The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-25
Ferry Boat lily. Jacobs
Will Likely Be Re-
modelled
Capt. J. R. Drackett Returns
From An Unsuc sessful
Search for a New Boa:

FIOm AL U0SuC VcSSlul
Search for a New Boa:
Capt J. R. Drackett and son, Jack,
returned Saturday night from trip
to points in the East. The primary
object of Capt. Drackett's trip was to
investigate the possibility Of secur-
ing a boat for ferry service between
Morgan City and Berwick that would
pmeet the requirements of the lease
recently awarded him by the Police
Jury of this parish. Capt. Drackett
stated this morning that his search
was unsuccessful. He said he found
only one boat available at this time
and it was in much worse condition
than the boat operating here. He
visited Paducah and Louisville, KY,
and Cleveland and Lorraine, Ohio.
Capt. Drackett was born in Cleveland
and his father, J. r. Drackett, Sr., is
still living in that city. Capt. Drackett
reported that he found his father in
good health-active and spry, despite
his SO years.
The formation of the Terrebonne-
lAssumption-St. Mary Good Roads AS
sociation, the object of which is to
build a model and shorter highway
between Morgan City and Gibson,
took place during Capt. Drackett's ab-
sence. He said he was much pleased
that such action had been taken. !
/ 81 have always been much inter-
ested in the construction of cut
off between these points. l have
come to the conclusion that speedy
action is more necessary, regardless
of the route decided upon, than long
winded arguments that have for their
aim the selection Of only one par.icu-
lar route. A route is more important
than the route. The idea is to get
busy. That can be done only by an
immediate getting-together. As an
evidence Of my beliefs along this line
have subscribed 500 to help cover
the expense of preliminary survey,
etc. To the same fund as was sub
scribed to by other citizens at the
meeting of the association recently
held in Morgan City. think it is
one of the biggest things that has
ever come before the citizens Of this
community. It ought to be carried
out to a speedy and successful con-
clusion."
AS far as he could determine at
the present time, Capt. Drackett said,
he would be required to meet the new
specifications as incorporated in the
new lease by remodeling his present
boat. It is his intention to present
TO the Police Jury at its next regular
meeting his plans. He feels that no
trouble will be experienced in secur-
ing their approval when they under
stand the difficult proposition he is
up against.
Capt. Drackett said he would be
willing to build new hull, but that it
was practically impossible to do this
at this time because Of two obstacles
that for the present at least are al
most insurmountable. The most seri-
Gus one is labor and the other is lum-
Der. While he believes he would have
no difficulty in securing government
permission to purchase the lumber,
on account Of the essential nature Of
the ferry work, Capt. Drackett stated,
the labor question as far as he can
see just now, is unsolvable.' If he
lis permitted to meet the require
ments by remodeling the present
boat he is willing to start to work at
/. once. Under the terms of the lease
Capt. Drackett has eight months to
fulfill the requirements.
Capt. Drackett said that the evil
dences Of government war activity
in the North and East was very pro-
nounced All the points he visited
are shipbuilding locations and all of
them were turning out ships faster
than the government could equip
them with machinery. AS far as he
was able to judge, however, this con-
dition was causing very little delay.
All the large machinery manufacture
les are turning over their entire out
put for government use.
Another encouraging feature noted
by Capt. Drackett was the magnificent
outlook for crops, especially wheat,
throughout the section he travelled.
He said the stands in all the fields he
observed were the largest and of the
finest quality he ever saw. Capt.
'Drackett found the weather in Ohiou