A ride day benefit for Nick Furlette, the Berwick High grad and recent LSU grad who was injured in an accident, is being planned for next month. Furlette remains in intensive care in a Lafayette hospital.
The event will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 16 at FVF Moto in Breaux Bridge.
The benefit will include a fun jump, food, raffles and an auction.
For more information, call 337-349-3340.
Mardi Gras is falling late in the season this year. Fat Tuesday is March 5. The season traditionally begins with Twelfth Night, Jan. 6, festivities.
This year’s festivities will feature the women’s Krewe of Galatea celebrating 50 years of revelry and the Krewe of Dionysus hosting its 40th carnival celebration.
The first ball in the Tri-City area will be held Saturday by the men’s Krewe of Adonis. Six more balls will follow leading up to Fat Tuesday.
Six area Mardi Gras parades will be held in the Tri-City area beginning March 1 and ending on Mardi Gras Day.
Adonis has route changes set for its March 1 parade.
Ball patrons are reminded that tableaus begin promptly and everyone should be seated prior to the krewe’s stated start time.
Krewe of Adonis
The Krewe of Adonis kicks off Carnival with its 44th ball at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Floor seating is invitation only.
Making a farewell appearance will be King and Queen Adonis XLIII Chuck Walters and Brenda Walters.
Adonis will hold the area’s only nighttime parade at 7 p.m. March 1. The updated route will start at the corner of Brashear Avenue and Second Street and proceed down Second to Onstead Street, Sixth Street, Marguerite Street, Ninth Street (La. 70), Brashear Avenue, Victor II Boulevard and ending at the auditorium on Myrtle Street.
Krewe of Nike
The Krewe of Nike will present its tableau at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the auditorium. All viewing is invitation only.
Bidding adieu will be King and Queen Nike XLVII Ian Carmichael and Kylie Potter. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Potter. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Carmichael.
Members of the krewe will parade behind the Krewe of Galatea parade that begins at 2 p.m. March 3 in Morgan City.
Krewe of Galatea
The mystic Krewe of Galatea celebrates its 50th ball at 8 p.m. Feb. 16 at the auditorium. Viewing is by invitation only.
Queen and King of Galatea XLIX Mrs. Pete Lawton and David Fuhrer will be making a farewell appearance.
Galatea will present its annual parade at 2 p.m. March 3 in Morgan City. The procession will organize on Second Street under the U.S. 90 Grizzaffi Bridge and proceed to Onstead Street, Sixth Street, Marguerite Street, Ninth Street, Clothilde Street, Victor II Boulevard and ending at the auditorium on Myrtle Street.
Krewe of Dionysus
The Krewe of Dionysus will host its 40th coronation at 8 p.m. on Feb. 23 at the Berwick Civic Complex. Floor seating is invitation only.
A farewell appearance will be made by King and Queen Dionysus XXXIX Scott Anslum and Stephanie Anslum.
Dionysus will hold its alternating parade in Bayou Vista this year at 2 p.m. March 2. Anyone interested in putting a car, truck or float in the parade must contact Roddy Richard, 985-498-0118.
The Dionysus After Parade Dance with live music immediately follows the parade at the Bayou Vista Community Center. Participants must be 21 or older. Entry is $30 per couple. Tickets are available through board members.
The procession will line up on the corner of Jupiter and Delmar streets, and the procession will turn right on Delmar to Venus, Saturn, Southeast Boulevard, Canal Street, Teche Road, Fairmont, back to Southeast and turn right onto Belleview and proceed to its starting point on Jupiter Street where it will disband.
Krewe of Hannibal
The Krewe of Hannibal will hold its 39th tableau at 8 p.m. Feb. 23 at the auditorium. This is an invitation-only event.
Bidding adieu will be royalty XXXVIII — King Hannibal Theron Brooks and Queen Cleopatra Shelly Broussard.
Krewe members will participate in the Dionysus, Krewe of Amani and Siracusa/Greenwood Community parades.
Krewe of Amani
The Krewe of Amani celebrates 21 years with its coronation at 8 p.m. March 2 at the Patterson Area Civic Center. Floor seating is invitation only.
Making a farewell appearance will be King and Queen Amani XXI Shayne Stevenson Sr. and Twanna O’Brien Wynche.
