The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1909-09-11
Capt. King to the Levee
Board.
New Iberia. La, Sept. 3, 1909.
Hon. v. NJ. Lefebre and Commissioners
AtchafGlaya Basin Levee Board.
Port Allen. La.


GentIpmen:-
Having settled on Bayou Lembarras in
lS49 and opened sugar plantation on
the same and resided on the same most
Of the time since. | have a thorough
acquaintance Of the whole Atchafalaya
Basin. and seeing from the Times DEM
Ocrat that you have advertised for bids
for survey Of the Basin with view Of
building levees and protection Of that
great section from overflow. / have coll
cluded to give you my views in regard
to the same hoping they may be Of some
benefit to you In dealing with the same.
You can extend the levees on the Atcll.
afalaya on the west bank down to Butte
IL LarOse including the COteaubleau.
This will entirely protect the parishes
Of st. Landry the western portion Of st.
Martin aud Iberia by forcing the floods
VI the Atchafalaya to the eastward and
more rapidly into Grand Lake. through
Grand River and numerous outlets, at
the same time deepening it. and imprO-
wing its navigation. This will improve
its navigation and precipitate the huOds
into Grand River. from whence they will
precipitate into the Gulf as fast as they
come. This will protect 5000 acres or
more Of The richest lands of the State
aid render them fit for improvement
and cultivation. To make the improve
ments the COteaublpau should be le-
weed. Ii is not now and never will be
of any Use for purposes of navigation,
aud the people Of Washington aud ST.
Landry can have a much better naviga-
ton by cleaning out large Bayou LEAH
ing from Couteaubleau to the OpelOu-
sas Lakes below and from thence into
Grand River and the Locks at PLAQUE
mine. This route can be opened much
cheaper than opening the route by the
Atchafalaya and when once opened will
stay open, for it acts as the drainage
for that whole section of country.
When this is done you can extend your
levee on the east bank down to Whisky
bay on Grand River and protect another
large section of country and three Rail-
Roads running through it. As for the
immense section of the Basin lying be-
low Grand River. owing to the large
number OF Rivers, BayOus and Lakes it
will be impossible TO adopt any general
system Of leveeing for their protection.
1t can be done more cheapiy by divorce
ing the Mississippi River from the Red
and Atchafalaya Rivers. This wouli 50
lower the flood nights Of the Basin as to
render LSvees unnecessary and in this
way nearly million acres can be pro-
tected. and am confident would render
Levees Oh the Atchafalaya unne essary.
You have more interest in this work
than the fifth Levee or any other Levee
district. There Is about % miles above
the mouth of the Red that has never
been rebuilt since the Civil War. Il
seems to be left expressly TO prpcipitate
the floods Of the Mississippi into the Red
and Atchafalaya. This Is what flOWis
the whole basin and il not stopped will
flood the Trche and the whole country.
There Is at most one million acres Of
land that are now Ovrr6Owed every year
that was never known TO overflow before
our Civil War. There were at that time
twenty or more sugar plantations in
the Basin several producing from three
to five hundred hogs head sOf sugar that
have been abandoned ON account
Of constant Overflows. and are rapidly
growing up into forest.
l zee it stated that YOU have commence, d
dikiDg the head of the Alabama with a
view OF extending the Levpes on the east
hank Of the Atchafalaya. This should
not be done until after the west hank
has been leveeed. for If you do you will
precipitate the whole Of the floods OF the
Atchafalaya upon the cultivated lands
OF the Teche from one end to the other
and do immense damage.
BY an enormous expenditure of money
We have demonstrated that we can con-
troll the great River. We have succeed
oil In retaining about one sixth of our
rich allUviaI lands and should all work
together to redeem the remainder, with
Al