The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1905-06-03
to cost 81. s0S. 205." Since this report
the following appropriations have been

| Total 81 ,64O. OO(
Not only are charges OF general delay
made. but specific instances are cited:
June %. 1899, contract was awarded for
| enlarying the bay about Plaquemlne
and work was begun under the con-
tract in 1900 and was to have been
completed by June, 1901. The time
was extended twelve months and at
the expiration of twelve months COM
pletion of the work was waived for
a reasonable period by authority of
the chief engineer. It is contended
that at the present time the work is
not more than half done.
Hon. Il. +. Broussard cites another
instance of delay which he summed up
briefly as follows: Contract was
entered into November IS, approved
December 80. 1899, with the Otis
Elevator Company. of New York, FOR
constructing operating machinery and
power house for the lock, the work to
be completed within six months after
notice shall have been given to begin.
Notice had not been given and no work
had been done under the contract up
to June 80. 1904. Commencement of
this work was contingent upon the
progress made upon the construction
Of the lock gates" This contract,
made in 1899 and to be completed with
in six months after notice. remained
untouched in 1904. In letter to
Secretary Taft under date of January
l6, 1905, Congressman BrOussard gave
other instances of delay in carrying
out the work on the Plaquemine locks
and connecting waters. showing that
while appropriations had been made
covering approximately the estimated
cost of the entire work delay after delay
had occurred so that the project be-
gun in 1885 remains incomplete at the
end of twenty years, when it is said the
entire work should have been complet-
ed in two or three years.
A meeting of those interested in deep
water at the mouth of the Atchafalaya
river was held at Franklin. La. April
1. there being present a large number
OF cypress lumber manufacturers,
planters and representatives of other
commercial interests of that section.
The object of this meeting was to per-
feet d permanent organization to keep
the matter before congress until favor
able action had been taken.
A part of the channel was that form
erly used by the Morgan Steamship
Company. which maintained fifteen
or eighteen feet depth of water from
the Gulf to Morgan City. When its
service was discontinued The channel
filled up and at the present time is
probably not to exceed ten feet deep.
Ii is claimed that channel twenty
to twenty-five feet deep can be main
tanned at small cost by dredging
about six miles through the sand at
the mouth of the Atchafaiaya river.
Those interested in this great section
are becoming tired of the dilatory
ing ont of the work and have taken up
the matter in d way that promises
results. n large percentage of manu- |
facturers and planters in the district
under consideration have given the
project approval and support.
In addition to the esta blishment of
from Plaquemine to the Gulf |
he government should take in hand |
and perpetuate the work being carried |
IN by individual enterprise. In many |
instances the cypress people, in order |
% avoid roundabout route, have
canals to facilitate their /
ogging operations. Some of these |
canals, only few miles in length, |
shorten the old route by half days
Quincy by boat and if this fertile
section OF the state is to be placed in
position to profit by its riches it is
Incumbent upon those interested there
n to see that this work shall he car
led out.