The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-21


of Mr.. L. Surgi, city surveyor, on the same SUBJ
ject, was also unanimously adopted:
Resolved. By the Board Of Engineers for 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 read before this board,
be and the same is hereby fully Endorsed.
Accompanying.this is copy of the report above
referred to. i have the honor to be, very re-
specially, THEODORE J. DIMITRY,
NIB. suRer's REPORT coSCERNNG THE SHIP ISLAND
CANAL SCHEME.
SURvEYoR's OFFICE, CRY HALL,
New Orleans, 3lst December, 1865.
Hon. John B. Conway Mayor:
Str-In answer to your letter requesting me 70
intern you how the contemplated New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal " will, if carried out, agree
with our present drainage system, and also
whether it will not interfere with the freedom Of
circulation throughout our city, have to say,
that to understand the objections which may be
raised against this project l will first give
synopsis of the charter, showing the privileges
granted and the charges imposed upon the COM
pany.
a perpetual charter has been grantedto Messrs.
G F. Brott, Lionel A. Sheldon, Charles DillinS.
ham, GardDer Banks, Ernest Deblanc, Michael
Hahn and w. E. Reed. under the name OF The
New Orleans and Ship Island Canal Company" to
construct a canal, with the privilege OF 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
Carroton and Jefferson cities and New Orleans in
as direct route practicable north of Broad street
TO the Rigolets the outlet OF Lake Catherine,
thence TO Ship Island.
The canal is to be at least $50 feet wide at the
surface, with a uniform depth OF twelve feet
| throughout its length. The company has the pri
| vilege to widen the same TO three hundred feet
| with a corresponding depth of twenty-five feet
/ IL. at-aa hron ar OF fr0r
main canal 70 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.
The company will have the right to purchase or
expr opriate 600 feet in width, on each side from
i 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 draw-bridges shall De
/ 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 ana
conditions as may be agreed upon between the
/ parties.
The above are the main features of the charter
/ of 4th October, 1868.
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
it not for the 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 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 effectualy levee'
| ing, draining and retaining the swamp lands II
| the rear of the city of New Orleans" which pro
| 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 infiict irrepsrable losses upon
1 them.
Let Us see what this act proposes.
The first section repeats sill laws concerning the
drainage of certain portions OF the parishes OF JET
ferson and Orleans.
The second section consolidates into one the
draining districts described in the law OF 18th
| March, 1858, and legslizes the tax imposed by the
i draining commissions in their respective districts
The third section relates TO commissioner, who
| will be appointed by the governor, to take charge
all the assets belonging t as Compensation d
gsS cent on ali 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 Dristrict, 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-quartel
| shall be payable on the LIST October, 1863, and
| each other quarter shall be due and payable an
| nualy thereafter. The assessment shall remain 9
first 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
| every lot.
/ hal he mn
treasury, and all real estate acquired by the non
payment of taxes shall be considered, and held II
trust, as q separate fund and property, to be PAID
over and the titles to said acquired real estate tC
be made over to the New Orleans and Ship Island
Canal Company, So hereinafter provided.
The sixth section says, that when the company
shall have excavated portion OF their canal
feet deep and rs feet wide, for distance OF
miles from point near the mississippi river, anS
connecting with the Bayou GENTLY, they shall
receive one.fourth of the amount assessed by th'
commissioner, and patent for 100000 acres o.
When the canal shall have been excavsted Isl
feet wide and Q feet deep, they snail receive an
other fourth of the amount assessed, and psten
for 100, 900 acres of public land.
When the canal shall have been excavated 10
| feet wide and IL feet deep, they shall receiv'
| another fourth of the amount assessed, and |
! patent for 100 600 acres Of public land.
And when the whole canal shall have been com
Melted as provided in the charter, the last fourt
Of said assessment and patent for 100000 acre
of public land shah be paid to them.
The eighth section says that, in further consid
GRAFTON Of the aid and grants conferred by tn
state. The said company shall construct and main
tain suitable levee along the north side of thel
canal for q distance Of five miles, and of sue
length and dimensions as to prevent the city from
being overfiowed by any crevasse occurring abov
its intersection with the river, and also to proven
the city from being overlooked By water fror
l Lake PontchartraIn.
No money or lands shall be vested in said com
psny until the State engineer or city surveyo
) shall certify that said protection levee Is CON
pleted In accordance with the provisions OF I'll