Amani will hold its Lundi Gras parade at 2 p.m. March 4 in Patterson. The procession will line up at Patterson High School and proceed down La. 182 (Main Street) and end at the Place Norman Shopping Center.
Krewe of Hephaestus
The oldest-chartered area krewe, the Krewe of Hephaestus, will hold its 59th carnival court at 8 p.m. March 2 at the auditorium. Floor seating is invitation only.
Taking to the stage for a final appearance will be King and Queen Hephaestus LVIII Derald Hardaway and Abigail Kathleen Askew.
Krewe members will parade at 2 p.m. Fat Tuesday in Morgan City. The procession will organize on Sixth and Sycamore streets and proceed down Sixth Street to Marguerite Street, Ninth Street, Clothilde Street, and Victor II Boulevard, ending at the auditorium on Myrtle Street.
Siracusa/Greenwood
The Siracusa/ Greenwood Community Mardi Gras Parade will also be held at 2 p.m. Fat Tuesday in Siracusa Subdivision near Morgan City.
Participants will line up on Siracusa Road at 1 p.m. and proceed to James Street and Grace Street before ending at the Siracusaville Recreation Center.
Anyone wishing to participate or for information may call Leroy Trim or Mary Jones at 985-385-4224, or 985-759-1689.
Parades
—Krewe of Adonis: Friday, March 1, 7 p.m., Morgan City.
—Krewe of Dionysus: Saturday, March 2, 2 p.m., Bayou Vista.
—Krewe of Galatea: Sunday, March 3, 2 p.m., Morgan City.
—Krewe of Amani: Monday, March 4, 2 p.m., Patterson.
—Krewe of Hephaestus: Tuesday, March 5, 2 p.m., Morgan City.
—Siracusa/ Greenwood: Tuesday, March 5, 2 p.m., Siracusa Subdivision.
Edward Louis Butler, a native and resident of Patterson, died Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, at Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City.
Visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at Bethlehem Church of God in Christ with burial following in Shields Cemetery, both in Patterson.
He is survived by his wife, Delores Favors Butler of Patterson; a son, Karl Butler of Harvey; two daughters, Gloria McGuire of Patterson and Patricia Watts of South Carolina; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a grandson, seven brothers and two sisters.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Wayne Hawkins Sr., 64, a native and resident of Franklin, died Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, at his residence.
Visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at St. Jules Catholic Church in Franklin. Burial will follow in church cemetery.
He is survived by two sons, Wayne Hawkins Jr. of Franklin and Kendrick Verrett of Thibodaux; two daughters, Kandice Hawkins of Richmond, Texas and Janairian Washington of Patterson; siblings, Louis Hawkins III, Ricky Hawkins, Gregory Hawkins Sr. and Connie Louis, all of Houston; three grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and a sister.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Don Paul Barrilleaux Sr., 49, a native of Morgan City and resident of Berwick, died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, at Ochsner Foundation Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Kelli Guillot Barrilleaux of Berwick; three sons, Dylan Barrilleaux and Don Barrilleaux Jr., both of Berwick, and Lesley Barrilleaux of Ricohoc; mother, Joyce Blankenship and husband George of Pierre Part; father, Richard Barrilleaux of Labadieville; four sisters, Juanita Barrilleaux and Barbara Aucoin, both of Pierre Part, Cassie Blankenship of White Castle and Stacey Barrilleaux of Napoleonville; two brothers, Kenny Berthelot of Slidell and Ritchie Barrilleaux of Pierre Part; maternal grandmother, Elta Hebert; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents.
Services will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Morgan City Family Church.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Wayne David Coleman, 80, a native of Morgan City and resident of Broussard, died Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette.
He is survived by his wife, Wanda Besse Coleman of Broussard; a son, Brian Coleman of the Philippines; a daughter, Deborah Vidos of Broussard; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Morgan City. Burial will follow in Morgan City Cemetery Mausoleum.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Kemper Williams Sr., 95, a native and resident of Patterson, died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, at Franklin Foundation Hospital.
Visitation will be Saturday from 10 a.m. until services at 1 p.m. at Good Hope Baptist Church with burial following in Shields Cemetery, both in Patterson.
