The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-27

Net amount OF drainage tax. 1913 $50
Add, also, 400 0O0 acres Of State lands,
TO be selected BY the company. 100000
Total amount given said company. 81, Alb $50
Three fourths Of this amount 81, 1856, 462, are to
be handed to the company, during the progress,
and after the completion Of Eve miles Of c1hal l50
feet wide and IL feet deep, the cost OF which will
not exceed 1888 $40 the remaining foufth, $685.
4s7 so, only upon the completion of the whole
canal to the Rgolets, as provided in the charter.
In presence of the above figures, you can per.
ceve how true is the title Of this act entitled "An
act 10 aid In the construction Of the New Orleans
and Ship Island Canal" and what powerful aid
the property-holder of New Orleans, Jefferson
and Carrollton cities are compelled to give the
gentlemen originators Of the scheme towards the
Accomplishment of their design.
The whole cost OF the canal will not exceed
t6,0O0,OOO so, beside the injury inflicted upon
their property, and without particle of interest
in the contemplated work the proprietors within
the limits of the above named cities made to
contribute to one-haf Of the entire cost Of Its
construction.
Having acknowledged the first part Of the title
OF the 8bove-named 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 effectualy leveeing, draining and reclaim
ing the swamp lands In the rear 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 of communication between the front and rear
parts Of our cities compel US 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, will, as it ia 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
4-Iu a,f
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
81 800 600 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 oTerhows from the
lake or river water. This obligation is simply alb
surd, as the building of this levee viii afford no
protection whatever in case OF a hurricane the
only difference for will be thatinstead OF receiv-
ing the waters direct from the lake, we will have
teen through the unprotected south bank OF the
canal and certainly that will not improve our con-
dtion.
This clause must have been inserted solely for
the purpose of deceiving sn ungusrded public,
who had suffered 80 much from the late over
flow, (which could have been prevented az cost
of $500,) and make them believe that the pro-
posed relief is equal to the remuneration granted
10 the company.
In fact, there was no reason for introducing
this clause, for similar bat more adequate pro-
lection against the lake water is already pro.
vided for in the original charter, the company
being obliged TO make the banks Of their canal
secure and adequate, to avoid any danger from
overflow or breaksge, and, | must say, that II 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 q levee on each bank, at least 10
feet high 20 feet wide at top and 100 feet at the
base, amply sufficient 70 repel the lake water.
Such will not be the case, however, should q
| creVasse occur Of or below the lock intended by
the company 10 be built at Carroiton. The cities
| of New Orleans, Jefferson and Carollton being
beted by the inner or south levee Of the COM
penys canal, their whole area would be covered
| with sheet Of water from five TO ten feet deep,
and should this canal ever be built, this mpeDd'
ing calamity will, like Damocles's sword, be con-
stanty hanging over our heads.
This fact ia so well known that, during all the
| time our State was under the control of its own
| citizens, the building Of locks or sluces was
always prohibited in the bends of the river,
| where the banks are always subject to cayi1g or
abrasion.
Another of the many Objectionable features Of
the whole project is the location of the canal on
the north side Of Broad street, in the vicinity OF
Bayou Savage and GENTLY Road, to say nothing
| of the damage which this location will occasion
| the city of New Orleans, or Of its Interference
with the navigation OF the New Canal and of the
| Canal CarondeIet, you will find that the fifteen
drawbridges 30 generously granted to the public,
for distance of thirty miles, are far from being
sufficient 10 afford o speedy communication be-
tween the two severed parts OF our cities.
As q whole, the project is an sbsurdity, and,
as have already said, not worthy Of discussion,
and ought not TO be noticed, were it not for the
| determined intention to squeeze money from an
| overburdened community, exhibited in the sup
elementary act, which. If ever passed by the
| of the scheme TO realize q profit of nearly mil.
lion and q half OF dollars out Of the digging OF
| FIVE miles of a canal costing only $940, 900.
If, previous to it's passage, the original charter
| granted 10 the New Orleans and Ship Island Canal
| Company had been referred by the Legislature to
| the consideration of the present able State en-
| gineer, I venture To say that this scheme would
| have never been entertained, and then the add
| tional act would have had no reason to be dis
| cusseG.
Respectfully, your obedient servsnt,
| l.. SURGI, City Surveyor.
L .