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

Breaux Bridge. That field, as
you know, is the largest oil field
in the South, and has on the
surface and ready for commerce
more tan three million barrels
OF oil. This oil is used almost
exeiu ely for fuel and is distrl-
hutr4 throughout that section OF
! ouisiana to the rehncrles, sugar
houses, sawmills, irrigation
pumping plants, brick yards,
etc.
At Breaux Bridge, in vicinity
of the oil field has been dlscov-
cred a salt bed of considerable
extent, it being more than 500
feet in thickness.
The construction OF levees
now being built by the Lcvee
Boards of Louisiana along the
Atchafalaya River will reclaim
from overflow thousands and
thousands of acres OF land, and
render it fit for cultivation with
in = very short time. These
lands are now heavily tlmbered
with hardwood tha, will have to
be manufactured and an outlet
must be found tor this wood,
and the products of that wood.
The city OF New Iberia is
now constructing a canal from
that city to the Gulf of Mexico
at cost of s56,6oo.oo. 1t is
now causing to be surveyed a
projected canal to connect Bay
Teche at 4 point about 6 miles
above New Iberia with Lake
Fausse Point and Grand Lake
so as to afford 4 short water
route from New Iberia to New
Orleans via the Plaquemine
Locks, which, ! am assured by
the War Department, will be
onened December of next wear,
this canal to cost approximately
as much as the other.
Now the government has
spent and is spending over
s1,7so,ooo.oo on the Plaque
mine Locks. 1t is the purpose
of our people to cut WATERWAYS
connecting the Teche with the
network of streams in the Atcha'
talaya Basin and secure a shor
all water route to New Orleans
These artificial waterway:
costing thousands of dollars ars
being constructed at the expense
of the local communities
Shall it be said that the govern
ment would not undertake tt
improve the natural waterway
so as to bring these locks all o
the commerce which naturall,
belongs to them?
In the report of the Chic
Engineers for 1906 (Appendi:
lS.) page 39I | find following:
bayou Teche is an important CONNER
cial stream in South Louisiana and find
an outlet into the Gulf Of Mexico throug
the Atchafalaya River. Prior to improve
mont it had depth Of 8 feet up to 81
Martinville, La, but navigation wa
rendered dangerous by numerous obstrut
tions."
1.-THE maximum draft that can be cal
ried ou June 3Oth 1906 is about 4 feet.
! In report 79s H. r. 57tI
Congress, first Session, beln
the report on the the River an
Harbor Act of that congres:
Bayou Teche is referre
to with four other streams a
having received less money TO
improvement, in proportion t
traffic, than any other stream
! in the United States, and | re
call Chairman Burton's referenc
+ to that fact in his address upo
. that bill on the floor of tn
House.
Altogether there has bsen e.
pended in improvement Of tn
, Bayou Teche, according to tn
. reports of the Engineers to t
found on page 391 Of Append
!. S tor 1906, heretofore referre
r to, the sum OF $92,793.53. Fe
| years the Engineers have urge
congress to appropriate 81
5 10000 annually for the mair
t tenance OF the navigation of Il
nE - II -