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

into said canal, provided the rlght coud De oo-
tanned from the corporations to do so, would con-
vert the same into cess-pool, injurious 10
health and destructive of the value of property.
The following resolution indorsing the report
ss Nv was also rSnsnimcasiy adopted same
Resolved, By the Board OF Engineers Tor the
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 is a copy of the report above
referred to. have the honor TO be, very re-
spectfuliy. THEODORE D. pIMIrsY,
NIB. sURGI's REPORT CONCERNING THE sHIP ISLAND
CANAL SCHEME.
SgRvEYoR's OFFICE, CRY HALL,
New Orleans, 3lst December, 1865. J
Hon. John b. Conway, Mayor;
Sir-In answer 70 your letter requesting me 70
inform you how the contemplated New orleans
and Ship Island Canal" will, if carried out, agree
whether it will not interfere with the freedom of
circulation throughout our city, l have to say,
thar to understand the objections which may be
raised against this project viii hrst give
synopsis of the charter, showing the privileges
granted and the charges imposed upon the COM
pany.
a perpetual charter has been grautedto Messrs.
GF. Brott, Lionel A. Sheldon, Charles Dilng-
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 canal, with the privilege OF a tele.
graph and q shell road, from point on the LEFT
bank of the Mississippi river, In the parish OF JET
ferson, thence through the corporate limits OF
Csrrollton and Jefferson cities and New Orleans IN
as direct route practicable north OF Broad street
10 the Rgolets near the outlet of Lake Catherine,
thence TO Snip Island.
The canal is to be at least $50 feet wide at the
off faQf
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 at 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-
quste to avoid any danger from overflow or
breakage.
The company shall construct locks to connect
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.
TIE construction Of said canal shall commence
within twelve months from the 4th of October,
1865 and shall be completed five years thereafter
No more than fifteen drav-bridges shall De
placed across said canal, for distance OF thirty
| miles. through the corporate limits Oh Ne" w
| leans, Jefferson and Carrollton.
Any person or corporation may use the SAID
| canal for drainage purposes, on such terms ana
| conditions as may be agreed upon between the
The above are the main features OF the charter
| of 4th October, ls6s.
The whole project is impracticabe by reason Of
physical obstacles, and of being in collision with
vested rights, and is not worthy OF notice, were
1t lot for tho supplementary act which passed one
| branch of the Legislature, and the object OF
| which is to build q portion Of the Ship Island
| Canal with money extracted Rom the people
| without equivalent benefit.
nr. =. A ~ D. OF in
| construction of the New Orleans and Ship Island
Canal, for the purpose of more efectuslly levee-
/ ing, draining and retaining the swamp lands IN
the rear of the city of New Orleans" which pro-
| pose to prove to be en- attempt to swlndle the
people of New Orleans Jefferson, and OF the state
at large, out of nearly two and quarter millions
| of dollars, and infict irreparable losses upon
| them.
| Let as see what this act proposes.
The first section repeats all laws concerning the
drainage of certain portions of the parishes Of JEFF
The second section consolidates into one the
| draining districts described in the law OF 18th
| March, 1858, and legazes the tax imposed Dy the
draining commissions in their respective districts
| The third section relates 10 commissioner, who
will be appointed by the governor, to take charge
/ of all the assets belonging to the draining dis
s and On Sa WI gfsEs rs s
/ 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 tne
lands in said district equal 70 that assessed IN the
First Districts $40 mills per square foot) The
| taxes dne in the First and Second Districts, and
| the whole amount assessed in the Third Dstrlct
shall be divided into four equal psrts-one-quartei
| shaIl be PAYABLE on the LIST October, 1859, and
each other quarter shall be due and payable an
| nually thereafter. The assessment shall remain
first mortgage On the property as now proVioeo
by law.
commissioner shall receive ten cents on each and
| every lot.
The fifth section says that all moneys colestet
BY said commissioner shall be paid into the STATE
treasury, and all real estate acquired oy tne non
| psyment of taxes shall be considered, and held II
trust IS a separate fund and property, 10 De PAL,
over and the titles to said acquired real estate
| be made ever TO the New Orleans and SHIP lslsnI
| Canal Company, as hereinafter PROVIDED.
| The sixth section says, that when the COMPANY
| shall have excaysted q portion of their canal
| feet deep and as feet wide, for distance OF
| miles from point near the MISSISSIPPI river, an.
| connecting with the Bayou GENTLY, they shal
| receive onefourth of the amount assessed By tn
commissioner, and patent for 100000 acres o
When the canal shall have been excavated Is
feet wide and feet deep, they shall receive an
other fourth of the amount assessed, and paten
| for I00O coo acres of public land.
When the canal shall have been excavated 10
feet wide and IL feet deep, they shall reeeiv
another fourth of the amount assessed, and
patent for 100 900 acres of public land.
And when the whole canal shall have been con
peted as provided in the charter, the last fourt
| of said assessment and patent for 100000 acre
| of public land shall be paid to them.
: The eighth section says that in further consiI
| Grafton Of the aid and grants conferred by th
state. the said company shall construct and mail
tain suitable levee along the north side OF the
] canal for distance of five miles, and OF sue
length and dimensions as to prevent the city froi
being overlowed by any crevssse occurring aoov
It's intersection with the river, and also to prevel
the city from being overlooked BY water fro
Lake PoptcbsrtraIn-
: No money or lands shall be vested IN said com
pspy until the State engineer or city surveys
shall certify that said protection leyee Is con
Z pleted In accordance with the provisions OF u
act.
The above summary extract Of the ortgin
. charter and of the additional act, being sufnciel
b to explain the whole scheme, we will row e
anime the project in its details, as far as the
terests of our community are concerned.