New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1919-11-29
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
STARTS CANAL PROJECT
MEETING OF REPREsENTATIV We CITIZENS FORMULATE
PLANS TO START THE MOVEMENT

One of the most important
meetings since the organization ol
the New Iberia Chamber Of Com
merce was that Of last Tuesday
night, when the following citi
zens responded to a. call Of Presl.
dent Lewald to be present to form.
ulate plans to build the proposed
canal to Lake Fausse Pointe.
There were present: Messrs
Edward L. Estorge. Luke L. Ber.
trand, Geo. w. Cousin, Alfred Ire
wald, Francis VOORHEES,. John R
Taylor, DR.. H. A. King, S. 0
Nuckolls, DR.. j. A. Goodwin, Johr
Schwing, Porteus R. Burke, F. E
Delahoussaye, DR.. w. F. Carstens
Ralph w. Frame, W. K. Frantz
Rev. Mr.. Diggs, L. L. Guillot and
others.
President Lewald then stated
/ the objects of the meeting to b,
to formulate plans to build cana,
! to the waters Of Lake Fausst
Poirte. After general discus
sion on the part Of Messrs. Burke
Del.houssaye, King, Nuckolls
Tavlor and others, it was found
that during the year 1914 a navi
| CATION district had been created
Land for certain reasons no further
steps had been taken, other than
the appointment of navigation
board. 1t was suggested that il
would be necessary to await the
next session Of the State Legisla-
ture in order to have the old
board dissoluted, and a new nav
ieafion district formed, which
| would embrace more territory, one
sufficient to assist New Iberia in
securing sufficient funds, through
taxation. to carry ON the great
work proposed. The question OF
the best route to adopt was also
discussed in all it's phases, when
it was the sense of a majority
present that committees be ap-
pointed to gather all of the data
relative to the two routes already
surveyed, and to report their
findings at call meeting of the
Chamber in the very near future.
There is some divergence Of
opinion with respect to the route
of the canal to Lake Fausse
Pointe owing to the cost to be in
Cured, some favoring a route six
miles above our City, and the
others a route directly into New
Iberia. We wish to go on record
as favoring the route that will
open intos the Teche at New Ibe-
ria, or as near the present canal
to the sea as possible. as it will be
an added advantage in securing
the Intercoastal, the accomplish
ment Of which would advance
New Iberia commercially, beyond
our fondest dreams. It will he
remembered in the discussion by
|Dr. H. A. King, who is familiar
with all the inside working Of the
Government engineers, our pros
pects are very bright to get the
Intercoastal, despite rumors to
the contrary. As DR.. King very
wisely says, if we keep after it,
our influence will soon be very
appreciably felt, because we have
the most practical route to offer
the Government.
We should not think of con-
structing a commercial canal on
q price basis. AS this is to be
strictly a New iberia enterprise,
bought and paid for bv the tax
payers. it is only good judgment
to combine with the proposition
every conceivable benefit that
might be gained by doing it right
the first time, for remember, we
cannot dig the canal over again,
if we should, BY being penny wise
and pound foolish, make a mis-
take in the route. By this, we
mean no other route but the Pc
tite Bayou route will rive us such
advantages, as We are seeking to
insure New iberia all Of the trade
and benefits from those swamps
tributary to Lake Fansse Pointe.
and at the same time drain. and
make fit for cultivation about
eioht thousand acres Of the rich
est and most fertile lands in Lou
isiana, and the cost Of draining
these lands. We must bear in mind
Ii to be Daid for bv the owners Of
tho taxable lands of . part Of the
Third, ! part q the Fourth. the