The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1919-03-05
Use OF Shell AS Road
Building Material May
Bring New Indus
try Here
Unlimited Supply of Shell Avail
liable at this Point to be
Used as Road. Bed
Sub-BaSe

! The possibility Of shell being
used as a road-building material
holds forth the possibility Of a
new industry for Morgan City
and vicinity. The state and par
ishes throughout the state have
been investigating the cost of
building roads, and it is found
that shell offers the very cheap,
and yet a most substantial road
base. The present cost of build
ing roads with a full gravel bed
is practically impossible due to
the almost prohibitive cost Of
material. Shell is much cheaper,
and the State Highway Depart
ment recommends its use in
place of solid gravel beds.
The Chamber of Commerce
has been in communication with
several interested parties who
are anxious to come to Morgan
City to establish plants for pre-
pairing shell for road material.
These parties have investigated
the possibilities of this section
for furnishing shells in suffi-
cient quantities for supplying
any demand. They have also
considered the quality Of the
shell, and have based their con-
clusions on the results as OBJ
tained. In selecting Morgan
City as their center of distribu-
ton, the gentlemen, who may es-
tablish this new enterprise take
advantage Of the location for
shipping purposes. From this
point can be reached every part
cf the state adjoining a water
way. And the cheapest way to
ship road material is by water.
Negotiations looking to the |
distribution of shell from Nor
gan City in considerable volume
for various building purposes i
Turing 1916-1917 were abondon-
I'd because of war conditions. !
1ow that all restrictions have
oeen removed, the value of this /
natural resource should be utili-
ed, especially as a road building
material. The following letter
rom the State Highway Depart
nent to various police juries in
his district contemplating road
building, sets forth the opinion
# the State Department as re-
,ards the use of shell. i
Highway Department
State of Louisiana
New Orleans, La.
fy dear sirs: I
With reference to roadwork
ontemplated in your Parish un-
Ter the supervision Of the High
vay Department, we beg
o advise that the in
rease prices of road ma
erial are cutting quite a fig
ion; therefore we feel that it is L
OF only advisable, but impor- a
ant that various Police Juries b
ow contemplating work, as well {
s the Highway Department au- S
horized and sanctioned by the I
'ederal Government, take. steps v
,oking towards substantial, I
ut cheaper material for such 4
'ork. r
In connection with this mat e
r, this Department, represented a
Y the undersigned. and Mr.. r. p
;. Glenn, Senior Highway Engi- f
eer, Bureau of Public Roads, as a
igned to this District, have un-
er consideration the use of shell +
or the construction of a surface, t
he shell being used as a sub o
ase, to be topped off with a c
caring surface Of gravel. l.
We therefore recommend that j.
ou give this matter your earn a
IT consideration, and in the c
vent Mr.. Glenn, or myself, can (r
of any assistance to you in ar il
wing at a conclusion on the SUBJ
,ct, will be glad to confer with y
Ou.
We consider that the shell {
ind in the Atchafalaya Bay,