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

health and destructive Of the value of property.
The following resolution indorsing the repor
Of Mr.. L. Surgi, city surveyor, on the same sub
Resolced, By the Board Of Engineers for tn,
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. ss read before this board
be and the same is hereby fully indorsed.
referred to. have the honor to be, very re
spectfully, THEODORE j. DIxIrRY.
....- Secretary.
NIB. sURGI's REPORT CONCERNING THE SHIP ISLAM
CANAL SCHEME.
SURVEYORS OFFICE, CRY HALL, !
New Orleans, 3lst December, 1868. I
Hon. John B. Conway, Mayor: .fs
Sir-In answer to your letter requesting me t.
inform you how the contemplated New Orleans
and Ship Island Cana" will IL carried out, agree
with our present drainage system, and also
whether 1t will not interfere with the freedom OF
circulation throughout our city, have to say
raised against this project will first give q
synopsis Of the charter, showing the privileges
granted and the charges imposed upon the com
pany.
Aperpetual charter has been granted to Messrs.
g. +. Brott, Lionel A. Sheldon, Charles Diing-
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 tele.
graph and shell road, from point on the left
bank Of the Mississippi river in the parish Of JET.
ferson, thence through the corporate limits of
Carrollton and Jefferson cities and New Orleans in
ss direct route as practicable north Of Broad street
TO the Rgolets near the outlet of Lake Catherine,
thenceIto Ship Island.
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-
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
quate to avoid any danger from overflow or
The company shall construct locks to connect
The msin canal with the river for the passage of
The compsny viii have the right to purchase or
appropriate GOO 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,
1865, and shall be completed Eve years thereafter
mo more than fifteen drsw.bridges shall be
placed across said canal, for 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
conditions as may be agreed upon between the
parties.
The above are the main features of the charter
" T rtn Oc.ooer, iooo.
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
pIancn OF tne Legislature, and the object of
Ca on ~ DulId . poruon OF the Ship Island
xitbout ennva money extracted from the people
Inc montosity is entitled " An act to aid In the
Canal sor ~ =, une new orleans and snip Island
Sana,, ior the purpose OF more effectually levee-
ing, draining and recsiming the swamp lands in
pose 70 prove to be an attempt to swinde the
people OF new orleans, Jefferson, and OF the State
az large, out OF nearly two and aquarter millions
t OF ooiiArs' and iniict irreparabls losses upon
tnsm.
Let 9 rs see what this act proposes.
~ ,epess al avs concerning the
eose "a SeI .an Poruons OF tne parishes OF JEFF
n IUn anu uIissns :
arsin;n~ S;s secu1n consodstes INTO one the
Sra;o;n iooo arc iegsnzes tne TAX imposed by the
The ,birS ssc,or ~ .ae .especuve districts
win u, be appointed By the governor to take charge
trcts and wSo w; neiunsng 70 .ne oraning ols
Per oen. On sii moneys collected and received by
he a-.;. ss.u oomhissIoner, pesioes receiving /
ana ssnnS nnes slready assessed In the First
nsn, ~ ths rbsS n.s,,, vii conpieIe tne assess
n p Of tne inId Dristrict and levy tax on The
E.s. n..;o eausi 70 tnat assessed In the
Sns &c a. S-lv NILS per square foot The
he vhoie a,,on,t a sna oeconu M Dis.rlcts. ana
she,, ~ S;s;SoS sssesseu ~ tne Inrd DISTRICT
hall ha rarsh ia'o no.r equai gsIts-one,q
ssch osS.r oyar I'm Jn ,ne -. octoDer IoSs, and
,nsI,v ths,Sssa S Th oe uue ana payable an
;rst ;nor,rsna on 81 ne assessment snail remain
~ ia- s"so on 'ne property ss now PROVIDED
'For al ,o,s =, -.
,onn., sa vs :, ianu SOLO unoer Judgment said
'verv lot '""'' 'e'ei'e 'en Genus on escn and
Wy ~ es, .,.-
Inc nitn secuon says that all moneys collected
y ss,r M % snail pc paid INTO the State
,avment Of yes sSslI he cons,daad oy .ae non
rust. Is separate fund and nronsrts 1u h me,u iS
wei, anu .ne uties 70 sao acquired real estate to
anal Cowna,n ~ 49,. vusns snu pup lsiano
The sirtb ssc,;o So ssss tha. Psov .S