The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1910-03-05
Answer to IS Years on the
Spot.

Gle In reply 10 mlue vi previous ioouo'
II you will permit me to answer. | will
say in reply to 25 Hears on the Spot. you
are holding opinion not in accord with
the general recognized standard. you
critisize the DEGREES Of eminent engl-
neers, which seems a great absurdity.
which is characteristic Of you. in heter-
OdOx manner. Your experience in the
Great Swamp country, has been very
limited. and mostly acquired on high
hill away from the swamp aud high wa
ter. Your statement for the good Of the
parish of st. Martin at large. that your
good old crowd. who has the interest of
the Parish at heart. is non political. no
thing to hide, is delusiOn and Gold
Brick. you are fishing for political job.
which every reader of this controversy
is aware of. My observation of particu-
lars of this good old crowd of yours. who
poses as Moses of the Parish at large.
numbers about four men. with their au-
thOrity in about another year. IL left
alone. will wholly engrOss the will OF
the people of this whole parish.
You have failed to answer my chal-
lenge to offer better plan than offered
by our state Engineers. your contention
about the people who resides in the
Great Swamp country, Oh tide overflow
ed land that they would be de scrimated
against by Back Levee is rot, you
know has no foundation.
Your adrOitness, tact and shrewdness,
lack the word, Art, it does not require
psychological observation to firmly esta-
blish your motive in this opposition to
the back levee system advocated by our
eminent state engineers, which you call
Gold Brick. Your purpose is self evl
dent. Your Art Of writing is not apt
to explode like bOmb-shell in this con.
trOversy and have all the farmers join
your good old crowd, in your badly tun-
ed Band wagon. simply because you
have a few horns with handle to IT..
with promise. The kind of talk you
are giving the farmers is just the music
that will enlighten them on the subject.
you are helping the back leyee project.
You are crystallized. and fixed in OPT
MON that the Mississippi River. will one
morning find its way at your back gate
on the hill. Brother keep your train Of
thought on the track, don't let this wOr-
ry you. disabuse your mind. stop and
think After 1882 high water, when it
was discovered that at the high stage Of
that year 100000 second feet passed
the mouth of Red River. of this about
10000 second feet were contributed by
Red River. The War Department.
through its engineers laid down sill.
to stop the flow into the Atchafalaya Ri
yer at such rate, which was taking at
that time 6.50O.OO second feet out of q
100000. There is no records Of more than
100000 second feet having ever passed
New Orleans. Four years ago a survey
was made at the Atchafalaya River and
no one heard Of this great alarm you
want to dope the farmers with now.
Brother. whenever the Atchafalaya Ri
yer will want to become the Real Mis-
sissippi. be at your ease. the vast inter
est Of the harbOr Of New Orleans, will
not tolerate this change. Every man
Of the hour is aware Of this fact. Mr.
Eads prediction is recognized by authO.
rites, but they know time is not yet
ripe. You will loose some more of your
hair. and he sure you keep your IA ulty
and energy together. So as you can ex-
plain to the farmers. il you have the
blessedness to live long enough, to say
after old River is damned and the waters
OF the Red at the rate of 10000 second
feet will be pouring Oh the farmers. II
your OppOs itiOn will be the cause the
farmers will have no protection. Where.
ever you may be in this or the next
sphere. il not already dam by the dam
Of Old River. you will be damned again
l will reiterate, will cooperate in
the closing Of old River, whenever il
can be done. This is national matter
| will also state all well informed men
are laughing at whoever says the clos.
ing of old River is all the protection we
want for lands subject to overflow, had
Won the knowledge that Won claim Won