New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1907-08-03
CANAL MATTERS.

heart talk w edneSdaV evening
between the Southern DlStrlc
Drainage Board, Mr.. L. W
Thomas, the contractor, ant
Mr.. Walter Y. Kemper, th'
Engineer for the Board, witt
relation to the reason why The
sub contractors Messrs. SPrague
& Co., of New Orleans stopped
work.
In the long discussion thai
followed it was developed that
when the canal was originally
planned and the contract let
there was no absolute poiat
where the mean tide level could
be obtained. The Government
had not established one then
and that used by the Southern
Pacific X. r. at Weeks Island
was taken as a basis for estimat-
ing the amount of work done
only. 1t was also used in max :
ing the profile, but so far as
could be ascertained from the
minutes OF the Board it was
never made the officia level of
the Board.
Under the contract the canal
was to be six feet deeper than
the mean tide level. Mr.. Du-
lanev, as attorney for the Board
said that in order TO have it six
feet deeper than the mean tide
level some point should have
been taken as a basis for the es
tabIishment of the level. If
that had not been done who
who should say whether or not
the canal was being dug up to
specifications. 1t was true that
the contract said the canal had
to be dug six feet below the
mean tide level but unless that
level was officially established,
it could not be determined
whether the canal was deep
enough or not.
Mr.. Thomas was under the
impression that the Board had
adopted the level furnished by
the Southern Pacific but the
minutes did not reveal that fact
although they did show that the
S. i. level at Weeks island was
to be taken as basis for the
profile for the lower portion of
the canal said profile to be used
in making estimates for the pay
ment of the work.
MIR. kemper made matters a
little clearer by stating that the
Government had recently estab-
lished mean tide level at the
Post Office here. He had
taken this level for his survey
and had found that the work as
beng done by the sub-contrac-
tors was too shallow by about
foot and q halt. In other words
if the digging were carried on as
then in progress the water in the
canal would be only 4 IA teet
deeper than mean tide level as
established by the government.
Mr.. Ksmper also said that he
found the profile as made by
former engineers faulty in other
ways for it includes two sections
which were not there or the
profile made the old route OF
the canal two sections longer
that it really was. This would
mean that the first estimate of
the amount to be dug would be
wrong. Another mistake he
found in the profile was that it
showed the ground surface two
feet lower than it really is SO
that on the old route there
would be about $500 more
yards to be dug than the profile
sailed tor. The survey OF the
new route showed that there
would have to be dug out about
$500 more yards than the first
estimates in order to get the six
loot depth at the real mean tide
Ievel. Not knowing what MIR.
Thomas contract was with the
sub contractors 1t was thought
best to 60 ill matters were
Strengthened out.
MIR. Thomas said that under
his contract they were TO get 10
cents cubic yard for all the
dirt they dug. If they took
out more dirt than was called
Tor by the profile they would be
paid for it by him. II the
Board was at fault in changing
the levels it would have to pay |
the difference. If he was at |
fault he would have to pay the |
but under any cir
the sub-contractors |
would get paid for all they dug
at the rate agreed upon. There |
tore he did not see why they |