The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-08-17
LAFoURcHE LOCKS.
Joint Meeting Of Leves Boards Author
ICES Sale of Thirty Feur Notes, Ag-
gregating 46sO, o0O-GovsrnOr
Unable 70 be Present.

gregating 1850, O0O-GOvsrnOr
Unable 20 be Present.
Pursuant to a call issued by Gov
N. c. Blanchard, joint meeting o
the Atchafalaya and Lafourehe basir
levee boards was held ia the loea
courthouse at noon Thursday for The
purpose Of discussing matters pertain
ing to the construction of locks to re-
place the present dam at the head o
Bayou Lsfourche. Hon. v. Nj. Le
febyre, of West Baton Rouge, presi
| dent of the tchsfslaya levee board
presided over the semblage, anC
the following membeEs of the swc
boards were in attend ance:
Atchsfalaya board-Thos. Beary
Honore Dugas, j. a. Provost and
James Gotten.
Lsfourche board-V. Maurin, pres
ident; j. S. Brady, Camille Templet
Louis Hymel, Alfred Songy, T. ]
Sellers. r. Perez and George Lorio
The absentees were A. Fl. Gay and
Thos. G. Erwin of the Atch afaiays
board, and D. ]. Foret of the La.
fourche board.
There were slso present Major f,
NJ. Kerr and Col. Arsene Perriiliatt
Of the state board of engineers, and q
number OF prominent citizens of sew.
eral of the parishes interested in the
construction OF the locks, including a
big deleg ation from ST. Martin and
iberia parishes.
Upon calling the meeting to order,
Mr.. Lefsbvre explained that Gov.
Blanchard had fully intended to be
present, but that he was taken i'll while
on his way to Donaldsonville and
was compelled to abandon the trip.
Gov. Blsnchard's private secretary,
T. 0. Harris, stated that the governor
had stopped eff At Belle Helene Thurs
day morning IL take breakfast with
Col. C. D. Gondran and family, and
that while seated at the table he was
seized with sudden attack of illness
and had been forced to go to bed.
Mr.. Harris added that the governor
was not feeling we'll when he started
from Baton Rouge, but that he was
extremely anxious TO be present at the
meeting of the levee boards and had
determined not to be kept away if 1t
we're possible for him to attend.
The report OF the executive COM
mittee, covering the meeting of that
committee in New Orleans on Nav 81
for the purpose of opening bids for
the construction of the locks, fnone
being submitted), was read and
adopted.
At this point Mr.. Perez suggested
that as the meeting had been called by
Gov. Blanchard, and that as the
latter had unfortunately been pre-
vented from attending, it might be
best to defer action in the matter
under consideration until some future
date. Mr.. Lefebvre and others, after
a general discussion of the suggestion,
thought that the meeting should pro-
coed, and that the boards might at
least transact other business than
that relating to the lock proposition.
Mr.. Maurin stated that F. A. Mid
dleton, attorney for the Lafourche
board, had written Attorney General
Guion requesting an opinion on the
sub lect OF she DsSosistion of she notes
10 be issued by the levee boards ia
payment for the locks, and suggested
that Mr.. Middleton read his letter to
Mr.. Guion and the latter's reply.
The correspondence was as follows:
New Orleans. L. July 0, 1907.
Honorable Walter Guion, Attorney General
New Orleans, La;
Dear sir-Upon request have given to the
commissioners Of the Lafourche basin levee dis
trict the following opinion:
I am OF the opinion that the board cannot
accept for its notes. issued under the authority.
of Sec Of Act No. OF the acts of 1900 less than
the face value OF the said notes.
Sec. 2 provides that to meet said expenses
said boards are authorized to issue separately
their notes, with such maturities and bearing
such interests as may best suit for the advan-
notes Of each board shall be payable each year,
and none of them shall run longer than twenty
years. or be for less than twenty thousand
annum interest"
The construction of this paragraph shows an
intent on the part Of the legislature to regulate
the expenditure OF money by the boards for the
purpose OF building locks, and to prevent the
contraction Of debt which would dtssipate the
general revenues intended for levee purposes
Therefore limit was placed upon the amount
Of interest which should be paid for money
borrowed under this act. The borrowing OF
money upon note issued by authority of Sec
OF Act No. Of 1860, at Q rate OF 5 per cent
Interest upon the face OF the note and q further
allowance OF, say. 2 per cent brokerage would
be tantamount to paying per cent for the use
Of the money. and would in my opinion be 8
violation OF this act The sale Of a note for less
than its face value would reduce itself to the
same proposition-paying more interest for the
use OF the money than is allowed By this act.
have been requested to forward this opinion
70 you and ask that you render an opinion for
he guidance OF the board Of commissioners Of
,he Lafourche leVee district upon the subject
matter referred to in the opinion I have Just
Iuoted. The board 10 awaiting your opinion be-
ore acting in this matter and therefore win
rreatly appreciate an early reply.
Yours very truly,
F. A. MIDDLETON,
Attorney for Lafourche LeVee Board.
New Orleans, La, July 90 1907.
Nh. F. A. Middleton, Attorney for Lafourche
Leyee Board, City:
Dear Sir-I have your letter OF the 9Th, which
cached me st time when was very busy with
PRESSING official work and since which time / |
lave not been able, until now, to reply You in |
orm me that you have given to the commission
RS OF the Lafourche basin 1evee district an opiT-
on advising them that the board cannot accept |
or its notes, issued under the authority of Sec
Act No. Of the acts OF 1900 less than the |
ace value of the said notes. and that You had |
zen requested to inform me OF the opinion which
ou had given and to ask that render an 4
r3TfOy Anv z he sSnr,r 1R l.