The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-05-09
LAF0URcHE ROUTE THE BEST.

Strong Arguments Why Intercoastal
Canal Should Connect with Mis-.
sissipp River at DonaidsonNiiIe
Safest and Shortest Route.
G. J. Labarre, the well-known AS.
| sumption lumberman, sends The Chief
the following copy of a letter he has
| written to Senator Ransdell, setting
forth the reasons why the Cancienne
Canal-Bayou Lafourche route should
be selected as one Of the links of the
proposed intercoastal canal connect
ing the Mississippi and Rio Grande
rivers:
Paincourtville, La, May l, 1914.
Senator Joseph E. Ransdell, Washing
ton, d. G.
Dear Sir:-I had talk with Mr..
Lemann, of Donaldsonville, who is
just back from Washington. He tells
me he learned from you that the peo-
pie of Terrebonne made good show.
ing before the Intercoastal Canal
Commission.
am writing you to ask you to take
up the matter of the Bayou La
LoA1SAC 4oAtCs VAC S1AN1CAAS Ss%ACAl
to Morgan City.
Since the locks must be built at
Donaldsonville, this route would be
much more convenient for many rea-
sons:
First, it is only one hundred and
twenty six miles from Morgan City
to New Orleans via Cancienne Canal,
Bayou Lafourche and the locks at
Donaldsonville. The distance via
Plaquemine is one hundred and
eighty miles; via Houma, one hun
dred and sixty miles.
Second, the route via Donaldson
vile is already built, is publicly own
ed, and only requires to be enlarg-
ed. The route via Houma would
have to be bought, to very great
extent, from private individuals or
corporations, and locks would have
to be built to come into the Missis-
sippi river, or the present locks near
New Orleans would have to be pur-
chased. The route via Plaquemine
would require a great deal more
work on account of the greater dis
tance.
Third, the Donaldsonville route of
fers no danger to navigation, and
is absolutely safe route from Nor
gan City to the Mississippi river.
The Houma route requires a crossing
of Lake Salvatore, which was so
named because of the fact that it
is dangerous, windy and shallow.
The Plaquemine route is dangerous
on account Of Bay Natchez, which
is very stumpy. The channel is
there very often without getting on
a stump; nearly every day this
last winter boats were hung up
there. Two whole barges OF sugar
were lost, to say nothing Of lost time
and to make matters worse, the cur
rent is so strong in some parts OF
the route during three months OF
each year that only high power
boats can do anything.
Fourth, Qasu but not 1east), the
route via Donaldsonyille would ira.
verse a thickly settled country,
highly cultivated, with telephone and
telegraph facilities the entire length,
and with public roads accessible,
This route, while it may not bring a
very large local trade. would put
the people on Bayou Lafourche in a
position where they would have com.
petitive rates, and while they may
not do a great amount of shipping
on account of the two railroads al.
ready operating on Bayou Lafourche
the reduced rates they would ac.
quire, by reason of competition
and the increased car facilities that
| would be given them by the rail
roads, will, in a measure, retrieve
some Of the losses that have been
incurred to the people of Bayou
Lafourehe by the closing of that ba
you. OF my own personal knowledge
I know of good many planters who
| have lost immense amounts of money
on their crops, due to the fact that
they could not get them on the mar
ket through being dependent on the
| railroad alone 1t would be need
less for me to say to you that while
there is a railroad on each side OF
Bayou Lafourche, the facilities are
no greater as far as service is con
cerned, because each planter has
shipping facilities with one road on
| ly, with one or two exceptions.
| While this letter Is already very
lengthy in itself, the writer would bt
glad to give any further information
needed. G. J. LABARRE.