, 1863-04-04
FROM LAKE PROVIDENCE.

From Our Own Correspondent
NEAR LAKE l'nps1pESrE, Mnrch 81, Isl

THE ALLUy141 LANDS OF LOUISIANA
The extraordinary fertility Of the alluyia1
lands in Louisiana and Mississippi, has long
been theme Of fruitful comment to travel
era along the main commercial artery Of the
continent. Writers have spoken in glowing
pc1iGds Of The splendor Of plantation life, Of
beautiful mansions cnbowercd in groves Of
sveet-smclling n,agnolias, Of wonderful gar
| deus filled with the many hued beauties Of
tropical vegetation, of miraculous exotic
fruits, Of fields glowing with bursting bolls Of
Aocculent wealth, Of happy groups Of con
tented laborcrs, aud Of the enormous incomes
which they produce, without imagining that
all this wonderful prosperity is induced by u
large, ugly-shaped line Of mud thrown IN
along the banks Of the great river to keep out
the overflow. They seem to lose sight of the
fact that, without this, q large portion Of
what is now the best settled and most fertile
portions Of the State, would become an irsc-
cIaimablc swamp.
LEyEEs.
In the carly settlement Of Louisiana, the
land vas held by the settler On tho river By
Spanish and French grants, upon the condi.
tions Of keeping up road and 1eyee on the
tic grant, At this time the settlements were
, confined to the margin Of the river, and the
highest point being selected by the grantee,
whcrc the river would be only little above
| the hank at the highest flood, the embank
> mcnt could be thrown up at triaiug cost
( These conditions became. subsequently,, ex
:, | ceeding1y onerous, and the riparian propric
: tors were allowed, by act Of Congress, to ccdt
: back their rights to the United States, tllt
b owner Of eminent domain. Before thiE
9 concession WAS granted, while Louisian;
n was yet Territory, various attempts west
made by tie Legislature to compel the en-
forcen,ent Of this contract, and with somt
=, show Of justice. The Territorial Legislature
~ ia4led in their obligation. The settling up O.
ID the country in the interior with planter
wAtse lands we're, equally with their own
protectedbythe cmbankments in front, causet
st lhe trout prop1ir1ors to exclaim against til.
:, Injustice uf compelling one man TO provide
:" protection for y hundred, and suits ant
r Iitjgations followed as matter Of course
The principle Of an al talorsn, tax to built
ie'ees for the common protection was the1
advocated BY many influential planters
n | acted on this principle. When the intcrio
~ lands If these parishes were settled up au
" found equally fertile with the lands on til
u. river, they recognized the justice Of contrt
m protection. They have the most edectis
ierec sxs EN- Of any part OF Louisiana, an
eScelltn ut leyecs: They not only raised til
re- iut.ds. but Northern men ef practical exper
e.. tncc and scientific attainments applied then
- TIE 1ittlc parish Of Tcnsas has paid more
~. voluntary levcc taxes alone, than any farm
OF irg or planning district Of the same size ha
is rad in all kinds Of taxes.
tn The system which worked so well In Ter
~" sas failed III Madison and Carroll. In 1852 a
act was passed the Louisiana Legislature, O.
M | ganizng board Of feree commissioners t;
IN ihr parishes Of Madison, Carroll and Cat
Louia. One Of the first acts Of the commi
.ion was to appropriate n sum equal to *
3u- IN rerairs aud maintcnance. The effect
their energetic action was to raise the yalr
-. II the lands, which were drug before
ase 1hr.e dollars an acre, to forty dollars. tt
fne tive capital, By the Immigration from Il
worn-out md less productive cotton lands
. other States. Planters were realizing mo
ne, Fer acre than In any other cotton producis
'ew region. Swamp lands we're taken up. III
do cautious capital nberll]y invested in their 7
alligator, had dried up, and It's entry VI
LIS looked upon as fine inrestment.
till This was the condition Of these parish
ity. when the two memorable breaks or crcrass
ate occurred, near "Point Lookout and t
wly "1laggc1nan Place. In 1858, both near La
Providence. In both places, mile and Ii
Dur Of levec gave way and precipisated the waite
~ upon the devoted planters, who we're col
uo' pellcd to look on as coolly rs the nature
tho ibc case would admit, and see their crops {
yor stloyed, their stock swept away, their hous
.tcd t.pan1less and abandoned, and they pow
''~0 less.
om- The break in the lcyec at the lower cur
the | in tie bend above Point Lookout took pla
.a, without any perccptible indications. T
son levce guard had Just passed over the spot, a
let tloro5glly examined it. In bend. il
hus aLuye q point, on rising river, there is
But unutual Swell oft water and Inc, mere |sess'
'f. druth Of water. The levee, presenting
rces 1cT.1se Of an arch to the action Of the vat
. re- is apt 10 give way.
>,st. The crsyasse on the Haggcnlan Place =
49, ]atg. then that at Point Lookout, anu
% u rrt.ainitY to Providence, only . milo dtsta
&C. l"s given ne opportunities to examine
T. uo4e cscze'y. This Lad given eS:a:nce