The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-16
A Highly Important Meeting.


and Lafourche Basin levee boards
which Gov. Blanchard has called for
10 o'clock a. m. on Wednesday next,
the 10Th inst, at the Donaldsonville
courthouse, will be very important
gathering, inasmueh as its action is
almost certain to exercise great influ.
ence in fastening the construction OF
a lock to take the place of the dam
which now shuts off connection
between Bayou Lafourche and the
Mississippi river at this town.
Besides having the members of the
two levee boards and their consulting
state engineers notified of the meeting,
the governor has invited the attend
ance of United States Engineers Jad-
win and Conklin and other officials
conversant with the subjects of build
ing locks and levees, and it is desir-
able that there should be also large
representation of the property hold
ers, planters and business men of the
Lafourche valley, all of whom have
either a direct or Indirect interest in
the early accomplishment of the pro-
iect which the meeting is designed to
promote.
There can be no question as to the
legal and moral obligation of the levee
boards to provide for the construction
of the lock and removal of the dam,
and doubtless Gov. Blanchard will
take occasion to impress fitting sense
of this obligation upon the members
of these two bodies. Such Ia reminder,
coming from the chief executive OF the
state, who is commanded by the con-
stitution to see that the laws are faith
fully observed, will naturally have
much weight with such of the levee
commissioners any there be-as
are disposed to ignore or disregard
their duty in the premises. It is well,
however, that manifestation of pub
lie opinion on the subject at issue
should be made, more especially as
there has been disposition in some
quarters to encourage the impression
that a majority of the people of the
Lafourche section are either favorable
TO the retention of the dam or indiffer-
ent as to whether the lock be con-
structed or not.
Let the planters, merch ants, coal
dealers, steambo atmen, fatboatmen,
and all other classes concerned in re-
storing the navigable character of the
bayou and its connection with the Mis-
sissippi see to it therefore that they
are we'll represented al next Wednes-
days meeting in order that there may
be no chance to invoke the pretext of
popular indifference in defense of an
obstructive or dilly-dallying policy
with reference to the building of a
lock.
Little heed should be accorded rep
reservations that the work of construct
ing lock at Donaldsonville will en-
counter extraordinary obstacles or in
volve inordinate expense. A lock has
recently been completed at Harvey's
Canal, opposite New Orleans, upon
which the Lafourche levee board has
set the seal OF its approval by granting
permission for the cutting of it's levee
SO as to connect the canal with the ri
yer. This lock was constructed by the
Harvey Canal Land and Improvement
Company in less than three years time
at a cost of about $3.50, 900. What a
private company can do at Harvey's
Canal the joint efforts and resources
of two big levee boards can as readily
accomplish at Donaldsonville.
The advantages to be derived from
the construction of the Bayou La
fourche lock are so great and so ur-
gent as to constitute the work vital
public necessity and it's failure akin
to crime. Attention has recently
been called to the fact that no other
natural waterway of similar width and
length in this country has larger
traffic or more densely populated banks
than this beautiful bayou now being
gradually transformed into stagnant
ditch. The mere thought of its perma-
nent closure ought to arouse every
citizen of it's fertile territory to protest
by word and deed.
The voice of the people should be
heard with no uncertain sound at the
Donaldsonville courthouse next We'd
nesday forenoon.