The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1906-09-22
Thc ST. Martisss lie New Road


ton proceedings, If necessary to-
the acquisition of a short road
across he low lands Oh the eastern
shore of Lake TasSe, leading from
the Darby hill to the parish road
near keystone plantation. me
object of this read is TO get u III
rect and short route from tins
place to st MartnIlllt, 10 optn !
| free road TO the people alOnG the
line, and TO compete with tie '@',
road. established many Yeas ago
by Mai. J. f Wyche,
For the want of adequate d'aIn
age the ST. MartlnvilIe road has
| been serious proposition IN pro
longcd periods of rainy weather
for the last forty or fifty years
The enclosing of tielG lands
through that section III the course
of lime confined travel 10 narrow
lanes These have been ir' uiirnt
ly impossible, forcing the traveller
to 90 through fields, where The
owners would permit. Again, the
parish road was not direct From
the Darby hill to the keystone
refinery it was two miles or more
longer than a direct line would be.
These conditions prompted Mai
Wychc, during his lifetime, to
open a road through his proper
ties, grade and drain It and TOT
establish toll gate at the far
end. The work Of building this
road entailcd a deal Of labor in
filling low places and several
bridges had to be built. The prl
vate road has been 50 cared fol
that it has been pasSiblc at all
times. In good or bad sraSons
it has carried fully ninety per
cent of the through travel, not
withStandiny the toll of ~ cents
each way charged from it's advan
tageS.
La a recent interview mir. Jas.
w Wyche, who now OWNS, con,
trolls, maintains this road and TO!
lects the tolls for the public for
its use, said:
"The New Iberia Board of Trade
negotiated and bought a right of
way, in the parish of st. Martins,
FROM the public road to a point
on the Iberia pa ish line This
right of way lays principally in
the marsh lands of Spanish lake
''The Police Jury of Iberia was
then induced to authorize the ex-
propriating of that part of the
road leading from the Darby hill,
across the low lands, to meet the
st. Martin parish section, with the
understanding that the Board of
Trade is to bear all the expense
of thus acquiring the right Of
way.
"Ot that section in st. Martins
parish, about one-half mile in
length is lake marsh. 1t was.
some years ago, what is known as
''tloai ing PRAIRIE" The changing
conditions of water levels Of the
lake have possibly caused the hoa'-
ing mats to settle, resulting in
very treacherous marsh that Meth
er man nor beast will attempt to
cross. This section must be filed
or bridged. If filed, the most
practical means will be by dredge
boat. To fill by other means will
involve prohihitive expense. The
most economical treatment possi
bic OF this road is going to cost
very pretty figure
''SOme years ago the parish of
st. Martins built bridge across
bayou Toltu", near the head of
the lake. The bayou ut that point
is very wide and marshy. and i'll
was necessary to construct bridge :
400 feet long to accomplish a
satisfactory crossing. This bulge
with lumber at IS. 80 per thousand
feet delivered at the bridge site,
cost $500 1t Is manifest that .
with twice the length Of he above
bridge needed to cross the marsh
along the line of the new road.
and with lumber at quite three .
times the price, the bridge promo
>ltiOn is one to cause promoters to
think.