New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-09-30
WE STAND PAT ON THE
COURTABLEAU.

The aSnlnSIOn TfOSfesS " ~.
Landry Parish of September 23d.
coutained the snbi0ired article
relative to the damming OF the
Courtableau:
eat the meeting Thursday even
irg regarding the improvements
of the Teche and to damn Court
taB,eau the fact developed that
there is no effort being put forth
bv the people along the Courta-
blear. or nv any great number OF
neople Of St. Landry to damn the
Coprtableau. The Tecke ag9re-
CATION contend that they are onlv
going to dem the Ceurta bleau if
we permit them to. but we take
it that what tl1ev intend doing will
b to damn it from our point Of
view. or 50 far a. our good is con-
cerned.
They contend that their project
will help US in matters of naviga-
ton. when the fact of the matter
is that their contemplated project
will pnt us 100 miles farther from
Now Orleans than by the opening
Of the Courtableau. Where does
the benefits come in on this score
They contend that the improve
ment will be a benefit to the Schell
Canal bv making the lift at least
10 or Is feet less by holding the
water ND with a lock system or
dam. But against that is held out
the word of the man that under
took the project, who objects. and
nrefers no Improvement at all in
stead of daminp the Courtableau.
and that he prefers the lift he has
figured on. So why should we
take their word fQr this?
They contend that their con-
temp'ated improvement would
benefit, we agree with them to a
certain extent, but don't know
what would happen when theCour-
tableau rises six or eight in one
night which it has been known to
do and spred out over adjacent
lands. Nav be they can tell us
how it will improve the drainage
of our landsi
They contend that it would re-
claim thousands of acres of land
for them. On the other hand we
have thousands Of acres of land
that are already in cultivation
that are dependent on this water
for irrigation. Why should we
give it to them, and spoil our
lands?
Finally they claim that they
are only asking us to lot them
close eur stream. because they are
in the majority and will do it any
how if we don't want them to.
We are not afraid of them if they
have ten times the majority. Be-
cause we are on the Courtableau
and they are on the Teche. May
be they are also wise enough to
tell us how they are going to make
any change in the Courtableau
against the wishes Of the majority
Of the people living and owning
lands along the Courtableau?
We learn that there has been a
committee appointed by the
Teche people TO appear before the,
several police iaries in the par
ishes interested to ask for an APP
preparation of $4,000 to aid in
collecting data on the subject to
present to Congress. Just wait
and see how mueh they will get
from the police jury Of st. Landry
parish.
In conclusion we might reiter-
ate the fact that the people Of
Washington are unalterably stand
ing pat on the present condition
of the Courtableau unless they can
get the Improvement they are ask
ing for their bayou. which is the
removal Of the drift at its mouth
and opening the bayou to naviga-
ton through the Atchafalaya.
And there has been no good argu-
ment or reason brought forth SO
far, why they should change on !
this stand. The people of St. Ian |
dry do not think hard of the peo-
pie Of the Teche in this matter,
but consider them wise and cum
ming in its undertaking. but they
would consider themselves fools