The herald., 1912-07-25
PLANS PERFECTED FOR DE-
VELOPIN6 $4,000 ACRES
OF LAND.
AREA INCLUDES THE FIFTH DIS
TRICT OF NEW ORLEANS AND
LAND ADJACENT THERETO.
City to Benefit Commercially and
Sanitary Conditions TO Be i'm
proved by the Enterprise
Operations Being Pushed
Vigorously.


BY the cooperation of the adjacent
land owners in the three parishes OF
Plaquemines, Jefferson and Orleans,
there has been organized and developed
plan by which $4,000 acres OF the
most valuable land in the state OF
Louisiana will be drained and re-
claimed. Although this is one of the
largest drainage projects yet underta-
ken in this state, the cost of bringing
the undertaking to a successful con-
clusion will be comparatively small.
| The expense of the undertaking is
greatly minimized by physical condi-
tons already in existence.
The area included in this enterprise
is already protected on the north, east
and west side by the levee of the Mis-
sissippi river, while on the south 1t is
protected for more than half the dis
lance by the levee along Harvey's ca
nal. In order to complete the levee
system which will surround this tract
there remains to be built only short
levee of about three miles in length,
extending from the junction of Har-
vey's Canal and Bayou Barataria over
to the Mississippi levee. 1t will there
fore be seen that the leveeing of this
district will be attended by very little
cost compared with other districts.
The physical conditions so far as
drainage canals are concerned, are also
ideal. This entire bend of the river
has already a complete system of nat
ural and artificial waterways all emp
tying into Bayou Barataria, the sur
plus water being carried off through
Bayou Barataria to the sea. Besides
the numerous natural tributaries to
Bayou Barataria there is the Verret
canal, the new Drainage canal carry
ing the water from Algiers, the Plant
ers' canal, with two branches extend
ing far into the interior and many
0ther smaller arteries.
A close study of the situation and of
the conditions in this locality brought
to the parties in interest the realiza-
ton that the only thing necessary, be-
sides building the short levee above
mentioned, was to establish large
pumping station across Bayou Barata-
ria, just above it's junction with Har'
speed of the water already flowing
through this natural drainage. When
the plans in all their perfected details
were laid before the land owners in
this territory there was no opposition
but there was universal acquiescence
and enthusiasm. The matter having
once been determined upon, the devel
opment of the project has moved rap
idly and is advancing speedily toward
the condition of an accomplished fact
The first step taken was the organiZa
ton of the Jefferson Plaquemine:
> ed by having the police juries of the
two parishes to pass the necessary or
; dinances pursuant to the new drain
age laws and the constitution of thi
state. In order that the work nigh
: be fastened special sessions of polio,
=" Juries were called for the purpose o
passing these ordinances. With an en-
terprise so enormous every moment o
time was valuable and since the com
mencement of the undertaking not
day has been lost.
The law which authorizes adjacen
land owners to join in common enter
prise under the supervision of a lie
gally constituted drainage board is t.
be found in Act No 81 of 1910, Ac
l No. 256 of 1910, and article 2S1 of tn,
Constitution of this state. These pre-
4 visions of our law are having a far
reaching effect, and will result in e2
: tensive developments of the resource
l of Louisiana. But no enterprise We
undertaken will have a more beneficial
effect upon the city of New Orlean
than the one under present discussion
! The opening up of this large agricu
y tural area within and so close to tn
u city of New Orleans will add materiall
u to our city's welfare. The products O
this soil will pass through our market
and rural population will here sprin
u up with whom our merchants ma
trade profitably. With the spread an
: growth of our city this entire are
. may eventually be taken in and incol
Il porated with New Orleans.
:, The land in this bend of the rive
consists of plantations in high stat
of cultivation in front, but the land |
low and marshy in the rear, that Il
u in the middle portion. Algiers an
Gretna lie within the district, and a
% though dry themselves they are boun,
x ed in the rear by marsh lands. TIL
I drainage of this marsh land will n
!, this entire territory of mosquitoes, an
. will add greatly to health and sanitar