The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-05-24
OPEN BAYOU PLAQUEMINE.

We publish elsewhere in this
issue the proceedings of the mass
meeting OF the citizens of the town
of Franklin and vicinity called fol
the purpose of petitioning the
Legislature to memorable Con.
gress to continue the work of open
ing Bayou Plaquemine by placing
locks therein. A special board OF
United States engineers have been
examining the work which is near
ing completion, and on their re-
port hangs the probability of the
continuance or discontinuance OF
this mammoth enterprise. There
seems to be a pressure brought to
bear from some source against the
opening of this waterway and I'M
less determined move is made to
have the work continued the board
of engineers may advise otherwise.
The locks are nearly completed
and we have it from reliable
sources that besides a few inciden-
tai repairs, the gates are the only
thing needed to have them opened
for traffic. The opening of Bayou
Plaquemine would be great thing
for st. Mary and adjacent parishes,
especially so to the sugar planters
and farmers. and would be the
means of saving to them of thouS-
ands of dollars every year by hay
ing cheaper transportation for
their products. These people are in
need Of better transportation faci-
lities, especially during the grind
ing season, as at that time of the
year it is almost impossible to get
the necessary cars to baul cane
and other freights. 1t would give
them shorter and quicker route
to New Orleans and relieve them
of the delays caused by the con-
gested condition of freight which
occur at that busy time
Of the year.
1t is of the utmost Importance
that work on these locks should
and they be completed as
Early as possible and the people OF
his section should do all in their
power to have it done. Kesolu-
ions were adopted at the meeting
md copies have been sent to our
representatives in Congress and
Baton Rouge.
Through the efforts Of Hon. Don
,lson Gallery, while in the Senate,
II 1897, an appropriation Of about
Il 100000 was included in the
ive1s and habors bills for the
purpose Of connecting Bayou Pla-
Iuemine to the Mississippi river
" locks and improve the water
Ways connecting Grand Lake with
Bayou Plaquemine. The contract
hortly after this appropriation TO
construct the locks were awarded
o. Stewart & Co., who took the
contract for the work for about
100000. The work was to be
lone according to plans and speci-
lcations Of Major Quinn, the
United States engineer in charge
f the district of Louisiana. The I
york was practically completed in
500, after which Major Quinn 9
vas transferred to another de :
artment and his place was filled :
y Major Adams, and nothing :
ince has been done to the locks. +
Why Major Adams has delayed :
he completion OF this work, no. ! d,
ody knows, and Major Adama on 6
his question is as dumb as an
yster, while the people of this T
ection of tue country are paying =
ut millions in excessive freight !
ates. A few years ago Capt. Il. :
:. King, of New Iberia, made an !
stimate Of the freight rates that /.
,ould be saved to the people of II
his yectiou of the country by the 8
pei pig of Bayou Plaquemine and 4
amounted 10 about S2,OOO,OOO
early. just think of it, we are il
tting idly down and being rob- g
ell of millions of dollars in freight f
ates and it could be stopped by g
lst putting on the gates to the d
'cks of Bayou Plaquemine. We C
elieve if the people will exert tt
,eir rights Bayou Plaquemine |,
ill be at once opened. a
President Roosevelt Bitterly Ar \
rAipned lSi