New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-09-21
Communicated.
BOAT TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS.

Plauuemine Locks you may De III
terested to know some OF the IN
cidents of such a trip. In these
days of rush and hurry the rapid
transit is preferred SO that not
moment be lost, but there are
times when rest and entire relax
alton is the medicine one most
requires. The Steamer Owen
was reported to arrive in the ear
" morning and start on its return
before day so we set the alarm
for four a. m. and were ready to
take the first trolley car at five.
Mr.. Jules Blanchet the courteous
agent met us at the landing and
we were all aboard in a Jffy.
There was plenty Of hustle and
hustle on the boat with unload
ing and reloading cargo, which
we found very interesting. One
thing has always impressed me
in watching a gang of negro lab
orers at work. They seem to be
built for burden bearing and they
are the only class OF laborers
who appear to get pleasure out
of work and bring to Their tasks
a certain unconscious science, !
observed as they made the trip
from the boat to the warehouse
on the elevated plank walk bear
ing heavy burdens, every muscle
was taut, every nerve tense. on
the return trip free Of burden,
they take off the brake and swing
and bend and curve and shuttle
with perfectly relaxed body and
rhythmic grace eff you will per-
nit" so they are renewed. BY
9 80 we were ready to respond to
the breakfast bell with alacity.
Now for the menu, coffee, choco-
late or tea, very good, being well
cooked and savory, grits, fried
potatoes and biscuit. At Orange
Grove we stopped and took on
board a touring car and also
(which was more interesting to
u.s. Mr.. and Mrs. Jones who are
Interested in the new town OF
Pharr in the beautiful Valley OF
the Rio Grande, Texas and who
had made a few days visit with
Mr.. and Mrs. Pharr en- route
from Chicago to Texas. The trip
to Franklin was nee essarlly very
slow owing to frequent landings,
shallow water and the numerous
logs which at times obstruct navl-
CATION. One incident of the day
threw gloom over everything
and we record it with pain.
Three Of the black men were sent
ashore in life boat for some
empty can in preference to land
ing the boat in very shallow wat
er. As the boat returned to the
Steamer it somehow got under the
wheel and upset. Two of the men
could swim, one Of them succeed
ed in righting the boat which
came up full Of water, another
climbed aboard while the third
who evidently could not swim a
stroke got into the channel. One
of the officers of the Steamer
jumped in and did his best tc
rescue the poor fellow. A rope
and plank were thrown out to
the man but he seemed to have
lost his head and he went down
before our eyes. A tragic com
menting on the necessity Of every
one learning the art Of swimming
BY the way does any body know
what has become Of the appropri
alton for improving the Teche
New iberia is now at the head o.
navigation and at the present
stage Of water, Jeanerette might
be so termed. We arrived al
Morgan City before day on Satur
day and enjoyed the view of sun
rise over the expanse Of water
where three bodies of water ara
lost in the Bay. We saw on al
sides the destructive evidences oil
the food. Many houses with the
high water mark four or five feet
above the floors abandoned by tht
former occupants. One large
building moved from its founda
tons, ready to be overturned by
the next high wind. Eyerywher,
weeds and rank underground
where before the flood abundant
crops fourished.
At little after two on Satur.
day we entered Lake Plaquemine
narrow tortuous stream be-
tween high banks whether MAJ.
ural or artificial did not appear
but one fact was evident that il
required the greatest skill ano
experience in the man at the
wheel to guide a boat through
these winding shallow streams
with the banks on either side
lined with logs. As we very
slowly approached the Locks il
was evident that some new sensa-
ton awaited us. The high railroad
bridge which spans the Bayou al
this point was open for the pas.
sage Of the boat. A large excit-
ed crowd lined the banks on eth
or side. Some one shouted IAN
auto has gone over the bridge. .
"A chill of horror filled every
heart, we did not dare ask how
many were killed for it seemed
evident that nothing short Of q
miracle could save any one falling
in an auto from that great height
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