The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-11

J. First Draining District .......... $3.50 On
Third % - esS m
Less q per cent. to be paid to collec.
Tor TO be appointed in virtue of the act 4s0,
Net Net smount Of drainage tax.......sl,s 7s ss
ADD also, 100000 acres of State landa
to be selected by the company. GOO on
Total amount given said company. =. So ,473 q
three fourths Of this amount, 81 .s55. 1872 ara 4
De handed to the company, during the progress 81
snc sl;er !ne completion Of five miles of canal Is
Ieet vide and IL feet deep, the cost Of which vii
not exceed ssSs, $40, the remaining fourth. ssis'
4SI %, only upon the completion of the vhol
canai 20 me higolets, as provided in the charter
IN presence OF the above figures, you can Der
ceive now true is the title of this act entitled 6Ar
act 70 aid In the construction of the New Orlean,
and Ship Island Canal" and what powerfnI All
the property holders of New Orleans. Jefersor
ana Csrrollton cities are compelled to give the
U,enssSfs OF the scheme towards the
Inc Whole cost Of the canal will not exceed
so.o0,OO0; SO, beside the injury inflicted upon
iheir property, and without o particle of interest
~ .pe contemplated work, the proprietors within
the limits Of the above named cities are made To
c consTp1is to oneha Of the entire cost Of its
Having acknowledged the first part Of the title
1
with its meaning, We are Obliged to saw that the
latter part just the reverse, and that Instead Of
more efiectnaly leveeing, draining and reclaim.
ipg tne swamp lands In the rear Of the city of New
Oriesns nothing said about the swamp in the
rear OF Carroton and Jefferson City, the project.
ed act viii entirely ruin our system of dranare
orlng the river and lake waters within our doors.
cut on communication between the front and rear
parts OF our Cities compel to double the present
number Of draining machines, and AZ 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.
.emplsted canal, we viii as it is contemplated by
the charter of the New Orleans and Shin IsIand
Canal, be obliged to drain the whole front lands
into the said canal, on such terms and Conditions
as VIII be agreed upon between the parties. and
Dy tnese means place the $4,000 inhabitants Of
the above named cities, for drainage purposes. At
the mercy of the seven proprietors Of the chartsr
VINO VIII thus be enabled to accomplish their work
enurely at the expense OF the public.
10 give pretext for this new legislation, and
apparently legitimate the appropriation of
s2,6000 900 Of the public money to The New Orsans
and Ship Island Canal Company, clause has been
inserted in the act compelling the companv 10 |
Dullo ievee on the NORTH side Of their canal to
pio'ect tne cites from any overiows from the |
iake or river water This obligation is simply alb
surd, as the building of this levee will afford no |
protection whatever In case of hurricane: the 1
only dierence for rs will be that instead of receiy
ing tne waters direct from the lake, we will have
diton. 'N' 0oA
This clause must have been inserted solely for
me purpose Of deceiving an unguardsd public,
VINO bad suffered 80 much from the late over.
now, which could have been prevented AZ a cost
OF s5o0,l and make them believe that the pro
posed relief is equal to the remuneration granted
TO the company.
!, In fact, there was no reason for introducing
this clause, for similar but more adequate pro.
Iecuon against the lake water is already pro.
Vloed for IN the original charter the coinpanv
oeipg obliged to make the banks of their canal |
'ecu1e and adequate, to avoid any danger from
overflow or breaksge, and, must saw that II ia
lot an onerous obligation imposed upon them. for
Is the result of the work itself, the earth com,
ng from the excavation will furnish material
nougn TO make levee on each bank, at least 10
eet high. 20 feet wide ct top and 100 feet AT the
ase, amply sufficient to repel the lake water.
such Will not be the case, however. should A
revasse occur at or below the lock intended by
ae company to be built at Carroton. The cities
eted Dy the inner or south leyee of the com.
any's canal, their whole area would be covered
I'm sheet OF water from five to ten feet deep, {
40 snonld this canal ever be built, this impend.
q calamity will, like DamocIes's sword. he con.
antiy hanging over our heads. {
ms Iact Is SO well known that, during all the
ne our State was under the control Of its own 2
uzens, the building of locks or sluices was
ways prohibited in the bends of the river | +
)rasion. Vi
Another of the many Objectionable features of
whole project is the location of the canal on
Q north side Of Broad street. in the vicinity of A
you Savage and Gently Road. to saw nothing
the damage which this location will Occasion |
the five railroads chartered by the STATE and b
9 city OF New Orleans or of its ipterferenee b
u the navigation Of the New Canal and of the b
nal Carondelet, you win find that the fifteen q
aWDridges 30 generously granted to the public "
= distance Of thirty miles, are far from being u
ncient to afford speedy communication be.
cen tne Two severed parts Of our cities. "a
as whole. the project is an absurdty, and. M
have already said, not worthy of discussion' 0.
ought not to be noticed, were it not for the r.
eimined intention TO squeeze money from an 81
srourdened community, exhibited In the sun |
mentary act, which, IL ever passed nv the Ba
yislature, will permit the gentlemen projectors In
tne scneme to realize profit of nearly a mil
and half of dollars out of the digging of De
, miles OF canal costing only s940 900.
previous 70 Its passage, the original charter 10
nted to the New Orleans and Ship Island Canal Tie
npany had been referred by the Legislature IN &c
consideration Of the present able State an. Co
eer, venture to say that this scheme would Al
9 never been entertained and then the add. Pa
al act would have had no reason In he die. WI
sed " W u'' Sta
Respectfully, your obedient servant, Br
l.. SURGr, City Surveyor. Ma