The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-01-10
In Co. Operation There is Strength
ST. Martin Review.

| There is q movement afOOt 10
assemble in st. Martinville, Oh
Sunday, January %, all those who
have the welfare of the Teche
Valley at heart, to discuss ways
and means of opening the upper
Teche.
The problem to be discussed, in
vestigated and solved is serious,
important, and far-reaching one,
Upon the successful consummation
of said project hangs the future
Importance of the once deep and
wide, but now morrow and shall
low, Teche. The Teche is the rris-
oner at the bar, and upon the
verdict of the jury, who, IN this
case. are the people of the Teche
Valley, depends the life or death
of the once picturesque and muse
inspiring Teche.
Undoubtedly some will be in
clined to think that the Review
has taken a rather gloomy view
of the situation. For their bene-
fit and for the benefit of all opt'm
lists, the Review will quote Cap
tain L. j. Kings very words upon
the subject: ''ThiS proposed i'm
provement 1.-THE opening Of the up.
per Teche) is absolutely necessary
to preserve the navigation already
in use. and to prevent its (the
Tecbe) ''illing up"
Head water is to the stream
what the root is to the plant. To
shear a plant of its roots Is to
shear it Of its only means of sup
port; SO, also, to deprive a stream
of its headwater Is to drink its
very ne Dloou
That the Teche has not dried
up already is explained by the
fast tina. II emplies into the
mighty Atchafaiaya whose wa
tiers flow back into the Teche
whenever the drain upon it ex
ceeds the supply. With the in
coming Of the AtchafalHya water
into the Teche has also come the
cursed water hyacinth, the salt
water from Bayou Sale, and an
alarmingly heavy deposit of silt,
which Atchafalaya water is known
to hold in suspense.
An inefficient amount of water,
salt, byacinths and heavy, silly
: deposit, that is gradually but sure
lily filling up the bayou, are the
cold and grim looking facts that
now stare us in the face.
Shall we sit down and watch the
coming calamity and pay it is the
. hand of fate, or will we rise up to
the occasion with that American
determination that knows no abat
ing, and exclaim, with that IN
domitable courage so character
istic to all Americans in hours of
great trial: awe are the captains
of our souls and the masters of
! of our fates."
| Like every other worldly I'M
dertaking this project must newt
ably and finally wind itself into a
financial proposition. Oa-tAis
point Captain Z. J. King has this
, to say: "At no great expense the
, Teche could be made navigable
to Port Barre on the Court bleau."
The Captain goes on and shows
that there is s3S, 475, $1,000 direct
, ~ and indirectly interested in this
Teche Courtableau project.
u If there we're thirty eight million
, | dollors interested IN this project
+ four years ago, then there surely
q must be fifty millions this year.
ii And if there are fifty million in
, terested in this project there
o should be no earthly power t.
stay it's proper, permanent ant
immediate consummatlOn.
o The Review appeals to the pee
pie of st. Martin, Iberia and St
Mary to face this proposition a
energetic, courageous, indomits
BILE, level-hcaded, and public spin
lifted men look into the solution o
8 igrave, intricate, far-reaching prob
d lens.
cl Tof opo and all rally TO til