The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-20

Net amount of drainage tax. .si,oi5,Soo
Add, also, 600 acres Of State lands,
to be selected by the company. 6Oo'V"
Total aroonn. given said COMPANY. 81, 473, $50
Three fourths of this amount 81, e55 1872 are to
be handed TO the company, during the progress,
ard after the completion Of five miles OF canal 10y
feet wide and IL feet deep. the cost of which VIII
not exceed 1888 ,840 the remaining fourth, s6lS,-
4S7 so, only upon the completion of the whole
canal 10 the Rigolets, as provided In the charter
In presence of the above figures, you can per-
ceive how trde is the title of this act entitled AN
act 10 aid in the construction of the New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal" and what powerful aid
the property. holders of New Orleans, Jefferson
and Carrollton cities are compelled TO give the
gentlemen originators of the scheme towards the
accomplishment Of their design.
The whole cost of the canal will not exceed
So 600: so, beside the injury inflicted upon
their property, and without particle of interest
in the contemplated work, the proprietors within
the limits OF the above named cities are made TO
contribute to one-half of the entire cost OF its
construction
Having acknowledged the first part Of the title
OF the above-named act to be in strict accordance
with its meaning, we are obliged to say that the
latter part is lust the reverse and that instead of
"more efectually leveeing, draining and reclaim
ing the swamp lands in the rear OF the city OF New
Orleans" nothing said about the swamp In the
rear of Csrrollton and jefferson City, the project
spg tes EHsE nS ssS xR
parts of our cities compel to double The present
number of draining machines, and as the whole
river front from Csrrollton TO the lower part OF
New Orleans will have no other outlets for the dis
charge of rain or domestic waters than the con-
templated canal, we will. as il is contemplated by
the charter of the New Orleans and Ship Island
Canal. be obliged to drain the whole front lands
into the said canal, on such terms and conditions
as will be agreed upon between the parties, and
by these means place the 1000 inhabitants OF
the above named cities. for drainage purposes at
the mercy of the seven proprietors of the charter
who will thus be enabled 10 accomplish their WORK
entirely at the expense OF the public.
To give pretext for this new legislation, and
apparently legitimate the appropriation OF
81 500 900 Of the public money to the New orleans
and ship Island Canal Company, a clause mas been
inserted in the act compelling the company 20
build evee on the north side of their canal TO
| protect the cities from any overhows from the
lake or river water. This obligation is simply alb
surd, as the building of this levee will afford no
protection whatever in case of q hurricane; the
only difference for US will be tinstead OF receiv-
ing the waters direct from the lake, we viii have
| TEEN through the unprotected south bank OF the
canal and certainly that will not improve our con-
dition.
This clause must have been inserted solely for
| the purpose Of deceiving an unguarGed public,
| who had suffered so much from the late over
| flow. (which could have been prevented at a cost
4 ID
posed relief is equal to the remuneration granted
| to the company.
| In fact, there was no reason for Introducing
this clause, for q similar but more adequate pro-
lection against the lake water is already pro-
| vided for in the original charter, the company
/ being obliged to make the banks of their canal
1 secure and adequate, TO avoid any danger from
| overflow or breaksge, and. must say, that 1t is
not an onerous obligation imposed upon them, for
il is the result of the work itself, the earth COM
/ ing from the excavation will furnish material
| enough to make levee on each bank, at least 10
feet high 20 feet wide at top and 100 feet at the
| base, amply sufficient to repel the lake water.
Such will not be the case, however, should
creyasse occur at or below the lock intended by
the company to be bHt at Carrollton. The cities
| of New Orleans, Jefferson and Carollton being
belted by the inner or south levee OF the com
| pany's canal, their whole area would be covered
with sheet of water from five TO ten feet deep
and should this canal ever be built, this impend
ing calamity will, like Damocles's sword, be con
stsntly hanging over our heads.
This fact ia so well known that during all the
| time our State was under the control OF Its owl
citizens, the building of locks or sluices was
always prohibited in the bends of the river
where the banks are always subject to caving Oh
abrasion.
the whole project is the location of the canal OF
the north side Of Broad street, in the vicinity o.
Bayou Savage aud Gently Road, to say nothinG
of the damage which this location will occasion
| 10 the I'VE rdlTO6uS cuarteI6u Obdeo nut
the city of New Orleans, or of its interference
with the navigation of the New Canal and of thu
Canal Csrondelet, you viii find that the hfteel
drawbridges so generously granted to the public
for distance OF thirty miles, are far from beni
sufficient to afford a speedy communication be
tween the two severed parts of our cities.
| As o whole. the project is an sbsurdity, and
as have already said, not worthy OF discussion
and ought not to be noticed, were it not for tn
determined intention TO squeeze money from a.
overburdened community, exhibited In the sup
Elementary act, which, If ever passed by To
Legislature, will permit the gentlemen protector
of the scheme to realize profit of nearly mi
| lion and half of dollars out of the digging c
| Eve miles of canal costing only $40, 600.
II, previous to its passage, the original charte
| granted to the New Orleans and Ship Island Cana
Company had been referred by the Legislature
the consideration Of the present able State er
| gineer, / venture to say that this scheme woul
| have never been entertained, and then the add
tionsl act would have had no reason to be di
| cussed.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. SURGI, City Surveyor.
/