He is survived by a son, Vernon Williams of Patterson; three daughters, Cedes Brooks, Orelia Harris and Charlene Williams, all of Patterson; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his wife, a son and three daughters.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
CLOTHES
Golden Hand Ministries, 345 Southeast Blvd., Bayou Vista, holding a clothes give-away from 8 a.m. until on Saturday, Feb. 2. Public invited.
BLACK HISTORY
Celebration at Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, 113 Federal Ave., Morgan City, 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17. Guest speaker Gloria Barley Moultrie, Southern University chief administrative officer, New Orleans. Public invited.
When oil companies began to realize that muskrats weren’t the only profitable thing hiding in south Louisiana marshes, they also began to realize that exploration and drilling in the wetlands would be unlike anything they’d done before.
Chronicler Raymond Lankford noted in a history of the oil industry, “There were no roads in the marshes, no bridges over the bayous, no bases from which to move into the bays. The whole expanse from Calcasieu Lake to Breton Sound was a sort of nature’s no-man’s land, neither land nor sea.” ("History of Oil Well Drilling," Gulf Publishing, Houston, 1971.)
When serious exploration began in the wetlands in the middle 1920s, seismic crews had to use pretty much the same pirogues as the men who hunted for muskrats, and often hired the trappers and their friends as guides.
Companies “had to tap into local knowledge of the confusing and forbidding terrain,” according to a history by the Minerals Management Service of offshore exploration ("History of the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry in Southern Louisiana, Volume I: Papers on the Evolving Offshore Industry," OCS Study MMS 2008-042).
“A crew would typically rent boats and hire laborers and guides in the small Cajun communities where people traditionally made their living variously by fishing, shrimping, crabbing, frog hunting, muskrat trapping, salt mining, or harvesting sugar, rice tobacco, moss, or oysters,” the MMS recorded.
In those early days, a typical exploration crew might include 10 seismologists and technicians and as many as 30 helpers hired from local communities.
They worked 10 days, then took four off, using pirogues to navigate the trainasses (tiny canals) that sometimes wound through marshland, or sometimes just petered out in tall grass. The locals were important because they knew which canal went where.
Sometimes, though, the crews had to push on past the dead-ends, carrying equipment for some of “the longest miles in the U.S.A.,” according to a feature in Shell’s company publication in March 1939.
The laborers bound their pants legs at their ankles “to protect against snakes and leeches,” then toted heavy loads through “waste deep swamp water ... dodging cypress roots and saw-toothed palmetto leaves.”
Usually their hands were too full to slap at the swarms of mosquitoes that found them easy prey.
“Instruments, explosives, pumps and pipe for drilling, cables, and all other paraphernalia of the seismologist’s art must be carried distances often of miles, and at a rate rarely exceeding one mile per hour,” according to the Shell feature.
That sounds right. When Father William Teurlings wrote a little book about his days as pastor at Cameron, he titled it “One Mile an Hour,” because, he said, that was the rate that his horse could move through the marshland.
The equipment the seismic crews carried was often heavy and awkward, but the “cases and cases of dynamite” the “swamp mules” carried posed the biggest risk.
Typically, workers would screw a piece of heavy casing three to five feet into the marsh mud, fill that with up to 50 pounds of dynamite, and then hunker down in the marsh grass while the detonation sent up “a tall geyser of water, mud, and plant particles.” The explosion would also leave a deep crater in the marsh for the next unsuspecting crew to wade into.
“If you didn’t know about it, and you walked into it, you went right down,” one old-timer recalled in an MMS interview. “And if you had a load on your back, it was pretty doggone hard to get up out of the water.”
The locals were important because of their skill as guides and the strength of their backs, but the oil companies soon found out that they offered something else that was perhaps more important. They spoke Cajun French.
“Obtaining permits to survey from local landowners was much easier from a fellow … French-speaking Cajun than it was from an English-speaking company man from Texas,’ according to the MMS history.
That made things easier, the historians said, at least until the landowner fell into a dynamite hole.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, "Cajuns and Other Characters," is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.
Submitted Photo
Morgan City Rotary Club members heard from outdoors writer John Flores at a recent luncheon. From left are Casey Shannon, Morgan City Rotary Club president, and Flores.
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1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
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