The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-23


forego being represented at the expo
sition, but rather than have this hap
pen the governor said he called into
his room at the ST. Charles Hotel the
presidents of the four fiscal agent
banks of the state and asked them If
they would advance SIS, GOO with which
to execute the act passed by the gen
eral assembly. They readily aeceded
to his request, and Louisiana will
therefore be properly represented at
jamestown. The governor said that in
the same way the legislature omitted
TO furnish money for the board of
equalization, but he will see that the
necessary amount is forthcoming and
hat the work of the board is not
hampered.
AT the conclusion of Gov. Blanch-
ards speech Chairman Maurin adj
dressed the meeting, reviewing the
Lafourche lock project from its in
cipiency several years ago, and stat
ing that the leyee boards recognize
that they are not only morally but
financially bound TO construct the
locks, having furnished bond to the
United States government that this
would be done within reasonable
length of time.
Hon. r. r. Sims, who has taken a
prominent part in the movement to
compel the leYee boards to adhere to
their promises, was called for and re-
sponded with a Enthusiastically elo-
quent and forceful address, declaring
that the best way to build locks is to
build them, and the sooner the work
is started the quicker will it be COM
pleted. He said that the law on the
subject is plain and mand atory, the SUI
preme court having passed upon every
act referred to by Gov. Blanchard
and declared them all constitutions
and valid; tn at there is no impeachment
in the way from financial standpoint,
the levee boards being authorized to
issue notes for the purpose of ac-
complishing the object in view; hat
the boards should set aside yearly the
sum of $4,000 each, of which $25, 900
should be devoted to reducing the sum
required to build the locks-whether it
be $3.50, 900, $3.50, 900 or 81, 900, 600 and
the rem aiming 5000 to liquid ating
the interest on this amount; and hat
he believes the two levee boards, the
members of which are public serv ants,
will fulfill the obligations resting upon
them and proceed to redeem their
promises and execute their plain
duty by constructing the locks without
loss of time.
Responsive to repeated calls from
the audience, Hon. w alter Lemann,
one of Ascension's representatives in
the state legislature, made brief ad-
dress, indorsing what had been said
by the preceding speakers, and calling
attention TO the fact that whereas the
state board of engineers had originally
estima ted the cost of the locks at $3.50,
600, the only bid received, that of the
Foundation Company of New York,
was for $602, 900, a discrepancy of
nearly $500, 900. He suggested that
the question of the probable cost of the
locks be discussed, and that the state
board of engineers be called on for in
formation on this point.
Hon. Thomas Beary of La
fourche moved that Congressman
George B, Burgess of Texas, who is
presently visiting relatives in Assump-
ton parish, and who was in attend ance
at the meeting, be invited to address
the assemblage.
Congressman Burgess was escorted
to the rostrum by Hon. r. N. Sims,
and began his address by stating that
Louisiana is to be congratulated on
having Gov. Blanchard as chief ex-
ecutive, Hon. Joseph E. Ransdell as a
member of the rivers and harbors
committee of the national house OF
representatives, and Senator Murphy
J.. Foster as a member of the cores
ponding committee in the senate. He
said that he is not only a brother-in-
law to Bayou Lafourehe, but that he
feels a deep interest in that stream.
and that it was he who in 1905 wrote
the order in the rivers and harbors
bill providing for survey of the
proposed inland waterway extending
from Donaldsonville, La. to Browns
vile. Tex. He declared that he has
made up his mind to see this waterway
constructed Or break every buckle in
his congressional harness, and re-
ferred to the manifold advantages to
be derived from the accomplishment
of the project, stating that even the
railroads would benefit as a result of
increased business consequent upon
the tapping of the richest section of
the two great states of Louisiana and
Texas, which produce sugar, cotton,
rice, lumber, salt, sulphur and other
commodities in lavish abundance,
He said that unless locks are con-
structed at the head of Bayou La
fourche the eastern terminus of the in.
land waterway will be located at Plau-
uemine, and that as the Lake Verrett-
Lafourche route is some sixty miles
shorter than the other, and easier to
navigate in periods Of high water, ev-
cry conception of moral responsibility.
business judgment and common sense
demands the Immediate construction of
locks in Bayou Lafourche.
Continuing, Congressman Burgess
said the rivers and harbors committee
"doesn't care d about dammipp
streams, but wishes to open them ia
order to promote and increase naviga-
tion; that the members of that commits
tee in the course of human events will
decline to assent to an extension of the
time limit for building the locks, but
will direct the levee boards either to
provide locks without further delay or
restore the levees along the bayou and
remove the dam.
He said the levee boards and the