Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-07-30
The Levee Ordinance.


s. Williams, expressive of his views on the new
Levee Ordinance, recently passed by our parish
solons and which has caused no inconsiderable
degree of excitement among our feilow-parish-
toner's Petitions have been circulated, signed,
and addressed to the President of the Police
Jury praying that that body be Immediately
convened in order that the law be repealed or
modified and changed. The opposition to the
law is co-extensive with the parish, and so re-
solved are our people in refusing to obey its re-
QUESTIONS, that Mr. Birdsal, the Inspector has
resigned his commission rather than undertake
to enforce it.
We have ever entertained serious misgiyings
as to the practicability of inforcing the new en-
actment-not that we deemed its exactions much
more than sufficient to meet the exigincies of
the demand, but from full personal knowledge
of the uttsr inability Of large number of our
small farmers to comply with its provisions
within the time allowed-two years-which, in
our opinion, is too short. All who are at all
acquainted with the condition of our small
farmers, who are owners of from one to four ar
penis of land fronting ON the bayou, at that too,
in the districts where the leyees sustain the
greatest pressure Of water, must, of necessity
know that the time allowed them for making
their leyees is not sufficient, and to do so they
would have to contract debt equal to, and, in
some instances, exceeding in amount the value
of their whole landed estates. The operations
of the law in this case would be extremely severe
if not ruinious to persons thus situated-and
they number many. -l~
Although we favored the proposition of placing
the whole matter of levees and roads under the
exclusive control Of the parochial authorities, at
the last session of the General Assembly, not
that we were individually in favor of such pro-
position but from instructions of the Police Jury,
we confess that we have never entertained the
idea that favorable results would arise from its
adoption. Legislation now, will always be
vacilating; each succeeding Police Jury, to
show that they have done something for the
good of the parish, will make some change in
the law; this being one which the people will
be more apt to notice. This will ever be the
case SO long as the local authorities have control
over the matter; for one Jury cannot bind the
actions of a succeeding one; and our word for
it, we shall have nothing but change upon
change, and alteration upon alteration; it is
human nature and nothing can preventit. Look
at our last Legislature for a proof of what We
NJ o;% To- I, Gov,
their object the proper construction Of roads and
levees, should be placed in more stable hands
than those Of your police jurics, where local
prejudices, and not reason, too frequently gov
ern. Let the Legislature take this matter into
consideration, and frame o code of laws suited
to the nature Of the case; give exclusive control
to general State Inspector, with deputies SUI
icient to have the matter well attended to, and
let him be paid from the State Treasury; then,
and not until then, shall our lcyee system be
well and properly attended to.
We would observe in conclusion, that if the
ordinance will admit Of the Interpretation given
it by Mr.. Williams in his Communication, the
law is not so very Objectionable; butt viewed
in this light by very few persons. Mr.. Birdsall,
we believe, did not 50 understand it, and hence
his resignation. We're the law amended SO as
to make its provisions clear in this respect, We
doubt not, that it might be enforced without any
very serious inconvenience to the inhabitants.
The SMALLEST STEAM ENGINE IN THE World.
MIR. BENJAMIN j. Warner, the London watch
manufacturer, has sent to this country, for ex-
working models for two steam engines. We infer
from notices of them, in some Of the London
papers, that they will be the most curious spe-
cimens Of minute workmanship exhibited in the
cylinder engine, stands upon an English four
penny piece, lsizc Of half dime) with room to
spare. The cylinder is but one-sixth of an inch
in diameter, the length Of stroke three-eights,
needle. The other is beam engine, composed
Of more than two hundred pieces. The length
of the stand is three and quarter inches, length
Of beam two and quarter inches, diameter of
yilAlCI eulCC-ciSHso VI dil HILL, aAu ZIG ICLSH
of stroke seven-eights Of an inch. Both Of these
engines are screwed together with the delicacy
and precision of the work Of q watch.
DG- Lola Montez at the last accounts had
closed her engagement at San Francisco It
had lasted nearly three weeks, and had been un-
precedented in the amount Of receipts, reaching
on some nights from three to four thousand dol
lars. ri
/ ~.-------- 49, r----------ss
A MAMMOTH SHIP. A new packet ship named
Calhoun, intended for the Liverpool line, has
been launched at New York. She is said to be
the largest merchant ship il the world, having
capacity for carrying 1000 tones Of freight and
accommodations for j, 900 steerage passengers.
] IA An Ice cream saloon has just been OPEN
ed in New York, containing mirrors, it is said,
which alone cost $1,000 The ornamental
work Of the ceiling. cost Sic, 900. Whether
the quality Of the Ice cream is to be improved
by all this lavish expenditure, is not stated.
HAVE WE A COMMODORE? Enquirer" adj
dresses the following note to Col Fuller, editor.
Of the New York Mirror, under date Of July
&hn