The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1905-03-11
Alleged Unnecessary Delays in the
Completion of the Project as
Whole. Indifference as to Com
pletion, Etc.

of the different portions OF the
project have been treated above
1t is deemed pertinent, however, to
call attention. to the statement of
Mr.. Broussard that, This work
has, therei ore, been in the hands of
the Engineer Department Of the
Government with funds at aand,
Tor nearly II years. presumably
with the meaning that the matter
of the completion of the project
has been entirely within the hands
Of the Engineer Department for
the above period, with sufficient
funds at any time, to complete the
work, and that the date of the
opening Of the waterways to navi,
cation has been, at any time within
the past IL years, merely function
Of the energy and attention to the
work displayed by the officers and
AGENT of the Engineer Department.
As matter Of fact, the completion
of the lock and the dredging Of a
sufficient channel in Grand River
and Bayou Plaqnemine, were only
provided tor by the Act Of June g..
1896, and the work on the lock
proper could not be commenced
until after the completion Of the
foundation, IN December, 1897, and
after new plans had been prepared,
rendered necessary by the high
water Of 1897, referred to above
Bank protection at the mouth of
the bayou, dglng and snagging
IN portions Of Bayou Plaquemlne,
Grand River and Pigeon Bayou,
and excavation, coffcrdan:. and
foundation for The lock, had been
carried on as appropriations had
been made by Congress, from 1888
to 1904, inclusive. 1t has, there's
fore, been only about seven, instead
of seventeen years, since the En-.
gineer Department has been IN
position to make plars for the com
pletion Of the work as whole.
%. As for alleged Indifference
on the part Of the Engineer De.
partment about the conclusion of
the work, the records Of this
office show that the contrary ,s the
case. 1t appears conclusively that
the officers and agents OF the
Engineer Department have endeav>
ored, to the best of their knowledge
and ability, to protect the interests
of the government, and to induce
the various contractors to complete
their contracts on time, having due
regard to unexpected and unfore-
seeatle difficulties of az engineer
ing, or legal, nature developed
during the progress Of the work.
80. Referring to the insinna,lons
Of the President of the Franklin
Progressive League as TO the
"Beneficiary" OF the delays, and
alleging that the delay in opening
the locks ia due to secret opposition
existing IN Washington" | have
to say that dIligent search Of the
records of this Office fails to reveal
anything that might throw light on
what is meant by these indirec,
statements and innuendos, but the
writer wishes to state positively
that he, personally, has no knowl-
edge, Or information, Of any undue
influence, political, personal, or
finfnclaI, to prevent the early com
pletIon of the lock, or to interfere
IN any way with the progress OF the
work, having been exerted in any
manner whatever, whether at Wash.
ington, New Orleans, Plaqnemine,
or elsewhere. In this connection
attention Is respectfully invited to
copy Of letter Of this Office of
January 90, 1895, to the President
of the Franklin Progressive
League, sent by registered mail,
ana acknowledged by the addressce
on registry card. under date of
January "a, 1905. No answer to
this letter has been received.
81. The statement that the lock
could be completed and turned over
to the public inside Of three months,
is SO palpahly unbalanced and
shows such complete ignorance
Of the present condition OF affairs
at Plaqnemine, that it Is passed
without remark, except to say that
it is believed the speaker was