Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-06-01
sures 10 important to Louisiana. an,
fka tfatfrd Esnfss

sures Sd Important 10 LOut9iallBs ant
the United states.
Great changes have occurred j.
Lower Louisiana since Tho grant o.
the lands fronting ot the river., wer
made 10 The c0lonists and settlers, b.
The Colonial Government, on eond,
tion they should make and keep up
levee In front of their respective
grants. In that day, the obligation Il
do 80, was but a light service com
pared with the very onorous burd, n
of making and constantly krepinl
levres In . ,air, At the presen' dny.
The first settlements made on tn.
river, were Mt those favorable siiua
tiohs, where The banks we're eornpar.
ativrly high. ard but small ievess
wers necessary and as those set,le~
rnen's we're generally miles apart,
there were. for many years. intervals
Of from five 10 thirty miles, between
The settlements projected by levees
and these intermediate openings per.
snitted The waters 6f The river. when
above tbe banks. sO escape and pass
10 The Gulf Of Mexico, Ly other
routes and IL is only within The last
few years ikst The ooniipupus linz of
levee extending from below New Or.
leans, hns reached the mouth of the
A'ehafalnya. The disastrous erevas.
SOS that have occurred between thoss
points. the past and presen, year, cons
vince us, that under existing uireurns4
tanoes. II Is no longer safe, 10 ,rus. 10
the system that beretofore has been
relied upon for the protection Of a
lar"e portion Of the State.
Il the extension Of tbr levees or,
the West side OF The river, he attempt
was made 10 curb and cm a,e 10 The
bed Of The Mississippi, the vast vol.
unie Of wa'er poured down on Us by
ths numerous tributaries Of this great
river. except what escapes by The At.
ohafnlaya, Plsquemine and Lafour.
che.
This measure alone, was sufficient
to have put Lower Louisiana In great
peril.
Hut other measures have tended
greatly to increase the dangers | Y
the extension Of the levess, from tbs
mouth Of Red River. not only III, 10
tho State line. but also 10 a consider.
able extent, in the State Of Arkansas.
n I'd above tho Yazoo River ON the
East side Of The Mississippi, the wa.
ter Is excluded from those jfnnspss
swamps. that formerly served ~ re-
ssrvoirs. When the river rose about
lis natural banks, a Il rye quantity Of
this water passed off by absorption {;
aid q still greater quantity by eva
pora,ion. and other portions, BY long
and t6rtaous routes, fell again into
tho mississippi, hundreds Of mites bo.
low, but much retarded In point Of
time. from the fact Of passing by a
Heightened 10 tie. Many of these
large natural basins retained The sur.
plus water until the river began 10
recsde, and rs The river fell, the sur.
Plusago In the swamps was gradually
returned 10 the river.
Now, by the .emovai Of obstruc.
iions that previously impeded tho
current Of some Of The important
tributaries oi the Mississitpi by
making The "Cut.O orr At Racent,yci...
thereby shortening the channel oftbe
river 20 miles and precipitatinx the
water upon the region below said
and by diverting large
Volume Of water which previous 10
said "Cat-Oa'' passed down the A..
chaialaya, and also by the extension
OF the levees on both sides Of the
river. the mass Of Water thrown upon
Lower Louisiana, has been greatly
increased botb In volume and velocity
thereby causing corresponding In.
crease Of fhe caving Of banks, causing
numerous crevasses. and overfiowin9
portions Of the State which, previous
TO the "Cut.Of' and The extension
of the levess SO far up The river, were
considered equal In The value and an
desirable ~ any lands in the State.
These combined causes have In.
duced the abandonment Of many
tracts Of land fronting on the river
the proprietors considering the land
not worth the expense Of making and
keeping up the levees, and unless
adjacent proprietors, at their indiv'.
dual expense, make and keep up the
levees. on land 30 abandoned, there
Is fearful probability, that many
places on the river, Willie left unprc-
vided with levees, TO The great injury
IL not entire ruin oftbe small planters
on the interior bayous and ,he public
lands, thus breaking up what have
been fourishing settlements, and de-
popnlating these portions Of ii . State. |
Nearly all Of the creyasses that
occurred in this State last year, were
caused by caving In Of the banks and |
he levees made in consequence, no, |
having acquired sufficient solidity, |
gave way before the pressure Of the
water Of this year.
From past experier &c, we feel that
: IL no longer prudent 70 rely wholly
IN individual front propricsors, who |
nay be willing but unable unassist. |
ID, to make and keep up their leyees
. front. and protect from innudation |
he lands and homes Of settlers many |
niles dis aIt-and consequently, BY
inability or neglect of the front pro- |
,riefOrs- whole settfer,orts ~, III.