The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-08-28
MOVEMENT TO DIVORCE RED
RIVER FROM THE MISSISSIPPI.
Resolution.

Resolution.
At the Flood Control Convention
held at Jonesvllle, Louisiana
August 10th, 1920, attended by
large number of citizens iron
Catahoula and adjacent Parishes
and from Mississippi, the following
resolution was introduced b.
United States Senator Joseph +
Ransdeli aud unanimously adopted
to wit:
Whereas, during every higl
water season in the Mississippi
River a large volume Of wate
flows through the seven mile gal
at the lower end of the Fifth
Louisiana Levee District system
from Point Breeze TO the mouth OF
Red River, and through Red OF
Old River, resulting in the over.
flow of 200 square miles--Desriy
two million acres of the most
fertile land in the valley-in the
Parishes of Rapides, Avoyelles,
St Landry, LaSalle, CatahOula Con
cordia, st. Martin. iberia, st.
Mary, Pointe Coupee, West Baton
Rouge, Ibervllle, Ascension, AS
sumption, LafOurche and Terre
bonnie;
And, whereas every outlet from
the Missis sippi River to the Gulf
located above the City of New
Orleans except that through Old
River and the adjacent gap 10 the
levee system has been closed, the
last being the outlet at the head
of the Tensas Basin Levee District
at Ames Bayou and Cypress Creek,
Arkansas, work on which will be
finished this year; aud there was
no hesitation by the State or the
Nation in closing such important
natural outlets as Bayous Msnchsc,
Plaquemine and. Lafourche, ana
such great artificial outlets as
these caused by crevasses in the
levees at Ashton, Salem, Holly
Brook, Biggs. Diamond Island,
Kempe, Lake st. John and Baugere
in the Fifth Louisiana Levee
District. Morganza, Scott and
Hickey 10 the Atchafalaya BASIN
Levee District, Nita and Bonnet
Care in the Pontchartrain Levee
District, and Davis, Hymelia and
Amesville in the LafOurche Basin
Levee District, although some Of
these outlets diverted from the
main river for extended periods as
large il not larger volumes of
water than now escapes through
Red River and the unleveed
stretch from there to Point Breeze:
And, whereas every principal Of
justice and fair play requires that
the citizens of Louisiana whose
lands are ruined by the awful
floods pouring from the Mississippi
into the basins of the Black, Red
and Atchafalaya Rivers should be
treated the same as other Louisi
anians: A
And, whereas in the opinion of
the Mississippi River Commission
and many eminent engineers and
laymen 1t Is feasible to close said
gap and divorce the Red from the
Mississippi at reasonable cost,
without imposing too great a strain
upon the levees of the lower river,
provided they are first materially
strengthened, and the task of
separating the two streams is
carried on slowly, SO that the
channel of the lower river may
adjust itself to the increased
volume; but there is great differ
ence of opinion as to when the
work of divorce should be under
taken, bow rapidly 1t should be
prosecuted, what safe guards In
the way of bank revetmen.s aud
enlarged levees should be con.
structed. ETC., etc;
Aud, whereas there is small
prospect of securing favorable
action from Congress OIL the
pending bills authorizing this
divorce and making appropriation
therefor unless the Engineers and
the people Of Louisiana agree upon
. plan to be presented and urged
unanimously;
And, whereas it is believed that
q workable method can be evolved
lie al interested persons are
brought together in = heart. to-
heart conference for that purpose;
Therefore, RESOLVED; That
His Excellency, Governor John NJ.
Parker, be, and he Is hereby
requested to call such q conference
on the divorce of the Red and Mis-
sissippi Rivers, to be held IN the
City Of New Orleans on the 10Th
and 10th, Of November next, at q
place to be designated by him;
that he invite thereto the Chief Of