Lower coast gazette., 1914-08-08
SATURDAY. AUGUST 7, 1914.
.lefferson-P laquemines Drainage

Observation-Disclosures Drainage
THIS splendid scheme for draining some
q so0 acres of alluvial land in the parishes o
0rla,ns Jefferson and Plaquemines IS no" ap-
nroaching completion as will be seen by the
fo,lowinq report given by the Times-flcayuhe
Of August 20, 1914. 1t is as follows:
The approach of the time when the pumps
VIII he in operation in the Jefferson-Plaque-
wines drainage district is creating new interest
IN what those in touch with it know as one OF
the most important agricultural deVelopne"'
Mans in the Southern States. 1t takes IN al 'e
lond in the bend of the river from above GretnA
- Relic Chase, and when the pumps start they
will take every bit of water out OF the dlstrlet
in short order. 1t is a State drainage als1rlc''
which is authorized to issue bonds ana ievy d
tax on the property in the district ana mas
funds amounting to come $35O,OOO IN use WIN d
bolance in the neighborhood Of $40.Wo, aiter
getting near to the completion OF 1he Dui'oiNs
plans. r.4:. oom-
Tho area that is included in the district com-
nr;sas II. 500 acres in Orleans parish, including
A,o;ers. 10000 in Jefferson parish and ll,ooo IN
p,aonemin.s parish. These lands are dlVloeo
among about 5000 owners ard are lnnaolteu Ny
) nonnlation of 40. 900. Before the war CT the
.4otos the production from Il e land was So,Voo'-
nm annually. but the levees were allowed 70
disappear and the land went back 70 MARSH
Still the greater part OF the land is ory now.
Geo. 4. Hero, president Of the board, ana ,he
man who did i" " says the productivity Oh Una.
land shout be Sis, 100000 annually, and that II
i all almost within a rife shot OF the CITY, De-
ca,,se Of the peculiar bends in the river. lhe
lido of the tract towards Barataria Bay is COW
cred by Harvey''s Canal'and Bayou barataf,a'
ghe humping station, however, has been SO 40
Gated as to cut the bayou in two. Inc otall', J,
age people got permission to dam the bayou anu
Mr.. Hero had the pumping station put across II.
60 that the upper end furnishes the nucleus Oh
,he canal that carries the water to the punap
ara tho lower end takes it after IT is pumped
and carries it to the gulf. From the bayou "
.ha river at the lower side a leyee mas peer
built,
gs The foundations of the great pumping sta
t;on, as. shown in photographs, stand rlght \
the bayou where there were many feet Oh Wa'1 :
and ooze, surrounded by woods and marsh. )
N was q big job, damming the bayou ana getuh
n the piling and laying the immense concfe'
foundations, but they are all in place anu :,
.oncrete walls will rise seven feet above u
,yater level and stop the bayou completely. u
whole area in the big bend will be a garden sp
swhaani the water is pumped out. Inc alslll
la, forty-two miles of river front. Inc peop
tave given land for a parkway tor SIX mill
.01ond Bayou Barataria and there are SIEVE,
s,ell roads built already, including one from Y
Jackson street ferry to Belle Chase. new y
.ans and plaouemines will build another ro
go soon "a the pumps are at work. This Will 9
,.ad from the United States Immigration y
t;on to the Hero tract, three end a halt miles.
.rhe pumping station is .4S feet across q
has four Of the largest pun ps IN the count
Zine feet in diameter, with a capacity OF l,OO
COO gallons per minute. There will be a 1all
rl,r, feet to the mile in the canals, conpaa
with six inches in the Mississippi river. u
u1,uu has & separate engine and boiler. In
are 100 piles under the foundation.
president Hero says that the machinery
coming and the steel is arr Wing ana the "
nov is putting things up, and ne mas no 40
thai IN ninety days the pumps will work. y
may start a little sooner. 1t would requli
visit o the great tract, hemmed in BY the r
,,ui ii. canals, to appreciate what 1t VIII
when dry and secure from overflow. MI. :
saws It Will add millions to the business OF !
Orleans By its production and the trade Of
dense population that is sure to be there.
owns q tract Of land in the district, but say
i no more interested financially than the Q
land owners. Realizing that there was w
for all in the reclamation he led the ilght. )
Of the subdivisions that are being offered Z
ueople for homes are in the drainage dlstrl
General Albert EStopinal.