New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1906-12-29

ShSh ~ r >ooSN'
Since presenting the matter,
Congressman Burton, Chairman
of the River and Harbor Com
mittee OF the House, indicates
that his committee will request
or order the re-opening of the
report on the improvement of
the upper Teche, and that writ
ten authority to that end will be
furnished you.
The report that we seek to
have re-opened and reversed is
contained in House Documen,
No. 527, 59th Congress, First
Session. The conclusion OF
Gen. Mckenzie is to be found
on page OF said document, as
follows:
"The present commerce on the Teche
is large, but is carried on carried on below
st. Martinvile. There is no commerce
on upper Teche, and it 10 not practicable
to secure reliable statistics upon which {
trustworthy estimate of the trade (Which
may develop there can be based. The
country is fertile, and Col. Sears states
that with the opening of 6 IT. navigation
as far as Port Barre it is reasonable t.
anticipate very lsrge increase in agri
cultural products, in population, and il
wealth."
Your own conclusions on the
project appears on page 7 o
said document, as follows:
"No expression of opinion as to the de
STABILITY of improving the bayou unde
anyone of these plans is given. 1t seem
to have been impracticable to secure re
liable statistics as to the commerce tina
wuold be likely to make use Of the impro
vement if effected, there being none a
present above st. Martinville."
1t is quite evident that th'
} conclusion of Gen. McKenzi
and of your board in this mat
ter is prodicated upon the hgse
on your part that the.is nj
commerce above St. Martinville
the present head of navigation
of Bayou Teche, or that if ther
is any commerce, that you hav
b not been able to secure reliabl
: statistics concerning it.
| desire to call your attention
to the fact that the law unde
, which this survey was made, an
which 1t. Col. Lockwood
: quotes in his report at page 3 c
the above document, refers spec
tally to House Document Nc
69, 5sth, Congress, First Ses
. sion. Simple reference to tn,
document and mere glance q
the map of the country travers
e ed by the Teche would hav
/ I shown that while it is true, ur
e der the conditions surroundin
Mr.. Richard Quinn while en-
gagged in making this surve
. were of the most unfavorabl,
due to quarantine regulations i
e effect at that time, and th'
< gathering of statistics was the
t almost matter of impossibility
), nevertheless, | contend tn;
= there was sufficient evidence of
r. large commerce on the upp,
Teche to be ascortained b
% more reference to said Hou:
n Document No. 69. Maj. Quin
: : in his report at page 3, in ii
Document just referred to, us'
the following language:
Y "The improvement is certainly feasibl
lie and in order to secure the neccsssa
ID evidence as to the advisability Of the i
!. provement, requested the different p'
ishes interested to provide me with sol
- argument in the shape of probable ber
fits to commerce. append letter fro
III Mr.. King on this subject, to which stte
IN ton is respectfully invited. He indsti
OF the commerce directly ,interested has
Is ss annual value of s26, 500, 1895. and Il
the total directly and indirectly interest
amounts to $40, 800, 1895. 1. is estim
ed by him that the improvement wo
be instrumental in increasing the amo'
nd Of produce OF the country interested fr
.. four to ten told"
The report to which he l
. fers in the above quotation is
!, be found on page s and 7 $:
IDocument. OF the $4,000
\ loco. 90 of commerce fo;fters
exist by Capt. Kinnve Com