The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-04-18
.INTERCOASTAL CANAL.
The people Of New Iberia are
Awake to their Interest
in this Great National Wa
ter Way.

! the initiative OF Mayor F0Dteileh
and the Commission Council, q
representative mass meeting was
assembled in The City Hall 10 dis
cuss the problems aud possibilities
Of New Iberia getting a connec-
ton. through canal between the
Bayou Teche and the Intercoastal
| Canal. There had been many ru'
more atioat in this section recent
ly, indicating possible changes in
the original plans for the great
canal, and the business people OF
this city felt that IT was their duty
to themselves to keep fully
abreast and ID step with any ad
vantage that might develop TO
this town.
Mayor FontelIeu called the
meeting to order and outlined it's
purposes, then advised that the
meeting organize permanently.
A temporary organization was
effected 10y eIecting Mayor Alpine
Fontelieu chairman unanimously
Mr.. Il. +. Mllard was designated
as the secretary pro TEN.
The purposes of the meeting
were then opened to general dis
cussioD, in which many took part,
bringing ont many points bearing
upon New Iberia's interest in a
connection with the IntercOastal
Canal. THIS idea is not new one
with this people--a canal 10 The
sea from this city being a PROJECT
considerably aEtidatlng the ievi-
val of the Intercoasla Canal
scheme. 1t was partially accom-
pished in the construction of the
New Iberia Southern Canal, which
has not been fully completed be-
cause, possibly, of the force OF
the better idea and hope of ulti
mately carrying it to the Teche.
DR.. II A. King, president of
the police jury of this parish, ar
gued that this meeting should de
vote it's thought and energy to-
wards the organization Of a per
maDeDt commercial body, which
should have for its purpose the
watching of the city's, and par
ish's, every advantage in all ques
tioDs of commercial advancement.
The Commission Council and the
Police Jury both need the cooper.
alton of the people in their great
undertakings, and such an organi
cation would be a splendid medi
um for the voiclng of public opin-
ion on all these questions and
would be OF inestimable value in
encouraging the public bodies in
their efforts to perfect the details
of such undertakings as the peO-
pie may want. ''lf we should be
fortunate enough to hit upon the
idea OF the public in any of our
public acts, it is all right with the
people; bnt should we fail to
catch the trend of public desires,
little matterlDg how conscientious
we may DE, our acts are all
wrong" The Doctor then gave
an outline of his visit to the
Ocean to Ocean Good Roads Con
vention, which met at Lake
Charles recently, detailing some
OF the great possibilities conse.
quent to the completion Of that
undertaking. Iberia must thor
oughly do her part IN this great
project Of road building, Which, if
she does, will entitle her to have
her name aud dot on all maps and
charts of good roads issued of this
section. ln 1913 over 5000 auto.
mobiles were shipped fiom the
East to California for the use of
tourists that year 1t has been
estimated, aud 1t is claimed con
seTvatively, that these tourists
spent in the state Of California no
wards Of S3,000,0O0 last year.
This tourist crop is of greater val
ne TO California than any other
crop, calling for like expenditure
OF capital or energy, harvested
from the soil. There is but little
risk attendant 10 its cultivation OF
garnering. Ii we will put our
roads in good condition many Of
these cars will not be shipped
across country in freight cars,
while many of them will be con
tent to spend the winter with us.
The Doctor scored another tell.
ing point in his appeal to "get-to.
gether." He declared that by co
operation we would put ourselves
IN line TO master our commercial
and industrial problems, and we
would be able to shape the com
mon veal. To accomplish the de
sired end and the greater hope we
must discourage and discounte.
nance the kicker and Crouch, and
substitute IN their place an air OF
cheerfuIness and determination
otherwise we are liable to suffer
ali We dread and apprehend.
Chairman Fontelien followed in
vigorous speech, in which he de
clared that he was not opposing
any organization that the people