Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-10-14
Thf Gazette&Gotlte
sLenaerial Of tho Planters to Gen. Canby.

gates Of the overlooked parishes of Loui
sisna, held at the st. Charles Hotel, in TIN
city of New Orleans, on the 4th day 0
October, 1855, the following resolution
and memorial were adopted .fs
gEsoL UTIoN. &.
sResotUed, That committee DO appointed
by the President of this Convention, L
consist Of one member from each over.
flowed parish, to draw up q memorial tt
be submitted 70 Gov. Wells and Majol
Gen. E. K. S. Candy, on the subject Of tins
rebuilding and reparaton Of the levees on
the Mississippi river:
~ 7p"e i MEMORIAL. s
To His ExesIlsDcy, J. MADISON WELLS, Governor o
the State Of Louisiana. and Major General r.
n. s. CAaDr, Commanding the Department o
Louisiana:
From glance at the map of the State oil
Louisiana, q general idea Of the extent OF
the overflow may be formed. IL embraced
all lands lying between the Mississippi
Ouachita and Black Rivers, and all lands
lying south Of Red River and cast Of Bayou
B@uf and Bayou Tcche, TO Berwick's Bay;
also, all lands between Bayou Bafourche
and the Atchafalaya River. 1T is ASTHMA
ted that eight million, two hundred and
thirty thousand acres of land were actually
inundated, large portion ~ which wins 10
high state OF cultivation. No less then
nineteen parishes were partially, or almost
totally overHowed. T-l-
Ia order TO show the extent Of tho dam
age Incurred, we would refer TO an est.
mate made by authority Of The Police Jury
OF the parish Of ABsumpti From that
estimate, it would appear, that in that
parish alone, 2ll0 persons were forced
from their homes; 216l bales Of cotton
werc probably lost by the overflow Of 1922
acres Of land, already planted in cotton !;
100000 bushels Of corn, tho probable pro-
duct of $500 acres, and ,575, 900 pounds Of
sugar, the product Of 900 acres Of land,
were totally destroyed.
The estimated value Of producta de-
stroyed, is five hundred aud thirty four
thousand, eight hundred and sixteen dol
lara. In this estimate, the loss in stock
and damage to plantations is not included.
We have estimated that tho losses incurred
in the parishes, added 10 this, amounts to
the sum of three million Of dollars.
These land wereappraised at many mil
lions Of dollars before the war, and the
products Of the parishes overlooked, ac-
cording 10 the Auditors report for tho
year 1861, amounted TO thirty four mil
lions, five hundred and hfty-three thou
sand, one hundred and forty seven dollars.
The estimated cost of rebuilding and re-
pairing the Mississippi levces would not
exceed six hundred and twenty five thou
sand dollars, as appears from the Report Of
Engineers appointed by authority of the
United States and Of the State Of Lonisi-
ana, o copy OF which il hcreuEto annexed
few thousand dollars additional would
prObabiy5 be required to construct levees on
olfe Atehafalaya and other lateral streams.
AS question of finance, the immediate
reputation of the levees presents itself in
strong light TO the State and United States
governments. 1t is more thnn probable
that the loss in taxes will amount TO sum
more than adequate to defray the expenses
necessary. TO secure tho low lands from q
second overflow. 1t must DO borne In
mind that The lands will not be cultivated
the, coming year. unless some reliable as
surance Of protection, from the devastation
of the river can be given. Under the pres
ent depressed state Of the agricultural in
teTest ot our State few persons are in CON
dillon to bear tho loss Of two crops in sue
cession, and as consequence these losses
of revenue must continue until the river il
confined TO its banks.
1t must also BIO INBRED that the
condition of the broken levees will grad
ually grow worse, and the evil of which
we complain increase. So that if the work
of reparation Is postponed for another sea-
o0I IL VIII upb Only b IhTR6T bu IN
for repairs, but the breaches in tile levee
being gradually widened, additional lands
will be overflowed, and the agricultural
interests Of the country be correspondingly
depressed.
The lands will speedily be covered With |
an almost tropical growth Of trees, vines, |
etc, which will render them as difficult to
be put in cultivation az they were in their |
original state and, If long neglected, the |
whole country will have TO be abandoned
and left desolate.
1t occurs to the Committee that the State |
Of Louisiana has right to call upon the |
Commanding General Of this Department, |
through its executive officer, for such as
sistanco from the United States rs can be |
given, as We have reason to believe that |
The rsoldierS stationed at Mqrganza wore |
InAinly Instrumental in causing the leves |
to give way at that point which, owing to |
the great bend in the river, contributed |
very largely to the amount Of water which |
inundsted tho lands Of lower Louisiana. |
II has heretofore boon noted that no |
number OF Grevasses in the river, between |
the mouth of Red River and Donalda@n- |
vile, causcd a general ovelfii1w Of anfs@in |
the lower part of the State, II the grand /
levec below Morganza, and on the same !
bend, did not give way. For years pas,, |
Innt SccLIOn OF isVec mas bGGu regarded by |
the Legislature as Of sildh vital Importance |
Is the safoty Of the country which it pro- |
tected, that largo and frequent appropris-
tions have been made for rebuilding it |
when requisite, and for strengthening il /
when there was any doubt Of It's ability to !
rssist the great Rsssssrre of water; and The |
same may be saitegf the large Ievees above |
the mouth of Rod River. 1t is also be- !
Iicved that the damages done to the levees |
at Milliken's Bend, Lake Providence, |
Duckport aud Whites Plantation, by the |
operations of the Federal army, greatly |
contributed to the extent Of the overflow. |
Before the war, the levees were kept up by /
riparian proprietoro and by levoe districts: |
by the war, they have been deprived OF |
the labor previously used for that purpose,
and in their present impoverished condi- |
ton it is impossible for them to keep up |
The levccs. The finances of the State are |
IN such condition that IL cannot be ex-
pected TO do the work.
Having no other source to look to, VIC
therefore appeal to the General Govern
ment to devise the means TO protect |
tba niti1ana nf T,ouiuiann frn,n