St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-05-22
"THE LAKES TAKEN
WITH WATER LILIES
The Pest seems to Follow "CITIIlzatlOn," and
Have Only Coms IN Since Advent 81 \. +.
SECOND LAKE" IS DOOMED
IN Effort 70 saYe A Part Of The Magnificent
Fishing GrOunds.-Sald that Gov. Sanders
VIII Take 4 HaDdto Exlormlnate Lilies.

For centuries the chain of lakes
on the 0~peiousas, Gulf & Northeast
ern Railroad have flowed in peace,
undisturbed by The hand of ciyiliza-
tion. They we're. before the advent
of The railroad, in the midst Of
an inaccessible swamp. Few fisher
men would camp on its banks, and
fish and trap. Otherwise their
waters we're as free from intruders
ais when the Indians were the sole oc-
cupants of this country.
Three years ago the @. Gee was
built through the swamps, and these
magnificent bodies of water were re-
YeaIed There are several lakes
Darbonne, Swayze. Petit Prairie,
Half Moon, Second, Burton and First.
They form a chain of lakes, and all
abound in the finest fresh water fish
of all varieties.
The beauty Of the lakes ana the
plentifulness of the fish soon appeal
ed to the sport-loving people of Ope-
Iousas, and a club was organized soon
after traffic on the railroad was in
augurated. Forty acres Of land was
purchased, and a large and substan-
tial clubhouse erected at Second
Lake.
There was not a lily in the waters
of any Of the lakes then. They had
remained through the centuries free
Of the pest. The sport was the finest
ia the country. Every Sunday the
banks of every lake in the chain
were crowded with people. The q.
Gee would give excursions every
Sunday. Families would spend the
week ait the club house. The Lakes
promised to furnish sport forever, as
the supply Of fish was inexhaustible.
But the hand of civilization APP
peared on the scene about this time.
The Atehafalaya levee board began
dredging and cutting a mammoth
canal through that country. The
lilies in Bayou Rouge and other in
fected places were turned loose, and
came floating down to the lakes.
And now it is only a matter Of a
few months when every one of those
beautiful lakes will be completely
choked up with lilies.
Last Sunday the sight was enough
to break ones heart. Second Lake,
from the club house down Petit Prai-
RE for a mile, and down Second Lake
for an equal distance, was a mattress
of lilies, and a gasoline boat plowed
It's way through with difficulty. They
are not that bad every day-some
days the water is clear and free of.
lilies; it depends On the wind.
But they are there, and will, event.
ually abide there permanently, inter-
locking and forming an impenetrable
mattress.
It is well known that fish will not
remain where lilies are. They can
not come up and get air, and will not
remain there and smother. They
will migrate. And then the club
house and other properties there viii
be useless.
The upper part Of Second Lake,
towards the swamps, may be saved.
Flanders and several Of the
club members have doomed the Lake
at the railroad bridge, and the lilies
on the swamp side viii be taken out
and about a mile Of lake saved.
it Is said that when Gov. Sanders
gets through with his good roads
movement he will tackle the lily
problem. He could find no better
evidence Of the necessity Of State
i'd il that line than by visiting Sec
md Lake, and q move is on foot TO
invite him there and show him the
lanoc being played by the pest. His
1xcellency was B visitor to Second
IKE when Ii was ii its glory, and
bin ne should visit it and soc the
ansf0rmakioa.