The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-07-14
HOLDS LIVELY MEETING.
Fractional Encounter Marks Quarterly
Session of L.afourche Board.

II The regular quarterly meeting Q
, the board of commissioners of TIL
I1afourche basin Ievee district, whic
was held Thursday at the office of tn
oEgaaiZatio in this city, was enllven
ed by the introduction of a resolution
by q faction of the board providing
|, that the direct management OF tn
levee building machine Lafourch
should be taken out of the hands o
the Board of State Engineers ant
/ vested in committee of live member
OF the levee board, constituting ma
jority of the organization. Messrs
Sellers, Quinn, Beraud and Schneider
lined up in favor of this proposition
the opposing combination including
/ Messrs. Weldon, Allen, Ggidry ant
Perez. Commissioner Dumez, WHIT
/ had been counted as an ally of the
| former forces, stated that he wouic
not vote for or support any resolu.
ton which contemplated the ousting
of the state engineers from active
control of the levee machine. Elk
cellent work has been done by the
machine under their efficient supervi-
sion, and Mr.. Dumez proclaimed him
self in favor of holding fast to that
which is good. !" A spirited and
| lengthy discussion was evoked by the
proposition to effect change in the
plan Of management and operation of
the machine. Finally a compromise
was reached by the presentation Of a
resolution designating the nine mem
bers of the board as a committee OF
the whole, with three constituting q
quorum, to assist the Board of STATE
Engineers in directing and supervis-
ing the work of the machine, all re-
QUESTIONS for the purchase of sup
plies and material to be referred to
this committee, which shall also be
vested with authority to fix the wages
Of employees The proviso is ex-
pressly stipulated that nothing in the
resolution shall be construed as re-
moving the actual control of the MAJ
chine from the hands of the state en-
gineers. In this form the resolution
met with unanimous approval and the
impending upheaval in the internal
affairs of the board was happily avert
ed.
Rutfin Barrow submitted to the
board plans and specifications for the
new lock which will have to be con-
.structed in Company Canal at it's
junction with the Mississippi river,
owing to the proposed erection OF a
new levee at that point some distance
back of the present embankment.
The plans were referred to the Board
of State Engineers for approval.
State Senator Charles Iouque, of
New Orleans, addressed the board in
behalf of a Mrs. Vallee, who will lose
her entire property at WestWego be-
cause of the building of the new le-
wee there. Mr.. Louque petitioned the
board TO recompense Mrs. Vallee for
the loss of her property, but it was
pointed out to him that the law made
no provision for the purchase of
property required for levee purposes,
and the board was therefore unable
to do anything in behalf of Mrs. Val
lee, although it sympathized with her
exceedingly and would be glad to
come to her assistance if permission
were granted. Mr.. Louqge stated he
would carry the plea further.
The matter of selecting an official
journal for the board was brought up,
and Distr ret Attorney George Gt,ion +
stated that his understanding Of the
law on the subject is that competitive
bids should be required. The ques-
ton was left with him for determina-
ton The Donaldsonville Chief, pres
journal of the board is |
seeking reelection. The Meschacebe,
published at Lucy, and the Jefferson
Of Gretna, are also in the
field, and were represented at the
meeting by their editors, Messrs.
John o. Reyaaud and George A. Cox,
The full membership of the board
vas in attendance, as follows: w. D.
8eraud, Lafourehe; Joseph Schneider,
Assumption; Frank H. Allen, Ascen-
sion; Joseph E. Weldon, president,
st. James; Eugene Dumez, St. John;
I. B. Sellers, st. Charles; Louis
suidry, Jefferson; r. E. Perez,
olaquelnines; w. T. Quinn, repre-
enting the railroads. Secretary c.
). Weber. Assistant Secretary Ed
;ard Aucoin, and Assistant State En-
,ineer John KIorer, IN charge of the
.afourche district levees, were also
resent.
A semi-annual meeting of the joint
of the Lafourche and
Atchafalaya boards will be held here
ext Monday.