Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1867-10-10
THE LEVEES.

progress of time and events. Th
operations of nature, as manifested
in the late unprecedented cavings-il
of the river banks with their super
imposed artificial structures, togethe
; with the discouraging drawbacks in
cident to a condition of financial i'm
poverishment on the part of the peo
ple'an the State, have conspired tt
an augmentation Of the previous diff
ficulties which lay in the way Of
levee reconstruction, until those diff.
culties have come to assume the
most, colossal and alarming proper.
tons. Nevertheless, "where there's
will there's way" to overcome
obstacles, however trying and dis
heartening, and to accomplish results
Of a successful nature, even in the
face of circumstances the most per-
verse and appalling.
The subject of repairing or recon-
structing the levees, as the case may
be, will have to be met and grappled
with the most steadfast and deter
mined nerve, and that too, without
delay, or the riparian inhabitants Of
our State and those of the alluvial
regions back, are destined to irrevo-
cable ruin.
1t is, therefore, of the most vital
Importance that every one should
put shoulder to wheel, and make
one united, Herculean effort to stay
the repetition of any more OF those
disastrous foundations to our State
and people which are fast helping
their once fertile fields to relapse into
condition of primitive forest
There is no time to lose, and how
ever small may be the means and
ability of those having proprietary
interests in the alluvial lands of the
State, yet, it is in the power of each
to do something for his salvation, by
an energetic concert Of action, based
upon willingness and desire to pro-
tect and promote the general good.
1t is idle to expect aid from either
the General or the State Government
in this matter. A summary survey
by some official, better versed in sci
entifc theorizing than in utilizing
measures of practical Importance; a
general ORDER" insusceptible of be-
ing carried into effect, or formal
call for a levee meeting to give spas
modic birth to a few buncombe |
speeches or a set of resolutions which
vanish into thin air with the close of
the neutrality-suspicious. of these, nor
the -fooleries of Boards of Levee
Commissioners-is what is now re-
CURED to meet the urgent necessitios
of the case in view. What, then, is
the acknowledgements the most FEAST
BILE and effectual plan, by which
those persons whose interests are in
immediate jeopardy, can hope to es-
cape the ruinous fate which awaits
them, in case they are unpre-
pared to resist successfully the next
annual food Of the Mississippi =?
The answer is very properly stated
by our valued correspondent of her
ville-"Thomas Gradgrind who
has so ably discussed the merits of
this levee question in his communi-
cation of the 9th ult., previously
given through our columns, and his
more recent letter, which the reader
will find inserted in our paper of this
morning. Viewing the difficulties to
be combated, from a standpoint of
mutual safety against common
danger, our correspondent recon-
mends primarily the leyying of a
small tax on such lands as are pro-
tected by levees-a measure which
seems to have met the universal favor
Of his neighbors who reside in the
New River settlement, few miles
back of the Mississippi. A cheerful