The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-23
A Long Step Towards Building the
LafOurehe Locks.


Laf0urche Locks.
While there is deal of difference
and often far cry between holding
public meetings, making high-sound-
ing speeches, passing emphatic resolu-
tions and the actual beginning OF work
upon the locks with which it is hoped
soon to replace the dam that now OBJ
structs the head of Bayou Lafonrche
at Donaldsonville, it must be admitted
that the big rally at the courthouse in
this town last Wednesday constituted
long stride towards promoting and
Fastening the accomplishment of this
important project. No one conVersant
with the situation could fail to recog-
nize the representative character of the
assemblage that filled the spacious
courtroom to it's utmost capacity, or
doubt the general and vigorous degree
of public sentiment aroused among the
people of the Lafourehe valley by the
dilatoriness of the two levee boards
charged with the duty of constructing
the locks and by the apprehension that
these bodies sought to evade and es-
cape the performance of that duty.
Gov. Blanchard made an admirable
presentation of the matter at issue
from the standpoint of the laws bear
ing on the subject and of the chief ex-
ecutive of the state, who is commanded
by the constitution to see that the laws
are faithfully obeyed and carried into
effect, His statement of the legal OBJ
legation resting upon the levee boards
to build the lock and remove the dam
left no Vestige of room for doubt or
discussion on that point, and while he
disavowed any intention or desire to
"take sides " in any controversy rel
alive to the physical feasibility of the
project or the financial ability of the
Ievee boards to undertake it, his as
sertion that even million dollars
would not be too much to spend on
such an important work attested his
intelligent appreciation of the vast
value and vital need of the restoration
of navigable connection between Ba-
you Lafourche and the Mississippi
river.
Capt. Y. Maurin, in his double ca
pacity as president of the Lsfourche
Basin levee board and chairman of
the joint meeting of that body and the
AJchafalaya levee board, also helped
the audience to clear understanding
of the situation by a cogent statement
of the steps that had been taken from
time to time by these boards with ref
erence to the lock question; and Capt.
Maurin's concluding declaration that
if proper bids are received in response
to the pending advertisements, the
boards are both legally bound and f.
nancially able to construct the locks,
evidenced the soundness of his posi-
ton on the side of the public welfare.
The brief but clear-cut speeches of
Hons. r. N. Sims and Walter Lemann.
WOAV oA6O Fd4u1blC NOhpA l6uo1Oho w
the discussion and fitly voiced the pop
ular feeling in favor of the building
of the, locks at the earliest practicable
time, while even Gov. Blanchard's au-
thoritative and unequivocal utterances
were scarcely more important in their
bearing on the problem under consid-
Grafton than the remarks of Congress-
man George f. Burgess of Texas,
whose position as a member of the RI
vers and harbors committee and an
earnest advocate of the proposed in
tercoastal canal, lent additional weight
to the views he expressed on this occa-
sion, which are outlined in the report
Of the meeting published elsewhere in
these columns. Gen. Perrilliat, Mr..
Tete, Mr.. Marks and Major Kerr all
said some things that were timely, and
the unanimous re-adoption by the two.
levee boards OF their former resolution
authorizing the preparation of revised
plans and specifications for the locks
and directing that proposals to do the
work be advertised for, constituted
an outcome OF the public demonstra-
ton that Is all that the most ardent
friends OF the movement to uncork
Bayou Lafourche could have expected
or desired.