New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-01-25
He REPLIES TO PUBLISHED STATEMENTS
OFFICE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, !
ChIet Engi eer's Office
New Orleans. January "a, 1879.

s ,
New Orleans. January "a, 1879 }
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
Each of the newspapers issued in this city
on yesterday contained an article commend
lug the Mississippi Valley Levee Company
TO the favorable consideration of the Legis-
lature and people of this State, and all spoke
Of the vast Importance of the levees, espe-
cially to louisiana; but, in their earnest.
ness to advocate this grand speculation
there was one msappehension, or broad mis-
statement, that feel called upon to correct.
The expression in the Picaytne covers the
sentiment in the others, and it says: "The
system for the past four years is perfect
abortion etc.
Now, the misfortunes or mismanagement
of the Boards of LeVee Commissioners for
the first three years after the war, with
their constant troubles, and irregular and
uncertain appointments, should be undeN
stood and appreciated before the gentlemen
composing those boards should be censured
or their works condemned; but for the
present system, (which has been in operation
but little over one year, aud which is known
as the Board OF Public Works, none of these
remarks are applicable, and all such charges
are gratuitous and without foundation.
From the various changes in the 8d.
ministration of the State government,
and the consequent changes in the Boards
of Levee Commissioners during the three
seasons of high waters succeeding the war,
some of their works were unfinished or in
complete, and were washed away, aud
others by being restricted in quantity and
placed too near the bank Of the river in
those neighborhoods affected by the "cut
oIfsn at Tarapin Neck and Palmyra Bend
have caved into the river; but even under
these mishaps, large majority of their
work Is still efficient, and over three mil
lions Of cubic yards of their levees are still
standing.
Bat the sad experience Of these change
able boards induced the present Legislature.
at the session of 1868, to create the Board
OF Public Works, with an eye to the per-
manenCy of the plans and systems for levee-
ing, that the very object for which the Mis-
sissippi Valley Levee Company is commend.
ed might be attained.
Under the present system the term of ap-
pOintment of one member of the board
expires each year, and the re.appointments,
which must be confirmed by the Senate,
are to be for five years, and thus (there
being five members) there will always be
four experienced commissioners, and a reg
1lar system of construction, enlargement
and repair of the levees can be and is being
carried into effect. OF more than one hun
dred and fifty works of construction and
repair, which were reported by the engi-
neers as necessary to place the levees in
order, thirty were built last season,
and more than fifty are being constructed
81 Ghe present time. OF the work done last
season, which amounted to l,346, 029 cubic
yards, rot one cubic yard was lost, and those
now being constructed have been located and
equated with an eye to 1.-The greatest good
to the greatest number, and the true in
terests of the State; and when the works
now beiEag, constructed are completed, and
the small repairs which have been recon.
mended are made, the country below Red
IN tIn. - k,,n l. h11nr
Rouge on the left bank, will be safer than
ever before. So the Board of Public Works
is not "sn abortion;" and if a durable and
continuous or perpetual assessment, tax or
appropriation is made tor them, their leyees
will be SIS efficient and permanent as the
proposed Mississippi Valley Levee Company
could make them.
Yours, most respectfully,
,.... M. JEFF THOMPSON,
Chief Engineer.