The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1902-05-10
The Drainage Question

Al IuC ltSu lHCCtiis- vi wv 4 o'iNN
Jury the question of the drainage
of the Southern and Western por-
tons of this parish was AGAIN
brought up. There was dis
position on the part Of some to-
start the ball rolling at once by
getting the parish TO buy a dredge
boat and start her to work at once,
cutting her way in from Bayou
Carlin to the mouths of the several
coulees which empty their Hoods
INTO the seamarsh. There is a
growing feeling of tiredneSs OH
the part of many and they want
to see something doing.
The advocating Of this policy
precepitated an animated debate.
Those who hold to the idea that
the "ship canal is the correct
thing opposed any such action on
the part of the Police Jury for the
reason that it would interfere with
the work aud territory of the or
ganized Bayou Carlin Drainage
Commission.
There are those who advocate a
further wait till the legislature
meets, believing that there will be
one or more bills, special or gener
al in character, which will vest
either the present drainage com
mission to cut the s.Ship Canal"
or some other. The people are
fully accustomed to waiting and
this should not be hard to do
Besides, when the new law will
have been passed it is but natural
to presume that it will have to
run the gauntlet of the courts to
be sure that it conflicts with no
other law, that it is thoroughly con-
Stitutional and that bonds can
be issued by the commission act
ing under it. Ii the law proves
weak in any particular a new
legislature will come along in time,
and will be ready to pass new
bill.
The farmer has heard this ques.
ton debated new little over
twelve years; he has seen flood
after food cover his growing
crops. Some of his best lands
have been out OF use all this time
and he has found the small tax hi
has had to pay burdensome. HI
has had road work and bridges
washed and floated away because
the waters could not get out. b
patient, dear people, and wait ;
little longer-the legislatures NEE
every two years and the courts ar,
open to you all the time.
Two years ago, MAY 18th, 1900.
Gent Dudley Avery presented
report to the Police Jury, of whicl
| he was the President at the time
| in which he made the followin,
statement
Some eight years ago the tax payer
of Terrebonne parish voted tax of
mills for ten years for drainage pul
poses; this in addition to state an
parish tax, 10 mill tax aud a
acreage and produce tax to the Atchs
falaya basin leyee district for leve
purposes. The assessment for Terrt
bonnie parish tor the past yes
amounts to S2,1o0,0o0. From the
mill drainage tax they Rave been n
ceiving an incomeof from $4,000 to $lt
loco per annum. The parish is divide
into two drainage districts, with
drainage commission composed of il
telligent property owners in charge {
each district. The first dredge bos
was built and put in operation in iS9
cost SIC. 200, and was paid for by til
parish from the general fund. TIL
dredge was built under the supervisio
and after designs of Mr.. Rufiin Brow
who has had great experience
dredging work ], and has been opera
ed most successfully for the pa
seven years. The cost of the null an
superstructure was SO 20 : I'll
dredge is 81 feet wide bs s feet 10
The boat is equipped with maehiner
furnished by the Osgood Dredge Go
of Albany, n. y, at cost Of 500
and on the following terms, viz: :
per cent cash on signing OF contrac
80 per cent of the amount upon CO..
pletion of contract, and % per eel
after 80 days satisfactory trial OF tt
machinery. The boat uses He,
wood bucket, or. as it is local.
known, a s'cotton-bowr' bucket, ar
cuts on an average 100 feet per da'
by IS to 40 feet wide. by feet dee