The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-11-10
St. Mary and Iberia Improved
Drainage.


Drainage.
We learn, with pleasure, that tn,
Importance of improved drainag,
has made itself telt in the Franklin
Drainage District, to the extent oI
there having been recently raised
forty thousand dollars, to be spent
on dredging, secured by special
q mile, levied on property holder,
in that district.
This important question was frs,
agitated by Mr.. S. T. McCardell,
who soon interested others with the
above effect. Work Is to be begun
at once to clear out Bayou
Cboplque, which extends from the
town of Franklin across the rear
portion Of lands that 60 to make up
the horse shoe section. formed by
the Irish Bend of the Bayou Teche.
The former bayou is to be dredged
for five miles in length, with a
uniform width of forty feet, the
water from which will be run
into the marsh, situated TO the
rear.
Besides giving the town OF
franklin superior drainage, this
work. when completed, will be the
making OF thousands of acres OF
land, now in woods and unavailable
for cultivation. The task of clearing
this belt of woods, which extends
from Franklin to the upper end of
the horse shoe bend, will be started
at once, for nowhere can land
be found more admirably suited
to the cultivation of sugar
cane.
The work on the iberia and
st. Mary Drainage Canal District is
progressing quite rapidly, for
already SIX of the fourteen miles to
be dredged, have been completed.
This, as il known, is the result
Of the crestion, by act 4s. of our
Legislative session of 1898, OF
the above named dra,nsge district,
the Commissioners of which have
undertaken the work Of opening up
the old Delahoussaye canal, giving
1t . width Of forty feet, it starting
from near Olivier Station in Iberia
parish, and extending back Of
Jeanerette, going through the
Grand Mara's, finally emptying into
Weeks bayou. The Commissioners,
who have the responsibility of this
undertaking are Hon. A.
Z. Mopbot, President. Messrs. J.
Z. Akers, L. A. Moresi. John
Murphy and C. A. Poirson. The
value and benefit Of such drainage
undertaking can, be judged when It il
stated that fully forty thousand
,cres Of land, all adapted to cane
cultivation, will be opened up,
wh,ch will be ere long, as two
powerful dredges are now at
work.
We trust that the other parishes
viii profit. BY observation Of the
,pirit Of progress evidenced BY
Ebese citizens of St. Mary and
IBERIA parishes, and will endelvo
% emulate their example in opening
10 Of the many natural outlets that
have been closed for years past.
such : season - the extremely
rsiny one inst past would have ite
wi effects ameliorated were the
planters and the other progressive
,i,tisens Of the different parishes, to
ret together and deviss some means
81 which they might purcha.e an
sficient drainage boat outright, ard
% work it year 10 and year out, %
ioes the parish Of Terfebonne, on
heir different bayous and coulees.
rha sugar plaDtsss ct our State
have SUFFERED sn infinitely greater
Ioss from imperfect drainage than
hey would have had to pay out IN
tbe shape Of special taxes TO secure
rood dra,nsge. They should do all
IL their power 70 secure good
iralsags. They should do oil in
herr power 70 forestall any