The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-09


tanned from the corporations to do so, would con
| vert the same into cess-pool, Injurious I,
health and destructive Of the value of property.
The following resolution indorsing the repor
OF M. l.. surgi, city surveyor, on the same sub
| ject, was also unanimously adopted:
Resotued, By the Board of Engineers for th,
drainage Of the city Of New Orleans, that the re
posed ship Islsnd canal as read before this board
be and the same is hereby fully indorsed.
| Accompanying this Is copy of the report above
| referred to. have the honor to be, very re
| specially, THEoDoRz ]. DMIrRY,
Secretary.
NIB. sURGI's REPORT CONCERNING THE SHIP ISLAM
-------- CANAL SCHEME.
SURVEYORS OFFICE. CrrY HALL,
New Orleans, 3lst December, 1868.
Hon. John 3. Conway. Mayor: t9 :
Sr-In answer to your letter requesting me 70
inform you how the contemplated New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal u will II carried ont aeree
with our present drainage system, and also
whether 1t will not interfere with the freedom Of
sbss % out our city have to
raised against this project ] viii first give o
synopsis OF the charter, showing the privileges
pany.
A perpetual charter has been granted 10 Messrs.
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 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
sdirect route practicable north of Broad street
to the Rgolets, near the outlet of Lake Catherine,
thenceDto Ship Island. N -
The canal Is to be at least $50 feet wide at the
surface. with uniform depth Of twelve feet
throughout its length. The company has the pri-
vllege 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-
quate 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. d
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,
1868, and shall be completed five years thereafter
No more than fifteen drav.bridges shall be
placed across said canal, for q distance of thirty
miles. through the corporate limits of New Or.
leans, Jefferson and Carrolton.
ANY person or corporation may use the said
canal for drainage purposes, on such terms and
parties.
The sbove are the main features Of the charter
The whole project is impracticable by reason of
physical obstacles, and of being in collision with
vested rights, and is not worthy of notice, were
It not for the supplementary act which passed one
which is to build q portion of the Ship Island |
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 efectuslly levee- |
ing, draining and reclaiming the swamp lands in |
The rear of the city of New Orleansn which pro.
pose to prove to be an attempt to swindle the |
people of New Orleans, Jefferson. and Of the State
It large, out of nearly two and quarter millions
u dollars, and infict irreparable losses upon |
hem.
Let Us zee what this act proposes.
The first section repeats all laws concerning the |
ralnage Of certain portions of the parishes Of JEFF.
The second section consolidstes into one the
training districts described In the law of 18th |
iarch, 1858, and legalizes the tax imposed by the
raining commissions In their respective districts.
The third section relates to commissioner, who
III be appointed by the governor, TO take charge
4 all the assets belonging to the draining dis.
rice, and who will receive as compensation "a
er cent. on all moneys collected and received by
I'm. The said commissioner, besides receiving |
be drainage taxes already assessed In the First
nd Second Districts, will complete the assess.
lent Of the Third Drstrict, and levy tax on the
mos IN said district equal to that assessed In the
irst District-(3 $40 mills per square foot.) The
,xes due in the First and Second Districts, and
ball be divided into four equal psrts--one.quarter
hall be payable on the LIST October, 1869, and |
ach other quarter shall be due and payable an
ually thereafter. The assessment shall remain a |
rst mortgage ON the property as now provided
For all lots Of land sold under Judgment said
commissioner shall receive ten cents on each and
7ery lot.
The 9Th section says that all moneys collected
said commissioners shall be paid into the State
easury, and all real estate acquired by the nom
ayment Of taxes shall be considered, and held In
ust, as separate fund and property, to be paid
'er, and the titles to said acquired real estate to
} made over to the New Orleans and Ship Island |
anal Company. as hereinafter provided.
The sixth section says, that when the company
al nave excayated portion of their canal [
'iss deep ss5m and q feet vide fGs distance
injecting with the Bayou GENTLY, they shall
ceive one-fourth of the amount assessed BY the |
nlmissioner, and patent for 100000 acres Of
lblic land.
When the canal shall have been excavated $50
ct wide and feet deep, they shall receive an.
her fourth OF the amount assessed, and a patent
: 100000 acres Of public land.
When the canal shall have been excavated l50 :
u wide and IL feet deep, they shall receive
osnoL iOuItu VI inc amount assessed, and q
tent Tor 100, 900 acres of public land.
And when the whole canal shall have been COM
TED as provided In the charter, the Last fourth
said assessment and patent for 100000 acres !,
public land shall be paid to them. :,
The eighth section says that, in further consid.
'uon OF the aid and grants conferred By the q
te, the said company shall construct and main. d
suitable levee along the north side of their 4
,al for distance Of dive miles, and Of such 9,
gth and dimensions a. to prevent the city from d
ng overlooked by any crevasse occurring above ri
Intersection with the river and also 70 prevent Z,
CITY from being overfowed BY water from d
70 money or lands shall be vested In said com. =
y until the State engineer or city surveyor
II certify that said protection levee Is COM
ted IN accordance with the provisions Of this
he above summary extract OF the orizinsf +
rter, and Of the additional act being sufficient
explain the whole scheme, We viii now ex- &c
ne tne project N its details, % far a. the in. W
sste of our community are concerned. eli
virtue Of this additional act, the company IL
'e the recipient OF the unpaid drainage tax, and e
m IMAM nn1( o~S Al