The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1910-02-19
tiers Of the Atchafalaya River.

Pending all abnormal distribution OF
atmospheric pressure, showing low
barOmetic pressure over the area, cover
ing Kansas. Oklahoma, Indian Territory
the Panhandle of Texas, and LOuisi-
ana, another source. the Ouachita River.
with its area and Red River with periO-
dical rains in that quarter very hea-
Wy and tremendous flood will be carried,
and poured into the Atchafalaya, AS it
has done during many years, and | would
like to see you drink the waters. as you
said you could.
One of our land owners said. our state
Engineers told him. our only protection
lies in back levee project. a. no other
can be offered. nature does not permit
any other. he said he had just as well
have his land under water every year
than to have it OVERLOOKED every 9
or years. Our oldest and most relia-
bic steam boat men in the district says
the closing Of Old River wOnld not do
us much good, and any sane men know
it will not protect our lands east of the
Teche from floods of the Red and Ouach-
lta Rivers and its tributaries. There
fore. Grand River. Bayou Chene, Bloody
Bayou. Bell River and all BayOur in
our great swamp country, will have no
protection from the foods of the Red Ri
YER. These people who reside in the
swamp are aware Of this fact, and the
only way you can make garden spot of
Louisiana out OF the swamp. you have
to dam the Atchafalaya River below the
mouth Of the Bayou Courtableau and
send all waters to the Mississippi River,
which physical impossibility for the
want OF funds.
My humble advice to '26 years on the
spot" and all of his opinion, devote all
your time and energy, and use your best
combined efforts to have Old River clos.
ed. We will cooperate with you. this
is national matter, requires national
appropriation. Not sane man in this
district will raise one finger against it,
though you have 20 year job on your
hand. Whenever that is accomplished |
it will be welcomed. In the mean time |
don't be selfish. consider the great
amount Of suffering in the flooded Sec
tiOns OF our district. men and women
who have been for years sacrificing their
lives by privatiOn. to raise the funds
required every year to pay their levee
and acreage taxes on lands they do not
derive cent of revenue, with the ulti.
mate hope at some future time, their
hopes will be realized by having a levee
protection to protect their homes from
floods due them under the law. The
Farmers Protective Association is organ
izing for the purpose Of requesting the
Basin Levee Board to give q
levee protection. The tax payers have
paid over million Of dollars for that
purpose. and please tell me for what rea-
son you do not want tax payers to ap-
peal to the constituted authorities for
their just due under the law, this is not
in conflinct with the closing Of OLD Ri
Yer. want protection from floods such
as 1888 and 1889. which was not the
lowest stage Of water we had, my land
was 0vertowed that time, and Red River
was our feeder. | was there and know
what speak about.
1t is beyond my conception and can
not comprehend your manifest OppOsi.
ion against back levee project Ordor-
Ell by our chief state Engineers, which
would not raise the stage one inch in
he great swamp country, nor damage
hese people who resides in that part of
he swamp country where mother nature
has not offered any means to protect
hem.
To conclude my appeal to "25 years
IN the spot" is pull with the Farmers
Association to get Levee pro.
ectiGn and am positive they will pull
With his crowd to get old Old River closed
md will be glad for my share give "25
'ears on the spot" all the credit.
Controversies OF this nature il much
appreciated by the authorities. as they
ire not inclined to do much for us for
ariOus reasons. Regardless of all the
ticking, might as right get better in