New Orleans Republican., 1868-05-07

suing q bold. strsight-forWard course (or
as straight as pOssible) with canals, snfil-
ciently wide and deep from Galvez street
to the lake, is, that we should thus get rid
Of various crooks and elbows, which now
impede and retard the flow of the water,
and by increasing the volume of the
water the impetus with which 1t moves,
having less friction to overcome than when
1t passes through various smaller channels,
will also Re increased, and should it not
after all be found sufficient for q free and
ready discharge of water into the lake. it
may be aided and the flow OF the water &C
celebrated, by the employment Of in
creased machinery at points where ex.
perience dictates that it Is most needed.
We might REQUIRE additional dredging ma
chimes perhaps as many as SIX, IL, for the sake
of expedition we commence at both ends.
With such facilities, the whole enterprise
might be accomplished, I need not say in
ten years, the period Which the three
Boards of State Commissioners have con-
gumed in their operations and with such
small results, but | will say in one year;
and if. In a twelyemonth from the time OF
commencing it. the business were done and
well done, whata noble monument 1t would
be to the enterprise Of the city What a
credit 20 any administration that should
commence aud carry 1t forward TO compile
ton What benefit to our fellow citizens
who would enjoy the advantages of such
an improvement and to those who will oc-
cupy their places after they have passed of
thestage! .H f. agE -Ee..f
The Commissioners Of the First Draining
District will. IS | have remarked soon
complete the arduous lahors In which they
are engaged. When they have finished them,
they Will only have begun to drain the city,
or -ather q single section Of il, and
that by throwing the water into the swamp
A. .fwsa -,
propose to touch the swamp itself, which
viii still remain as great, ana even greater
nuisance than ever. We should do our
work thoroughly gentlemen. We can not
be Indifferent 70 the striking Illustration
furnished by the city of ST. Louis, Missou-
ri, which remained an invariably sickly
place, till she had courage and enterprise
enough TO drain the swamp in its neigh
oOrhO0d, the source of tue maladies which
migration. When she adopted and carried
boldly into effect that great sanitary meas.
ure, what change was soon effected in
her history. she is now one Of the health
lest cities in the West, and from the time
she became such there has been no inter.
ruption to her progress and prosperity.
The beautiful city Of Augusta, in Georgia,
furnishes another striking example OF the
beneficial influences eXerted bya iudicious
system of draining upon the health of large
and populous cities. Thirty years ago
Augusta, occupying site nearly as low and
level as tbas Of New Orleans, and partaking
almost as much the nature of q swamp, had
bad reputation for health, but wide.
spread fame fOr the enterprise Of its inhab-
itants. Next to Charleston it was the best
market for large, interior, wealthy, cot
ton-groWing region, and nothing at that
time interfered with its steady onward
march Of prosperity but the unhealthiness
of its situation. The public interests re-
quired that the low grounds in the rear of
the city should be drained by canals empty
ing into the Savannah river, upon whose
banks Augusta Is built, by means of which
the pestilential eXhalatlons arising from
the enYirons were substituted by pure and
salubrious atmosphere. The impetus given
to commerce by this great sanitary move
ment was magical. For q series of years
no Southern city was more hourishing than
Augusta, and nothing interfered with her
prospects but the introduction of railroads,
the effect of which was to iIlpart conse-
quence to markets nearer the seabOard, and
which divided with her the rich spoils of
agriculture, which she had previously al.
most mOnopolized.
Let New Orleans follow the example Of
these cities, and the same results must fol.
low. Few things impede her growth more
than her sanitary condition. II behooVes
US to bear this fact constantly ia mind, and
act under its controlling influence.
If we never begin proper system of
drainage, it is certain that we shall never
accomplish anything for the permanent re.
lief and health Of the CITY, @
Another mode Of draining New Orleans
has been suggested and may be worthy of
consideration. Metarie Ridge is a strip of
land extending from above the town of Car.
rellton to point below the city, about
midway between the river and the lake.
From the crown of this ridge the land
slopes toward the river to point or line of
Hagan Avenue Canal, and the natural
drainage is toward the river, while, On the
other hand the drainage of that portion
lying between the river and Hagan Avenue
Canal is from the river; consequently, all
the drainage Of that portion OF the city
lying between the river and the ridge hnds
Its lowest point at Hagan Avenue Canal,
and must be gotten rid Of either BY an out
let to the lake, or by pumping into the
river. At the present time, that of the sec
ton between the two navigation canals is
being pumped into Bayou st. John, to the
great annoyance Of the inhabitants living
in that neighboEhoOd, and also in contra
Yention Of an act of the Legislature, and for
which a suit is now pending for damages.
That OF the upper and lower sections is
thrown over the ridge into the swamp.
mus WV bAdl4c LDA uA tlAG NlLN nave
been urged by different engineers who have
written on the subieet--one TO drain per-
pendiculaE to The river finding an outlet in
the lake; the other by draining parallel with
the river, finding an outlet in the river at
some point beiJN the city by pumping over
the leYee. Both Of these plans have their
objections. 1t e objected to the former
water will flow so sluggishly that in heavy
rains the ground remote from the draining
machines will be oYerflowed, while that in
the Immediate vicinity of them will be
pumped dry. Another objection to this
plan is. that the filthy sewerage water
thrown into the lake will lie along the shore
fostering and Poisoning the atmosphere to
an extent that would render that portion of
the city totally uninhabitable. The first
objection might be overcome by machinery,
but the latter (I there is no mode Of getting
rid of this tetid water by emptying 1t into
the lake at distance from the shore) Is a
very serious one, and should not be lightly
considered, inasnuch as health Is the great
desideratum we are desirous TO secure. The
objection to the other plan is the difficulty
Of passing the navigation canals without
eommingling the sewerage water Of the city
with the pure lake water In the canals.
This However night be prevented by sink
ing q teD.foot plfe under the canals at each
intersection OF tie draining canals
The first tLingto be done in the ustteris,
then, the adoption Of a proper plan. We
are satisfied thata great work Is to be un-
dertaken, By means Of Khicha great benefit
is to be conferred upon New Orleans, hut
how are We to proceed In its accomplish
ment How can We arrive at the best plan.
which is now the great desideratum2 Think
there is a tolerabls ready and easy solution
OF this question. The difficulty OF draining
the city, and doing Il thoroughly may be
great; but there are no difficulties IA the
way which SKIN and science may not over.
come, We have now d0ne With fanciinl
speenlatiouss and are dealing with stubborn