The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-05-12
THE DRAINAGE QUESTION.

report on the D1'dtn0ge System an,
Methods Of Ieyrebonne Parish
acih Recommendations for til
Drainage Of the Second, Fifth
Sieth and Seyenth Wards, Wes
Of Bayou Teche.
To the Members Of the Police Jur,
Of Iberia Parish, louisiana.
Gentlemen compliance will
your resolution, passed at YOU
regular meeting in April, l lef
New Iberia on the morning Ol
April %, following the flood of rail-
which had fallen on the afternoon
ald night of April %. No better
time could have been chosen tt
observe the effects of the drainage
system already established in Ter
rebonne parish. The fields be
tween New Iberia and Schrievel
station were flooded with water to
a depth that covered the growth
of young cane and corn. The
plantations adjoining Schriever,
and between Schriever and Houma,
were comparatively free from the
water which had fallen during the
previous day and night. This was
due to the drainage effected by
dredging out the Bayou Terre-
bonnie from Schriever to HOuma, a
distance of more than twenty
miles. The restored Bayou Terre-
bonne was taking care Of the great
flood without overfowing its banks.
Upon arriving at Houma called
upon the able and intelligent sher-
iff Of Terrebonne, Mr.. Connolly,
for the informatlon-I desired, and
to him and to Mr.. Amede Celestin,
secretary Of the two drainage COM
missions, am greatly indebted for
the drainage data which / am able
to place before the police jury to-
day.
Some eight years ago the tax
payers of Terrebonne parish voted
a tax Of 5 mills for ten years for
purposes; this in addition
to a state and parish tax, 10 mill
tax and an acreage and produce
tax to the Atchafalaya basin levee
district for levee purposes. The
assessment for TerrebOnne parish
for the past year amounts to
%, 100000. From the 3 mill drain
age tax they have been receiving
an income of from $4,000. to $1O,-
900 per annum. The parish is di-
vided into two drainage districts,
with drainage commission COM
posed Of intelligent property own
ers in charge of each district. The
lirst dredge boat was built and put
in operation in 1898; cost so, 900,
and was paid for by the parish
from the general fund. The dredge
was built under the supervision
and after designs of Mr.. Ruffin
Brown (who has had great expert
ence in dredging work., and has
been operated most successfully
for the past seven years. The cost
Df the hull and superstructure was
$4,000. The dredge is 32feet wide
by so feet long. The boat is
with machinery furnished
by the Osgood Dredge CO., Of Al
bany, N. Y, at a cost of =, 900,
md on the following terms, VIZ:
25 per cent cash on signing Of con-
tract; SO per cent of the amount
npon completion of contract, and
,5 per cent after so days satisfac-
tory trial Of the machinery. The
boat uses q Haywood bucket, or,
Is it is locally known. q COTTON
oowl' bucket, and cuts on an av-
srage 100 feet per day, by 50 to
10 feet wide, by s feet deep, and is
operated at a cost of from @4OO to
1850 per month for crew, food,
Fuel and repaitsinclusive. Ittakes
1 crew of Ave men, including q
cook, to operate the boat at the
following wages: One superinten-
lent. at $50 per month; one engi-
neer, at $50 per month; one dipper
man, at $50 per month; one roust-
about, at 81 per day, and ono cool,
It @20 per month. Provisions for