New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-07-30
DIG THE CANAL.

The canal question has taken
on a new impetus and many OF
our citizens are anXiouSly await
ing some action on the part of the
Council TO continue this work
with the present funds and an ad-
ditional appropriation by the
Council. If we are not IN pos
tion to get a canal let MS get 2
drainage ditch and give the
proper relief to the residents in
the rear Of New Iberia whose
property is emerged in water from
the daily downpourS such as we
are having. There is absolutely
no more excuse N awaiting for
a Court decision between the
Contractor Thomas and the
Drainage Board. II is time now
TO proceed to work and cut the
canal. (the decision Of the Court
Notwithstanding 4 ditch of
some proportions from the basin
in the Pascal field TO where the
canal now stands is much more
acceptable to the taxpayers than
waiting on the slow process of the
Courts. which after a decision is
rendered viii be Of little SatiSfac
ton when the people are suffer
ing from lack Of drainage. Dig
the canal and let the suit be sci
tied afterwards. what matters, lis
the canal the people want anyway
and not a dcciS on.
As the matter now stands.
the canal is 10000 feet from its
basin, Just about a mile and three
quarters in round figures. To
give the City and community in
slant relief as to drainage. sup
pose this canal can be cut six feet
deep, thirty feet wide, with a one
to one slope, there would have to
be moved about 10000 thousand
cubic yards Of earth. this work
can be done approximately at a
cost of from $1,000 to $4,000. The
Canal Board n"w has available
for excavating shout $1,000 this
with the sale Of the dredgc (if
Sold would add about three or
four thousand to this fund and
with the amount of money falling
to the use Of the Board each year
would be more than sufficient to
do this work. This canal dug for
drainage purposes as per the
above as things now stand would
have a fall of five feet within the
10000 feet distance. Does it NOT
seem reasonable that the Canal
Board can find way to com
plete the canal (for the present.
as a drainage canal. Would not
the force of water that will rush
through and over a five foot fall
within two miles do some wash
ing out, suppose it does deposit
at some lower level in the canal,
would it not be cheaper to move
the deposit than eXcavatc in high
land, besides giving the City in
slant relief. There has been this
theory and that theory advanced.
all the arguments till now have
been of no avail. we are certain
of this and now that there is left
hope and a few dollars. can we
get busy? What the City wants
is drainage. what the people want
is drainage, give us drainage
canal if nothing else. We plead
for the cause of drainage, at least
some relief to our fellow towns
people who voted the tax for the
purpose and who live in the $50
called" marsh of the city and for
THE protection of our streets.
How can we hope to maintain
them if we cannot protect them
from foundations from every rain
that fa.lsq
Gentlemen of the Canal Board
will you not give this long neg
lected matter your earnest con
sideration, it is a sacred trust you
owe the people of this City The
citizens of this community at least
expect you I'd do something in
the way of an effort to complete
the work. All of you were elect
ed and pledged to complete the
canal, are YOU going to make