The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-05-30
BAYOU LAF0URcHE LOCK.
Favorable Outlook for Its Early Con-
struction-Disposition in Con-
gress to Have Federal Govern
ment Take the Work in Hand.

struction-Disposition in Con
gress to Have Federal Govern
ment Take the Work in Hand.
Two very interesting and signifi
cant articles relative to the Bayou
Lafourche lock controversy appeared
in the New Orleans Tines Picayune
last week which We take pleasure IN
reproducing below.
The first is the following editor.
ial which our esteemed contemporary
published in its issue Of the 23rd
inst. under the caption, "The La.
fourche Lock-"
THE settlement of the Donaldson.
vile lock matter, over which the peo
pie of the Lafourche valley grew
very impatient and excited some
weeks ago, will apparently have to
go over for another year: but in
spite OF the unfavorable news, the
situation is otherwise more promis-
ing, with the chances in favor Of the
federal government undertaking the
work. This should mean the early
completion of the lock and the open
ing of the bayou to navigation.
Some weeks ago the question had
reached a point of conflict which it
seemed impossible to straighten out.
An emphatic demand had come from
the people of Ascension and other
parishes along Bayou Lafourche and
from the navigation interests of the
state for the removal of the dam
and the reopening of navigation In
such demand these COM
plainants were within their rights,
as the lock had been promised them
some years ago, and the levee boards
We're under obligations to the federal
government to remove the dam. On
the other hand, the leyee boards
protested that they did not have the
money to do the work; the people in
st. Martin, st. Lan1ry and other
parishes objected to the proposition
to take funds needed for levees, for
their protection, and use it in the
construction of a lock, and the resi-
dents along the lower Lafourche
called attention to the fact that they
would be flooded if the dam were re-
moved and nothing provided to keep
the flood under control.
Tt was seen then that the only
way to meet all these conflicting de.
mands was for the federal govern
ment to take charge of the work
and construct at Donaldsonville a
lock similar to that it has already
constructed at Plaquemine It was
hoped Uncle Sam would take charge
Of the work promptly and have it
by another year. The Lou
Isiana delegation has been disap-
pointed in this resReet: for congress
has gone about tbs matter in its
usual slow and The
senate committee on commerce viii,
it is understood, favorabIy consider
The proposition, order. a survey to
determine the cost of the lock, and
hen decide whether the federal gov
should pay all or a part of
he cost. This seems the best that
ian be hoped for at the present ses-
sion.
1T will be in order to press the
natter with more Vigor at the next
session, and the case is strong one.
Bayou Lafourche is navigable
stream, which the federal government
S obliged to keep open for vessels
Ind on the improvement Of which
t has spent a considerable sum-
IN the other hand, to force the
evee boards to build the lock will
mean to subject many thousands of
,ersons to flood and to entail the
oss of hundreds of thousands of dol
ars. It is out of the question for
he boards to build both the lock
md the levees, and it is scarcely
that the federal govern
nent will refuse the comparatively
mall amount needed to prevent over
low. The pity is, however, that the
,eople of the Lafourche district, who
ave had to wait so long to get
What was pledged them years ago,
hould be subjected to another trial
f their patience.
The second publication was in the |
hape of special despatch from |
Washington, D. c., dated May % and |
rinted in the Times-Picayune of |
he following day. This despatch |
aid:
IAN appropriation of 100000 will |
e made for the intercoastal canal |
rom New Orleans westward, even |
S an allowance of an equal amount |
) to be made for the link in the |
anal between Mobile and Pensacola. |
hat is, the appropriation will be
lade If the house agrees to an ad-
ition to the bill made by the senate |
ON commerce today. That |
lluWance is the result of pressure |
'om the organizations Interested in
anal with the least possible delay.
"The chances are that the long
tanding controversy with regard to
he dam at DonaldsonviIle that sep
rates the Mississippi from the La
,urche will be settled by the govern
lent constructing a lock. The com
lerce committee members are SO
,ell convinced the levee boards of
lat part of the state are not in fl
ancial shape to make provision for
lock that they are inclined to re-
Ease them from the promise made
ears ago, when there was no such
rain upon the boards as there is
ow.
.tBut the matter is not settled.
he navigation interests are morally
ntitled to passage from the La
,urche to the Mississippi and vice.
ersa, but the only legal right they
ave is the engagement between con-
ress and the 1evee boards, whereby
le latter are to build lock at Dom
Ldsonville to control the waters of
lie Mississippi. Congress has a
ght to close or divert nayigab1e