Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1859-02-05
NO. 4.

but II will il" ai,:srSsar, h. keep it up.
! AMI the question ar srs. wlin is to do
this? Belle, Ing tl;at after the State has
mad. such All Improvement in any ono
parish, the said parish nhonli .lopt it as
part and parcel uf her OWN works.
hay. addressed 4 request to the Police
jury Of the parish Of Pointc Coupec.
through their President, to adopt tho
Morsanza Road as a.public parish road,
and to place ii for the lutut. Under par
ish authority and r, guIations. | have
not yet received an answer to my COIN
munication. 1t must be rccollccted that
the completed road is entirely in the
parish If Pointc Coupee Would it not
be well to enact, in such cases, that the
Internal Improvement Department bo
released Of after obligations?
BY reference to former parts u this
report, il is perceived that from the lath
Of May to the lotll of June, the Algerine
was used in making All examination Of
the Mississippi River. Every one knows
that during the past year the Mississippi
RIVER gave ono Of its disastrous over
flows. Believing that l might collect
facts that would he of first Importance to
the State, with the consent Of his Excel
lencv the Governor, organized and
headed party On the Alscriuc for an
examination Of the river from the north
ern line Of the State to the Gulf Of Mex
ico. This examination was made in May
and the first part of June; little too
carly, as is proven by the breaking out
Of some crevasses at a later time. Still,
we have collected many notes, and placed
marks which will do for starting points.
should the Legislature permit Il survey
of the Mississippi, as recommended in a
following portion of this report. This
Department had the opportunity of col
Letting facts for the solution Of the prob
lem Of keeping the Mississippi under
control, and it took advantage Of this
opportunity on its trip with the Alge-
rinc. In report which design to make
hereafter, l shall give the result Of my
! observations. | have only to regret that
| could not repeat my trip after the fall
of the waters, SO as to take notes OF tlio
consequence Of the oycrlows, and the
after condition Of the river Twas called
upon, through the public prints, to mako
this examination; but | have considered
that could not so far interfere with
other duties OF the Department, and be-
sides, that lcvecs were more particular
" under the care Of the Swamp Land
Board than under that Of the State En-
queer. 1t is believed, however, that by
the reports Of the Swamp Land Board
and Engineer Department, the Legisla-
ture will have sufficient information to
direct proper measures.
In conclusion, in this report on the
subject Of the Mississippi River, l am
fearful that ought to repeat my words
If the last annual report. Ny words
| were then: The Mississip ippi River has
lately risen very rapidly, and it has had
| much the appearance Of the river when
it gave us the flood OF 1922 had no
positive belief then that would prove
prophet. The overhows Of 1858 hayo
unfortunately established that my fears
were not grouudless. If had fears in
1851, what is it now, when still more
rapid rise of the river has occurred;
when, on the last Of December, the
waters are rising at the rate OF several
inches per day, and are within nine feet
and one inch Of tine highest water of 1855,
Are we to have another overflow in this
year9 | fear sol very much fear 80.
and especially as we are by no means as
we'll prepared as last year, on account
of the great number of new levees, to
resist high water. do not wish to
| be an aIarmist, but do give warning.
| ny-.t writer in one Of the medical
,.erazines arrucs that the more out