New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-04-08
PENNSYLVANIA PARTY
COMES FOR SCHELL
CANAL OPENING.

! 100 direc tors, stockholders and
! guests of the Union Irrigation
Company, arrived in New Orleans
at 10 30 0 clock last night, on its
way to Opelousas. The party is
going to attend the celebration Of
the completion of the first unit
of the great ScheN canal, the most
wond srful irrigation project in the
United States. The party is made
up of bankers. business men and
farmers from Lancaster and Som
erset Counties. in Pennsylvania.
j. Franklin Schell. the noted n
gineer. who built the canal, did
not come with the party.
The celebration. which will take
place on Saturday, in Opelousas,
will mark the completion of the
greatest irrigation feat ever at
tempted in this country. The
work was sarted fourteen years
ago, when J. Franklin Schell, the
noted engineer. came to LOUISE
ana. The scheme was worked out
for three years before practical
work. which was started Jan. 10.
1898, began. The canal extends
from Washington to Mamou, and
is thirty miles long and $50 feet
wide. The cost Of the canal has
already exceeded 100000 The
company which was organized TO
carry out the ideas is capitalized
at 81 100000. 1t is claimed that
the canal. when completed, will
be capable of irrigating 100000
acres, of which the company prac-
tically controls 100000.
The canal will furnish irrigation
to the Parishes of ST Landry.
Acadia, Calcasieu. Lafayette,
Cameron and Vermilion. The wa
ter is supplied by the Mississippi!
River. which flows into the At
chafalaya and into Bayou Courta-
bleau. At Washington the water
from Bayou Courtableau is lifted
by high pressure pumps to an ele-
walton of sixty feet, and is sent
by natural gravity through the
main canal to Mamou. distance
Of thirty miles. There is another
canal eight miles long from Ope-
lousas to Crowley, which will ex-
tend down into Vermil'on Prairie
when the project is completed.
The glory of achievement be-
longs to Mr.. Schell, who came to
Louisiana a little more than thir-
teen years ago in search of health.
He became interested in the rice
industry while watching samplers
spill the yearly product in waste
on the streets in front of the ware
houses. and concluded that there
must be a great profit in staple
that could be produced in such
quantities that it could be wasted:
He went into st. Landry Parish
and other sections Of the State
where rice is grown He gather
ed statistics. and when he learned
that the water supply for irrlga-
ton was about to the exhausted |
he set to work on his scheme. lie
worked three years studying the
soil and it's capacity of absorption
and evaporation. and having re-
gained his heath he returned to the
North and interested a number
of capitalists in his plan. He re-
turned to Louisiana shortly after
wards, again broken il health. but
he soon gained strength in his
work. The company was quickly
and work started i'm
mediately. The work on the canal
has never ceased since 1898.
The celebration Of the opening
Of the canal will be great event
in Louisiana. The programme ar
ranged for the occasion will be an
elaborate one. The principal adj
dress will be "The Future of
Rice delivered by
Hon. Charles r. Chambliss, ex-
pert in charge Of the rice investi-
cations of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture The t
other addresses will be "The De-
velopment of the Rice Industry
in Louisiana by 8. Locke
Breaux, of New Orleans; "Louis-
lana. It's Resources and Develop
ment," by Governor Sanders.
There will be short talks by John {
P. Lewis, George e. Bard, Sena- s
tor L. Lazaro. Rev. William Howe. S
Youngstown. Pal Thomas H. Lewis, {
Opelousas; Mayor Martin Behr-
nan, New Orleans; Senator Guey ,
Ian, Rev. Father Maring. and 9th
'r pr'o1Hihept speakers in the t
State. Ii
The immense plant will be put J
n operation by Miss Erma Schell, ,
laughter of the originator of the g
cheme. There will be songs by G
he children Of tho public schools s
# St. Landry. 8
The arrangements for the guests Il
we're made by Mr.. j. Albert Mark #
nd Chas. H. Foster. travelling I
agent Of the Illinois r
central, who came from New !,
FORK to take charge of the train 8
he members Of the party were n
delighted with what little they n
aw Of New Orleans last night, a
nd were loud In their praise for il
he careful manner in which they =
7ere taken care Of by Mr.. Foster. O.
In cases Of rheumatism relief .
rom pain makes sleep and rest r p
ossible. This may be obtained :,
(at |