The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-27


SAFE Of Louisiana. snpsrts but Lille i1f5rrnz
q tisa, o~ing - tie fact that hrs department. b.
y accomplished hardly ~ ding ne.rtla recording
= he aeTertiseie=s makes nnost srue obsegFa
: tien #hen he SAYS.
!. 4 siil 10 doass follow in tie footsteps 6
!. \ Others and Offer aosising new. NJ State 9th
Inson = more susceptible Of Improvement
tfsan Louisiana Nature has giseu u immune
: ra5Ee aataral canals, Which Iced only sosni
; cleaning cut We have thus far expended
verg large SUM 81 money, hut have done it'll
benefit. and VIII is thisz Beeaase Nc has.
10 aeii-Glgestsd system Of operations VI,
q base FILTERED a.ay cur means. doing 2 li,ts.
: here and there al over lie Stase. completing
r EotHlHg thoroughly and permanently. vs.
: have commenced asIhe Hrong end of our work :
Exactly %. and the reason why the work VIZ:
commenced a the wrong end. :. was simply
because there has neref been a competent SCI.
ens1Se man al the Lead Of the department
10 relation TO tbs section ofthe STATE he says
:, RkB RrvER.-TIlis siream-tbe most Imp9r-
tans 70 which the State can direct her improve
sH8ents-3ias been ct d very low stage for two
entire seasons. TIE department has kept two
tdisisaons and one boat operating here during
The entire year: bnt 50 much is 10 be done that
scarcely any traces can be seen OF the work.
Tie stream, from The nature and constantly
changing Of its bed, does no. permit the per-
u1anent completion Of any work There Is
now strong efforts made to canal around the
worse portions OF tie raft. Il Is 10 be hoped
that the energy and ability thus far exercised
will succeed In removing this great obstruction
on tie highway to perhaps tie richest sections
Of Louisiana. Texas and Arkansas
Another work has been prosecuted on Red
I Ri.er-the cutting cut the Lodges of rock form
ing The falls Of Alexandria. i channel has
been cut, but | am recently informed that the
work has not YET been completed, in accord
ance with contract. The state engineer has
no control over this work; but as the head of
the improvement service, he feels it his duty 10
express an opinion upon matter Of such i'm
pertanse. The questions have been every
where asked: rs the work an Improvement"
unbesstatingty and emphaiicalty answer no.
"fHas it been an iujary2' Yes: and one which
cannot be repaired without heavy draft up
On The STATE treasury. When The Kentucky
and Nonongahela rivers were to be improved, !
artificial falls were made TO retain the waters in
the streams. Here We cutawaF the dam y hich /
nature generously provided for US, and dimin- /
ish tie little depth OF water We possessed. | +
confess that | conceive that the State has ruth
lessig expended $50, 600 TO do an injury. 1
could write at length upon this wrong done to
one Of oar largest and most inportans streams;
but prefer expressing my views as TO the on /
II remedy which would, in my Judgment be
correct and beneficial. | boldly say, lock
must DC built on one or the the other falls at
Alexandria. The cost will be very heavy, and
probably heavier than your honorable bodies
are disposed to entail upon the public treasury
now. Sill. [ say that it should be done. | II
submit 10 your consideration the granting of a
charter 10 some company, for a limited num-
Der Of years; the company to carry out the
work, according to a weiI-dgested and unal-
terable plan previously determined. and to be
allowed toll privileges from the time their lock
age is completed TO the end of the charter
Sufficient guards can be incorporated in the
charter to do away with the only objection ev-
er raised against lockage-giz: the reduction I
Of tie capacities Of the river during high
stages Of the stream. {
Many persons differ With the chief-engineer
a regard to the utility Of the work done on the
aIls, but all agree thatif left in its present con-
li:ion, the money has been ''ruthlessly expend- :
ID" The truth is, the navigation Of our river G
viii never be improved until the works entrust- !
ID TO an experienced steamboatnan, who knows
xact1y what is needed, and possesses the en- =
rgy 10 push the improvement to completion.
An official letter from Paris says that propo- "
itlons are understood TO have reached Copen- >
agen from secretary Marcy, at Washington, .
0 the effect that the United States shall pay to 4
Denmark the sum Of forty thousand tIlalers D
$50, ooo) as complete compensation for the ;,
expenses heretofore incurred by Denmark in d
coping up the navigation of the sound; and,
urther, that the United States, while rejecting
be principle of the right to collect dues after =
he aeceptation by Denmark of the indemnity h
d expenses anteriory incurred. offers an an e:
ual sum, though very small, as a eontrbu- d
on towards the maintenance of light houses, Il
tc. So, after all the president is going to pay =
-ibute money to Denmark-but in lump, in in
tead Of tol-money by our vessels. Pr
1t is stated as a remarkable fact that the cleo
on Of Mr. Banks as speaker of the L. States tt
ouse representatives, completes the follow Of
g result the president of the United States, hi
nc speaker of the house of representatives, the -
resident Of the senate, the head of the cabinet, II
ie attorney general, and the occupant of our CT
lost important diplomatic post the minister to tn
ngland, are all northern men. Gen. Pierce III !,
nd speaker Banks are from New England, Mr.. :. =,
[arcy and Mr.. Buchanan from the middle
tates, and Mr.. Bright from Indiana. The d:
outh has poor show with the present regime tl'
democracy. a. q.
A strong efforts now being made in New al
ork and Pennsylvania to send to Kansas u
1other instalment Of anti-slavery men, and it =
stated that several companies are ready to 81
art at the opening of navigation. The Kan al
IS t.league,' of New York, has already been al
e means of Transporting upwards of 5000 set III