New Iberia enterprise and independent observer., 1910-12-03
WORK ON TECHE BEGINS.

Al last the long delay ~ com
mpnring the construction "t the
Tnrhn locks is pni'pl The goN
rrumpnt steamer liyarlnth has ~
rived with all preliminary maohln
cry and work will he pushed u
rapidly as rnssihla from now on
Fart of the delay n 90 ting tn
work started was due t. the hll-
fiou,ty in securing - contractor
10 undertake the work for a s.,
81 sum With that Object u
yiuw the United States Engineer
mo nrpa,imrnl advcrtis fni
II is fnl the locks completed. onll
1np hll was submitted aud thG
exceeded the GOV
ernnelA 6 arpinrl 'at"n Tor th'
work. ftpr advertising agalil h1l
|rpiprting two more bids the gov
nrnmani finally dccidcd to under
take ihp work by day labor undei
,ho qrrekin.an Of n competent
un, eminent engineer 10 'hiS
aelr ! l., nlckpy nf Cot Hoh'h :
office IN Ncw utleans wa as
signed
The Improvement 8 contomr.aten
,or Eayon Tprho are hose Whi''
wore authorized by the tltty
ninth Congress. secpnh session, an'
| embraced IN The rvcts and mar
| ,nrs bill Of that session, 'affN'ht
an appropriation OF Ti'''"'o
! SIX loot navigation ol the e''i''
| repbo ~ rar as Arnaudvilla WI
H. rn,4lblo when the work 8 I'm
| ,ehpd The Techc commences
l,n,nu t'n,lrtahlcau about otgt
nrn miles above Alnaudhl't
AMI flows through ona "l f.
r,nhest aorirulIural sections n th'
word tn The Atohafalaya river
naor Patterson. n distance o
,hn,it 10 miles. The valley o.
his stream has Il large popu'a loi
land many large towns border 1t
aaults. The completion ot tn
vorl, ~ II render this stream nay
| cable the entire year. and Wi
resupl IN Inc of steamboats, on
|of New Orleans. which has a.
eady started ~ n result of th'
opening Of the PlauuemHne 10,
Tho locks are t. be located u
he banks Of the bayou entlrel,
ont Of the channel. Extensive ex
,,ava ions will have to be mad,
ror the lock foundation - 'nsid
| ,rably below the present bed o
| he stream. as wed as below tn
proposed depth after deepening
| rhe original plans ca.led tor t
,ix- foot channel over the Loeb
slIls, As the Teche IS to carry t
n ne foot channel below the loel
aud IN consequence OF the ralsnt
+ the waller above the locks 81
a ~ give six-foot channel t
Arnaudvllle. th re will be a ten
,ont channel for considerable Ills
| auen above the locks. which arr
10 be located at Keystone planta
lion four miles below st. Mar
,nyllle. where the Spanish Lax
utlet flows into the Teche
II has been decided that thei'
should be such changes made II
he ol ligina, plans as would CIV,
eight feet Of water over the locks
s,lls from the start. The chang
N the pans adds 10000 to th'
cost of. the lock construction
Another strong reason for making
this change at the present TN
that the uepth OF the lock ny basli
could not be increased later with
| ut practically destroying the en-
inie work and rebuilding.
When the locks will have beer
| completed a dam will be construct
"a across the present channe o
1.-The Tecbe between the upper Al
| Hover inlets to the locks iron
spanish Lake. This dam will b
built h gh enough to hold the wat
.r to a required level above tn
lock. All surplus water from
Freshest and rain floods will flow
lover the dam and pass on dowt
the Teche.
If the project of dammlng th'
lCourtab. eau below the head OF thu
ITeche is consummated it will ma
terially increase the water shed o.
the Teche and should besides pre-
wide safe navigation for the up
country stream improve the Tech'
by providing a greater flow O
water.