channel. and lower the
water at the flood period, and decrease
the cost OF levee building, or whether
, you continue the plan of5relying solely
= OH levees regardless of outlets To
raise the 40 miles of levee on the La
, fOurche one foot. will cost approxim.
ately $1,000. TO lower the va
tiers at Tllbodaux one and II hall
: feet, during the flood period will re.
Quire II Nf4~
l large dredge boat to cost $60.OOO.O(
operate same 300 days 21.0OO.Ot
: cost Of boat and operating
same $S1.OOO.Ot
| From this data we see that $S1.O01 90,
Gncluding boat) expenses on chan
mel improvement Is equal to $3.50 600,
expended on levees. The objec
I in building these levees on the La
fOurche is to protect that magnificent
5 country from overflow, now if you CAL
Q afford this protection by channel I'M
u %prOvement, and thereby lowering tn
water during the flood period, and a
a greatly reduced cost, you as custo-
dians of this fund should not hesitate
g Let the two levee boards at once
combine, and execute this importan
channel work. Regulate sonewha
the inflow at Donaldsonville, and tn
problem will be solved, so far as til
q Lafourche ~isconcerned. With this &C
! complished your efforts will be crow
70 ed with success. You will have til
'e thanks and appreciation of a peopl
A. whose lives and property have bee
re rendered secure from overflow.