New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-18

ana ea1ety OF q comparatively nuiaA PVpuid-
ton, we need levees ON the TANKS and rear |
of our city enclosure to protect the industry |
and lives Of quarter Of million Of people, |
and ask that part of our own contributions |
be used to assist in constructing them.
If the city has hitherto refrained from |
asking for the use Of any portion Of the |
levee funds. it is now the more entitled to |
have the aid of the Board of Pub |
lie Works in building levees in its rear,
for levees already built, is the obligation OF
the Board Of Public Works to aid it now.
The city within whose basin-lke area SO
large population is contained, is haDie 10
overflow, not only from the river III front,
and from crevasses in levees above us
boundaries, but from the lake noods.
Against these it should be as amply pro-
tected as in front.
The necessity for this and for drainage
which will need to be connected therewath,
was felt by the late city government "hen,
in 1868. il assembled a board OF civil engl-
neers to consult upon this subject IN their
report made in 1869, they recommended the
construction of line OF levee protectlon
from above Carrollton to the Metairie Ridge,
alone the ridge to where it intersects the
Jefferson and Lake Pontchartrain Railroad,
thence along it to the lake shore, thence
along the lake in an easterly direction to
the junction with Lafayette avenue; thence
in a direct line to the intersection OF the
Fisherman's Canal with Florida walk;
thence along the upper line OF said canal to
the river bank. Suitable locks to be con-
structed where this line of levee would inter
sect the new canal and the Bayou st. John,
and food gates placed at all drainage
canals where intersected by this line. All
other lines of communication were to be re-
CURED to pass over the crest OF the levee.
This line would probably be about sixteen
miles long, and to build such levee as
thew describe, would cost about fifty cents
per cubic yard including office work and
erection. The total cost of such work,
upon their plan, would be about one million
dollars.
But the predecessors of the present city
government, warned by the disastrous flood
OF 1868. repetition of many others, by
which the waters of Lake Pontchartraln
had been impelled over the entire rear por-
ton of the city did last year direct the
letting out of a contract to build aprotectlon
wall along the lake. This was to be a most
substantial work of earth, placed outside
the present waters edge, and made broad
enough for carriage ways thereon and faced
with plates Of iron, firmly fastened upon
| piles driven five feet deep into the ground
The earth for the embankment to be taken
| from between the iron revetment and the
shore. forming thereby canal to be used
| for either business or pleasure.
| As thus proposed to be constructed. IL
would be most substantial work. forming
| a noble quay, such as would reflect credit
| on the city and State.
| The contract for this work was put up for
| adjudication, and after many offers it was
| bid off at a rate lower than the estimate by
| the Surveyor of the value of the work, but
the CITY Council did not act upon the adj
| Indication SO as to confirm it. Doubtless, 1T
was because they felt that the State should
intervene and help them build the levee.
| Impressed with the belief that it is our
| duty TO afford the rear of the city equal
protection with the front of it; satisfied that
| this is a work of as mnch Importance and
value as any which the Board of Levee
Commissioners have as yet constructed be-
| lieyino that New Orleans is entitled to Its
| share of the funds contributed for levee
purposes hitherto withheld from it, but will
ing TO ask only for a portion of that which IS
our due. and this only when we find our
own means insufficient, it is respectfully adj
| yised that the resolutions offered by the
| Administer of Public Accounts be adopted
and transmitted with copy OF this report
TO his Excellency. the Governor OF the
State. and TO the Board of Levee Commits
sioners. requesting the action OF the latter
in atfording us. not merely an amount equal
to the building of a levee along the lake
shore, but one embracing the entire area
|
as fronts upon the lake be constructed that
it be made one which. by its breadth, soldlty
and well secured face, will answer for the
use which an enlarged commerce and the
future settlement of that part Of the city
and its establishment with villas fronting
the lake, will require.
JR WEST,
Administrator.
! DEPARTMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
| +f,Ily ,,at,J
| herewith the communication OF Mr.. George
| D. Hite relative to furnishing shells.
Mr.. Hite intimates that in any future con
| tract for shells, he will become n bidder
As such course is perfectly open to him anC
to all others, discharge from further con
sideyation OF this communication is respect
fully requested. j. X. WEST,
Administrator.
DEPARTMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
The undersigned respectfully retnrn
herewith claims OF f. II. Hardness and )
r. Babbidge for lime lost by caving of tn
wharf.
The Superintendent of Bureau of Wharve
and Landings reports herewith inclosed
that he warned the stevedore dischargin
the vessels not to pile the lime upon tn
wharf.
The claim for damages should be mad
against the stevedore, not against the city
!
DEPARTMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
The undersigned respectfully returns here
with the petition of Louis Hubbard an
Frank Mariana for lease on the levee,
which is reported upon unfavorably as
would be inexpedient to appropriate this IL
calitv from the general uses OF commerce.
j. K. WEST,
Administrator.
DEPARTMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
, have the honor to return herewith tn
petition of Pierre Cameron, and Others"
On the thirtieth June last had the homo
, 70 report upon a similar petition from til
: same parties, that the City Attorney recon
: mended suspension of any action in the cas-
until the legality of the "Rust contract"
: decided.
i Seeing no reason to disregard his advice
, T respectfullv ask to be discharged frOl
e | further consideration of this renewal of p
! titiou. y: n. WEol'
O Administrator.
1 DEPARTMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS,
g CITY of New Orleans, August IL, 1917.
S Hon B. F. Flanders, Mayor:
d In compliance with section ten OF I'll
y CITY charter, / have the honor to subm
e herewith a report of the operations Of tn
v department for the month of July.
, Immediate disbursements have been COZ
tinued as formerly, but two important IL
provements have been entered upon TIL
involve large outlay of means. Und
the appropriate headings these will be I
{ ferred to, and in due time it will become n
= cessary for the Council to provide the I
e quisite means to meet the expenditures /
=, cured. AlnelioratiOn of many exlstlI
~ evils is being gradually accomphshe
~ though necessarily much clrcumscrlbed
of