The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-12
Roox BOARD OF EsGNEERs ON DRAINAGE,
City Hall, New Orleans, Jan. 80, 1869.

UNDERSTANDABLE tuc oQOHIOu VI 0uy Bcutfoi VI cLu>
Gent system Of drainage for the city OF New Or
Resolued further, That the drainage Of the city
into said canal, provided the right could be OBJ.
vert the same into . cess-pool, Injurious to
health and destructive of the vslue Of property.
The following resolution indorsing the report
of Mr.. L. Surgi, city surveyor, on the same SUBJ
ject, was also unanimously adopted:
drainage of the city Of New Orleans, that the re-
port OF L. Surgi, Esq, in the matter Of the pro.
posed Ship Island canal as read before this board,
be and the same is hereby fully Endorsed.
Accompanying this Ia copy of the report above
specially, qoseuy THEODORE J. pIMIrRY,
ftia kvAu
NIB. suRGI's REPORT CONCERNING THE SHIP ISLAND
tN't CANAL SCHEME. aia
SURVEYORS OFFICE, CrrY HAIL.
New Orleans, 3lst December, 1868. !
Hon John b. Conway, Mayor:
Sir-In answer to your letter requesting me 10
inform you how the Contemplated " New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal will, II carried out, agree
with our present drainage system, and also
whether 1t viii not interfere with the freedom of
circulation throughout our city, I have to say,
raised against this project viii first give Q
synopsis of the charter, showing the privileges
granted and the charges imposed upon the COM
pany. rs1r.r N. - az ~. r..
G F. Brott, Lionel A. Sheldon, Charles Dilling
ham. Gardner Banks, Ernest Deblanc, Michael
Hahn and w. E. Reed, under the name of The
New Orleans and Ship Island Canal Company" to
construct q canal, with the privilege Of q tele-
graph and o shell road, from point on the left
bank of the Mississippi river In the parish Of JEFF
ferson, thence through the corporate limits Of
Carrollton and jefferson cities and New Orleans in
as direct route as practicable north Of Broad street
to the Rigolets near the outlet Of Lake Catherine,
thence to Ship Island. el1ytaot tfAft -t
The canal Is to be at least $50 feet wide at the
surface. with q uniform depth OF twelve feet
throughout its length. The company has the pri.
vilege to widen the same to three hundred feet,
with corresponding depth Of twenty-five feet
also, to make branch or lateral canal from the
main canal to point ct or near the river In the
City Of Jefferson. and are required to cause the
banks Of said canal to be made secure and ade-
quate to avoid any danger from overflow or
breakage.
the main canal with the river for the passage of
steamboats,, vessels. barges, etc.
The company will have the right to purchase or
appropriate 600 feet in width, on each side from
the center Of their canal.
The construction Of said canal shall commence
within twelve months from the 4th of October,
1858, and shall be completed Eve years thereafter
No more than fifteen draw.bridges shall be
placed across said canal, for distance Of thirty
miles. through the corporate limits OF New Or.
leans, Jefferson and Carrollton.
Any person or corporation may use the said
canal for drainage purposes, on such terms and
conditions as may be agreed upon between the
The above are the main features Of the charter
The whole project is impracticsble by reason of
physical obstacles, and of being In collision with
vested rights, and is not worthy OF notice, were
II not for the supplementary act which passed one
branch Of the Legislature, and the s object Of
Canal with money extracted from the people
without equivalent benefit.
The montrosity is entitled (" An act TO aid in the
construction of the New Orleans and Ship Island
Canal, for the purpose OF more effsctually levee-
ing, draining and reclaiming the swamp lands in
pose to prove to be an attempt to swindle the
people of New Orleans Jefferson, and of the State
at large, out of nearly two and quarter millions
of dollars, and infict irrepsrable losses upon
them.
Let MS see what this act proposes. t I
The first section repeats all laws concerning the
drainage Of certain portions Of the parishes Of JEFF
ferson and Orleans.
The second section consolidates into one the
draining districts described In the law Of 18th
March, 1858, and legalizes the tax imposed by the
draining commissions IN their respective districts
The third section relates to commissioner, who
will be appointed By the governor, to take charge
Of all the assets belonging to the draining dis
tricts, and who will receive as compensation "a
per cent. on ell moneys collected and received by
him. The said commissioner, besides receiving
the drainage taxes already assessed In the First
and Second Districts, will complete the assess
ment Of the Third Drstrict, and levy tax on the
lands in said district equal to that assessed in the
First District-(3 $40 mills per square foot.) The
taxes due In the First and Second Districts, and
the whole amount assessed in the Third District,
shall be divided into four equal parts-one-quarter
shall be payable on the LIST October, 1869, and
nualy thereafter. The assessment shall remain q
frst mortgage on the property as now provided
By law.
For all lots Of land sold under judgment said
commissioner shall receive ten cents on each and
The fifth section says that all moneys collected
by said commissioner shall be paid into the State
treasury, and all real estate acquired by the nom
payment Of taxes shall be considered, and held in
trust, as separate fund and property, to be paid
over and the titles to said acquired real estate to
be made over to the New Orleans and Ship island
Canal Company, % hereinafter provided.
The sixth section says, that when the company
shall have excavated portion Of their canal 8
miles nom point near the Mississippi river, and
connecting with the Bayou GENTLY, they shall
receive one-fourth of the amount assessed By the
commnioner' and patent for 100000 acres Of
When The canal shall have been excsvated ,so
feet wide and feet deep, they shall receive an.
other fourth Of the amount assessed. and uatent
for 100 900 acres of public land.
When the canal shall have been excsvsted $50
feet wide and II feet deep, they shall receive
another fourth of the amount assessed. and a
patent for 100, 900 acres Of public land.
And when the whole canal shall have been com.
pleted a. provided in the charter, the last fourth
Of said assessment and patent for 100000 acres
OF public land shall be paid to them.
GRAFTON Of the aid and grants conferred BY the
State. the s.id company shall construct and main.
tain suitable evee along the north side Of their
canal Tor . distance Of i've miles, and of such
length and Dimensions - to prevent the city from
being overnowed BY any crevasse occurring above
its intersection with the river and also to prevent
the city from being overlooked by water from
Lake Pontchartrain.
No money or lands shall be vested In said com.
psny until the State engineer or city surveyor
shall certify that said protection levee is com
pleted in accordance with the provisions of this
set. t--t - so E.7'-a :
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