The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-10

to be selected By the company. eOo.0
Total amount given said company. =. 81 47s $50
Threefourths Of this amount, 81. s55, 1852, are to
and after the completion Of Eve miles Of canal $50
feet wide and u feet Deep the cost Of which will
not exceed $3.50 $40, the remaining fourth, $6l8,.
4S7 %, only upon the completion of the whole
canal to the Rigolets, as provided in the charter.
In presence of the above figures, you can per.
ceive how true is the title of this act entitled 6An
act to aid In the construction of the New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal" and what powerful aid
the property holders Of New Orleans, Jefferson
and Esrrollton cities are compelled to give the
geo men originators OF the scheme towards the
accomplishment of their design.
The whole cost Of the canal will not exceed
$5.0OO,OOO; go, beside the injury inflicted upon
their property, and without particle of interest
10 the contemplated work, the proprietors within
the limits of the above named Giles are made to
contribute to one-haf of the entire cost of its
construction. y
Hsving acknowledged the srst part of the title
OF the above-nsmed act to be In strict accordance
with its meaning, We are obliged to say that the
latter part is just the reverse and that instead of
" more efectually leveeing, draining and reclaim
ing the swamp lands In the of the city of New
Orleans" nothing said about the swamp In the
rear Of Carrollton and Jefferson City, the project.
ed act will entirely ruin our system of drainage,
bring the river and lake waters within our DOORS
cut Oh communication between the front and rear
parts of our cities. compel to double The present
number of draining machines, and as the whole
river front from Carrollton 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. az it 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 $50, 900 inhabitants of
the above named cities, for drainage purposes, at
the mercy of the seven proprietors of the charter
who will thus be enabled to accomplish their work
entirely at the expense OF the public.
To give pretext for this new legislation, and
apparently legitimate the appropriation of
$500 600 Of the public money to the New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal Company. clause has been
inserted In the act compelling the company TO
build levee on the NORTH side Of their canal to
protect the cities from any overfows from the
lake or river water. This obligation is simply alb.
eurd, as the building of this levee will afford no
protection Whatever in case of q hurricane; the
only difference for us will be that insead of receiv
ing the waters direct from the lake, we will have
TEEN through the unprotected south bank of the
diioD. 10y
This clause must have been inserted solely for
the purpose or deceiving an unguarded public
who bad suffered so much from the late over
How. (which could have been prevented at cost
of $780, and make them believe that the pro-
posed relief Is equal to the remuneration granted
In fact, there was no reason for Introducing
this clause. for similar but more adequate pro-
lection against the lake water Is already pro-
vided for in the original charter the company
being obliged 10 make the banks of their canal
secure and adequate, to avoid any danger from
overflow or breakage, and, must say, that it 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 |
hfUh foaf AZ 49,
base, amply sufficient to repel the lake water.
such will not be the case, however, should q |
,revssse occur at or below the lock intended by |
he company to be built at Carroilton. The cities |
Of New Orleans, Jefferson and Carollton being |
Deltef by the inner or snuth levee of the COM
pany's canal, their whole area would be covered
with sheet of water from five to ten feet deem |
md should this canal ever be built, this impend |
Dg calamity win, like Damocles's sword. be con.
family hanging over our heads.
ms fact is so well known that, during all the
lme our State was under the control of its own
hzens, the building of locks or sluices was
lwsys prohibited in the bends of the river,
brasion. "
Another of the many Objectionable features of
ne whole project is the location of the canal on |
be north side Of Broad street, in the vicinity of
'syou savage and GENTLY Road. to say nothing
4 the damage which this location will occasion
Q the five railroads chartered by the State and
ne city OF New Orleans, or of its Interference |
nth the navigation of the New Canal and of the
anal CaroDdelet, you will find that the fifteen
rawprloges SO generously granted to the public,
Or distance of thirty miles, are far from being
nmcient to afford speedy communication be, |
~een the two severed parts of our cities.
as whole. the project is an sbsurdity, aud,
nave already said, not worthy of discussion. |
I'd ought not to be noticed, were it not for the |
etermined intention to squeeze money from an
verburdened community, exhibited in the SUP.
lementary act. which, II ever passed by the |
E gslature, will permit the gentlemen projectors
the scheme to realize a profit of nearly mil.
on and half of dollars out Of the digging of |
We miles OF canal costing only s94O, 900.
II, previous to its passage, the original charter
ranted to the New Orleans and Ship Island Canal |
ompany had been referred by the Legislature to
e consideration Of the present able State en-
neer, venture to say that this scheme would |
we never peen entertained, and then the sddi-
'nal act would have had no reason to be ala.
ssed.
Respectfully, your obedent servant,