New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-04-30
amount to more than 100000

. acres as | have shown by statistics
of the q parishes. These lands
are not like those near your city.
aud below it. that require levees
to protect them from the floods
of the Mississippi but also from
the tides of the gulf, and costly
draining machines, of which your
papers arc now making SO much.
| MI they require is projection from
the floods, of the Mississippi, and
they drain themselves, requiring
but little diking.
During our Civil War ! was
with Captain +. W. Fuller and
served with him on gunboats aS
long as the Confederatcs had any.
and owing TO my knowledge OF the
country was often detailed TO ar
rest conscripts and desertcrs who
| had fled TO the swamps. to keep
out Of the war. And after his
death commanded his company,
| and when they had no more gun
boats and did not need my com
pany in forts or as heavy artillery
we were sent as scouts INTO the
Atchafalaya Basin so that there
| is not bayou or stream that l
have not been in and know the
whole country thoroughly When
! see so much of high and rich
land that can be so easily re
lcaimed aud made productive. add
ing 50 much to the wealth and pop
ulation of our State and your city.
that | feel it my duty, and from
motives of patriotism TO raise my
voice to do all | can in favor OF
divorcing the Mississippi from the
Red and Atchafalaya as the only
way in which these rich lands can
be reclaimed and developed, and
| am confident that it will not be
necessary to raise the levees or go
to the enormous expense estimated
by Major Uarrod. it did not do
so when the Manchac. Plaque
mine or Lafourche were diked and
divorced. It has not done so in
the pas. and | do not see why 1t
should do SO in the future. This
has been the cry Of the outlet adj
vocates ever since ! have been IN
the state. They contended at first
that it wis impossible to control
the river by levees; that 'Ihere
must be outlets. When it is dem
onstrated that it can, and when
confined to its bed it enlarges and
deepens it's bed until it is able to
discharge it's waters without m
crease to it sflood height. such will
be the case when IT. is divorced
from Atchafalaya. It. will wash
out uhe sandbars that have been
formed in its bottom by reason
Of Ahe outlet. OF course this must
take time. It cannot be done at
once. | would suggest that first
the levces TO The north of the Red
bt IfHuilt NtNu w ltT H'Vu'h'
Then close its mouth gradually
bv means of mats or jettics, just
as they are doing al the mouth
Of the river to deepen its chan
mel. This will give the river |
Zine to scour ort its channel and
and discharge it's waters without
raising it's flood height ,or doing |
any damage to those living be-
low. As to hhe objection of
steamboat men to navigating the |
Atchafalaya on account of tits
strong current and The locks at
Plaquemine. The strong current
is caused by the floods of the
Mississippi through Old River.
When This is cut off they will not
exist, and they win find That a
nearer and better route than the
present one. and the reclamation
Of the lands of the lower Atchafa-
laya and Grand Rivers will add |
immensely ITO their business. In
view of the immense advantages
Of this measure to The city of New
Orleans. must say that | was
astonished at the Board of Trade
composed of al the commercial
and business men Of your city,
opposing it. and | appeal no them
to reconsider their action and
join with us in support of meas
IRE have shown to be so bene-
fetal to the city and state.
II m EINrfN |