New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1920-01-31
GOOD HIGHWAYS AND
CANALS.

Hon. Fred L. Grace Of Plaque
mine and MeSsrs. Douglas and
Moore Of Shreveport spent Thurs
day here on business matters. 1t
was our pleasure to meet them IN
the office Of the New Iberia Cham
Der of Commerce with a number
of other representative citizens.
Public highways seemed to take
preference over other topics.
These gentlemen dwelt very fore
IDLY on the value Of shell mate
rial as road building material,
since there is such a disposition
by the owners Of gravel pits IN
Louisiana to sell their gravel at
prices that makes their use quite
burdensome. AS Mr.. Douglas
said, gravel owners are now dish
ing it out like it was fancy MILL
merry instead of soil, unfit for
other purposes. This also led to
the high cost of transporting such
material where it is needed in re-
mote parts of the State. 1t was
the concenses Of opinion among
those in the audience that we
should proceed with the compile
ton of our canal to the sea, as
quickly as possible and build all
lateral highways with shells,
rather than to pay prevailing pri-
ees for gravel. Of course many
road builders, or engineers in
Louisiana express their pref
erence for gravel highways rather
than shells, but we have yet to
meet an experienced road builder
who does not admit that the shells
make an excellent foundation for
highways and with light coating
of gravel gives service of more
lasting nature. With millions OF
tons of clam shells on our coast,
within such easy access to New
Iberia no other community in
Louisiana would disregard the i'm
portance Of the waterway into
New iberia that is now partly
finished. We dare say the ex-
penditure in railroad transporta-
tion alone bringing the gravel to
this Parish would build both the
waterway to the sea as well as
the canal to Lake Fausse Pointe,
as is now about to become real
ity. Does it not behoove our peo-
pie to bestir themselves as quick
" as possible so that we can get
the benefit of these waterways be-
fore the end of the year.
SURVEYS are now being made on
the canal to Lake Fausse Pomte
and it is the intention within thir-
ty or forty days to cali an elec-I
ton to vote taxes just as soon as
It's cost can be estimated The
Belle Place Drainage District Sec
tion on the East Side of New
Iberia was formed this week and
its members, Messrs. Clet Dunes
nil. Geo. W. Dallas. Clet Girard,
Clet Provost and John Schwing
met with the members of the
Chamber of Commerce this week
to discuss their plan Of procedure.
1T might be that they will hold
an election in that drainage dis
trict few days, or few weeks
before the Navigation Board
calls upon the citizens of New
Iberia to do likewise. On the
other hand both calls may be for
the same day. This depends
upon the progress made by the
surveyors. Be as it may. we feel
confident all of our citizens will
give their approval to the projects
underway which will mean SO
much for the masses of our citi-
zens. The people generally have
at last realized that it is only by
our own efforts that we can ever
hope to make New Iberia and the
Parish prosper as it should,
and the spirit of pulling together
has now taken root so firmly here
that there is nothing to hinder or
stop our progress.
From an agricultural point the
value of our lands are becoming
to be known to the outside
world. Land that went begging
some years ago at $50 and $40
per acre cannot be bought under
800. In some instances it has al
ready sold for great deal more