The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-06-05
Ftotection Of the Civ

coPies VI Tie act OF lS45, empowering the Governor
to appoint three Commissioners, to act in conjunc-
ton with the Mayor, the State Engineer and the
Judge OF the Parish of Jefferson in order to report
on the best means of protecting New Orleans from
the dangers of an overflow. The motion also con-
| tanned request to the three Municipal Councils to
use their best efforts to have the spirit of this act
carried ont. 1t seems to be the opinion of all with
whom we have conversed that the Governor should
now appoint these Commissioners As it is urgently
required that the next Legislature should do some
thing to protect the city from the river, and as the
session of that body is limited to sixty DAYS. every
one must perceive the expediency of having full
report of the localities and plans for protection
ready prepared for the Legislature, so that it may
act with promptness, intelligence and efficiency.
Already several very feasible plans have been
proposed some of them, indeed, founded on su-
pericial observations, but others on notes quite
extensive, taken by professional and experienced
men. The cardinal feature of all the protective
measures hitherto devised is 10 run a side leyee
from the river levee to the Metarie RIDGE or TO the
levee along the bank OF the New Canal The diff
terence between the plans is as to the points from
which the side levee should run, and the general
course it should take. In order to appreciate the
merits of the several plans it must be recollected
that from the foot of Espanade street up to Hoeys
brick-yard, on the upper edge of Carrollton, the
river describes the three sides of a rectangular
quadrlateral, having the angles somewhat rounded
The angles of the quadriatera are at Felicity road
and at point halfway between Bloomingdale and
Greenville From the last-named point up to
Hoey's the river is constantly approaching the lake.
In addition to the direction of the river, we must
also look at the course of the Metaire Ridge If
we start from Harlem Avenue, the Ridge runs for
several hundred yards nearly parallel with the
river, and about three.quarters of mile distant
from it, then, describing sort of eliptical curve,
the RIDGE after running from the river, approaches
i: again until, near the upper line of Carrolton it
is not more than one or two hundred yards further
from the Mississippi than at Harlem.
Having promised these typographical facts, which
will be made much clearer by reference to the
map, is apparent that the sidelevee for protect,
ing the city must begin either at the upper edge of
Carrollton or at tue Harlem Avenue. From any
other points the side.levee would be much longer
and more expensive than from either of those we
have mentioned. Besides, the levees proposed be.
low Carrollton would be regarded by the inhabi.
ants of that town as positive injury to them, in
dependent of the wrong they would suffer in not
having their property protected. For in case of a
crevasse occurring above the side-levee, the town
Of Carrolton would be in perfect eutde-sac be.
tween the Metairie Ridge and the new embank.
ments. A regard, then, for the rights of Carroll.
ton, as well as attention to own interests should
lead US to desire that the levee might be constructed
above or at least on the upper border of that town.
1t is said, however, by those who favor the
scheme of a side-levee below Carrollton, that the
front levee for mile or two below, as we'll as at
Carrollton, is weak and constantly liable to break.
But this is not so, From Fresport up to Hosy's,
the levee is even now very strong, and might, by
little care and labor, be placed beyond the possibil-
ity of rupture Not only is the levee strong, but
there is large oatture in front OF it all the way
up. The only weak point in the neighborhood of
Carrollton is just opposite Hosy's brck.yard and
the danger here has been very much diminished, if
not entirely removed, by the fine new levee re.
Gently constructed. One of the most feasible plans
yet suggested--that Of MIR. Hampson--is to run the
side-levee along Upper Line street in Carrollton
and thus the difficulty opposite Hoeys will be got
rid Of The weakness of the levee at Hoey's is the
only reason for preferring the levee along Upper
Line street to the levee along Harlem Avenue.
And inasmuch as the Ridge is little farther from
the river at Carrollton than at Harlem, it may be
that the expense Of strengthening the levee at
Hoey's would not be greater than that of the in.
creased length of levee along Upper Line street.
With side-levee from Carrollton or Harlem to
the Metairie Ridge, the city and its suburbs would
be perfectly protected The levee which the Canal
Company is bound to keep up along the bank of
the New Canal-inasmuch as the New Canal is
finally to revert to the Stae--competes the line of
embankment from the Ridge to the Lake. In ad.
dition to the advantage of the works above de.
scribed in protecting the city and neighboring vii.
lagos, the swamp lands included within the side.
levee would have many facilities for draining
which they now lack. Tha expense Of such
side.ievee as the one we have spoken of would, we
are sure, be much less than that incurred in carry.
ing out any other plan which would effsctually
protect the city.
We hope that the Commissioners whom the Gov.
ernor may appoint, as well as those acting er-
otSc'o, will act with all possible diligence, and
make such observations and arrive at such conclu.
slons as will make the labors of the Legislature
comparatively light, and enable that body to per-
form its duties to New Orleans, Lafayette and Car
roton, in an exemplary and efficient manner As
our legislators are not engineers, they will greatly
need the best advice that be furnished by profess
sional and practical men,
---ses-
% A Professor in the Woodward High School,
Cincinnati, was cowhided on the 18th ult, by
widow Tuxford, whom be had grossly slandered.
Gs- Mr. Woodward, one of the reporters for the
Beacon office at Norfolk Va, and Clerk of the
Select Councils, has been arrested on charge of
forgery.
LEXINGTON RACEs.-The race over the Lexing-
ton Course on Wednesday, 23d ult., was won by |
Chiles's Hebron, by Grey Eagle. Time, l:5O-l:5I |
The race on Thursday was won by Harper's Little |
Blue, by Grey Eagle. Time, 3:52-3:5O The |
race on Friday was won by Dukes Bob Smell, by |
Grey Eagle. Time, -1:5O-1:4sl-I50-l:57 |
The race on Saturday was won by Geo. Lincoln's |
Brown Kitty, by Tiger. Time, 5:42--5:45a.
MURDER.-A negro man named Minter, belong
ing to Capt. Benedict, was killed on the 9th ult., |
at Huntsville He Strnck with hlnJooo,