Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-02-08
Grand River.

TIL deep interest which we fee. i'll the redemp'
| ton of the rich and fertile lands bordering this
beautiful stream, will, we trust. be a sufficient OK
case for again r~everting to this question.
The act of the last Legislature, making the ne
cessary provisions for the lcvyin@ OF Grand hl''
er, has, as yet; not been carried into operation iol
the reason, we have no doubt: OF the apparent
bankruptcy of our State Treasury.
Under the present aspect Of things, this great
d,sidratum which affects the interests, not only OF
| the inhabitants Immediately bordering It's branch
es. but likewise the interests of a very large num-
Der OF the citizens of our Parish, IS doomed 10
| remain unachicved, without some action and IN
| terccssion on the part of those more Immediately
! interested, and most likely to become gamers ny
it. We have reiterated, that which we have
frequently before said-that the most likely me-
thod of securing a suitable levee on this stream
at an early date, is through the personal energies
of our citizens-it rests with them to raise by vol
untary contribution the requisite amount TO carry
through this Important work-for the reimburse
ment of which at a future day they must trust
to the magnanimity of the Legislature.
Should those, who are more Immediately the
su fferers whose plantations are annually sub
iected 10 inundation, from the waters emanatIng
from the overflow of the banks of this stream (the
damage and loss occasionedb by which are to them
incalculable) be aroused to a sense OF their own
interests; they would doubtless find 1t vastly 10
their advantage, to raise among themselves the
necessary means for its completion. What is a
few thousand dollars outlay, for a matter OF the
like importance and utility to men of opulence
and wealth This outlay would be but trihing in
comparison to the ultimate and certain advanta-
ges it win serve them. In a lew years, yea,
even in the short space of one year-they would
find themselves considerably gamers by the oper-
alton. Few, if any, of the planters living on
BAYOU Goula. but looses a greater or less portion
of their cane by the waters occasloned by the
overflow of this stream. which would be other
wise were its banks 10 be levied. Let even the
planters alone, living in the locality just referred
to. make a minute estimate of their annual losses
by oyerflows-and let them on the other hand
the expenses attending the building OF
the levee in contemplation, and we venture to
saw that their losses in one year alone would be
more than twice the amount which would be re-
luired to build alevee OF its dimensions.
A levee of fifteen feet base and two and a half
high will be all sufficient to answer every
practical purpose. Those acquainted with the
country on Grand River will not deny that it is very
high land. and when the water is at its utmost
does not raise more than six to eight inch
es above its surface. Though the cheapest and
probably the best method of building this levee is
BY letting it out to private contract; yet, admit
ling ever that the planters interested were to fur-
their own hands and to supervise the work
themselves, even then they would find the labour
and time devoted Gf judicionsly mana
ged) but triaing in comparison,to the great gain by
they would be benefited.
&l