New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-03-09
EXPLAINS CANAL DELAY
Congressman Ransdell Discusses
the Intercoastal Canal.

the lntercOaStal canal.
Washington, Feb. 27.-Answer-
ing letters and kilograms received
by members of the Louisiana dele
cation urging appropriations for
the intercoastal can!a between
New Orleans and Morgan City,
via Houma, and increased allow
ances for other sections of the
canal between Morgan City and
SABINE, Representative Ransdell,
speaking for his colleagues, today
made the following statement:
| "The. section of the intercoastaI
canal from the Teche to the Merm-
entau, for a depth of five feet.
width Of forty feet. was adopted
in 1907. and appropriation of
$2S9.292 was made for its COM
pletion. The section from the
Mermentau to the Sabine, with the
same depth and width, at cost
of $4,000. was adopted in 1910,
and 100000 appropriated there
On.
"1n 1909, a special board of en-
gineers was created to make an
elaborate survey of an intercoast-
al canal from Boston to the Rio
Grande. including a resurvey Of
the two projects just named, and
the section from New Orleans to
Morgan City via Houma with a
view to connecting the entire
Gulf and Atlantic coasts in one
continuous waterway of suitable
dimensions.
"This board finished its work
some timo ago on the Louisiana
sections, and filed a report with |
the Board of Engineers for Riv- !.
ers and Harbors, where it is now
pending.
"Under the rules which control
the acton Of the Rivers and Har-
bors committee of the House, nc
project can be adopted and ap-
preparations made therefor until
it first has been surveyed care
fully and a favorable report on
the survey submitted to Congress
through the Board Of Engineers
md the chief of engineers. i
."'This action has not yet been
aiken in regard to the proposed
hanges in the five-foot canal from
he Teche to the Sabine and the
lew project from Morgan City to
Sew Orleans; hence, they are not I
n position for final legislation (
nd cannot be acted upon until I
he report is made. y
"The Louisiana delegation has
cen pushing prompt action in this I
natter, and hopes that a report l
7ill be forwarded to Congress j
7ithin few weeks, too late, how S
yer, for action by the House OF c
representatives. IS
Zone hundred thousand dollars
arried in the pending bill for the I
ection between the Mermentau v
nd Sabine is to prosecute work r
n the pending five-foot project v
etween these points, and this t
I'm, together with a balance of y
bout 100000 still on hand from C
'rmer appropriations. will enable o
progress to be made dur S
lg the next fiscal year, if the il
ork be pushed. s
There is a balance of about
2OO, 900 on hand for the link be-
veen the Teche and the Mermen-
III, which is deemed sufficient by a
le engineers for that section dur o
g the next year. ip
"If Congress subsequently de- h
des to change these projects to S
greater depth and width, it will g
volve merely extra dredging Of c,
nth and soft material, which g
IN be done without any loss Of a
hat already has been accomp-
shed under the five-foot plan.
THE link from Morgan City,
New Orleans must await .ac-
IN by the supervising Board of f.
ngineers for Rivers and Harbors, .,
stated above. IT. D. ~