New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-17
THE SHIP CANAL COMPANY BEFORE
THE CITY. COUNCIL.

| bled to receive n committee from the direc-
ton of the Ship Island Canal Company.
The committee consisted of Messrs. H. E.
Browne, president; L. Gagnet, superintend-
ent, and C. Baquie Mr.. Browne presented
and read the memorial given below, and
addressed the council in support of the
propositions therein set forth. Quite a dis
cussion followed on the part of the admins
traitors, but it was finally concluded to con-
slider the matter further before deciding
upon course of action.
To the Honorable the Mayor and Council of the city
| of New Orleans:
! The New Orleans and Ship Island Canal
! Company respectfully represents that by
virtue of act No. a, of the General AS
sembly of Louisiana, passed in extra session
March 16, 1870, the offices of drainage
commissioners, created by the act OF March
1S, 1858, were abolished, and the three
drainage districts were made one; also that
| said commissioners were required to trans
fer and deliver to this company all the prop
| erty and effects of said drainage districts;
and said act further invested this company
with all rights, property, interests, powers
and privileges conferred on said commits
sioners by said act of eighteenth of March,
| 1853, and the acts amendatory and supple
| mentary thereto.
! This company represents that it has COM
piled with all the requirements of said act
of March l6, 1870, necessary to entitle it to
settlement with said drainage commits
sioners as therein provided, and to trans
fer by said commissioners to it of all the
property, rights and effects entrusted to or
held by the said commissioners.
And this company states that the COM
missioners of the third drainage district
have complied with the law, but that the
commissioners of the first and second dis
| tricts have refused such. compliance, and
| that this company have prosecuted legal
proceedings in the Eighth District Court to
| compel the commissioners of the first and
second districts to comply herewith, in
which proceedings Judgment was entered in
favor Of this company, and mandamus Or
dered, requiring said commissioners to make
| the settlement, and to turn over the prop
| erty and effects as required to do by said
| law to this company; but at this stage OF
the legal proceedings the authorities of the
| city intervened therein, and were allowed
to appeal from the said Judgment which
appeal is still pending. The Judge has
| since stated from the bench that he erred in
| granting this appeal.
| This company further represents that on
| the twenty-ti of November last, it en-
| tered into q contract with the municipal au-
| thorities of the city of Jefferson for the con-
| struction of lateral branch canal, connect
ing with the main canal of this company,
within the then corporate limits of said city,
and for the drainage thereby of said city for
| twenty-five years; for which service said
city ageeed to pay the sum of sixteen thou
| sand dollars semi-annually for twenty-five
years after the completion of such branch
| canal; being the interest on four hundred
bonds of this company, of $1,000 each, at the
rate of eight per cent per annum. and to in
dorse ON said bonds, a copy of an ordinance
| of said city. authorizing said contract,
| passed November 8, 1863.
And said company further represents that
before the said bonds were prepared for in
dorsement as aforesaid the cities of New
| Orleans and Jefferson were consolidated,
and the officers designated by said munich
pal ordinance to indOrse said bonds, be-
came functus officio but that, by the pro-
visions of the act of consolidating, all the
rights, powers and responsibilities of the
city of jefferson became vested in the officers
of the city of New Orleans, who have here
| tofore refused to indorse the said bonds as
aforesaid.
| And said company further represents that
| thorough and accurate surveys and estl
mates have been made of the canals, locks,
basins and protection levees proposed to be
built through and around the city; and
with reference to the drainage thereof; that
|
practicability of the system and route con-
templated by this company, and by said act
| of March 10, 1870; that the general plan
| for the construction OF the works i'll and
around the city, recommended by the engi-
neers, is substantially as follows
| l. For the Protection Leree.-To begin at
point ON the Mississippi river, at
or near Camp Parapet, and to run
| thence to or near the old Carrollton
railroad, where it crosses Metairie ridge,
thence along or near the line Of said rail
| road to Lake POntchartrain; thence easterly
along the lake shore about 2S,5OO feet:
thence from the lake shore to the junction
of Florida walk and Fishers canal; thence
along Fishers canal to the river, there con-
Meeting with the river levee already built,
which route is indicated by the red lines on
accompanying map.
| The said levee to be constructed in good
| and substantial manner, at least two feet
higher than the highest known water line
=. For the Can0l.-TO begin at such point
ON the Mississippi river, near Camp Para
pet, as shall be found best adapted to the
construction Of the locks and basin, and
running thence nearly north about 1900 feet,
within which distance the necessary locks
| and basin are to be constructed; thence
curving to the east about 1000 feet; thence
easterly to the junction of Mobile and Vol
taire avenues with the old CarrolltOn Rail
road; thence following Mobile avenue to
Lower Line street: thence to Hagan avenue
canal; thence along Hagan avenue to Bayou
St. John; thence by said bayou, properly
widened, deepened and Strengthened, to
Lake Pontchartrain.
begin at the junction Of Mobile and Lower
Line Streets thence following the line of
Claiborne canal $500 feet; thence to Upper
| Line street 2211 feet; thence to the centre of
Napoleon avenue l122 feet thence up Ma
poleon avenue to St. Denis street, where a
basin is to be constructed 600 feet wide and
1900 feet long, which routes are indicated by
the blue lines on accompanying map.
| Said canal to be constructed at least one
hundred feet wide at top. with good and
substantial levees along both banks there
of, and around said basin, at least two feet
higher than the highest known water mark;
which levees, so constructed also along the
banks of Bayou st. John, will enable this
company at all times to secure descending
current from river to lake; the depth OF
water in said canals and basins to be at
least twelve feet computed from the mean
level of Lake Pontchartrain.
4. Drainage Canais.-To connect with
said canals the existing system of drainage
canals in the city, as contemplated by said
act of March l6 1870.
5. Drainage Machnes.-To construct and
operate sufficient number of drainage
machines on the line of said canals to drain
the water from all lands inclosed by said
protection levee to depth of ten feet below
the mean level of Lake Pontchartrain.
6. To make such excavations in said lake
and by the way Of the Rigolets to Ship Is
land, as may be necessary to form a chan
mel, at least one hundred and fifty feet wide
at top, one hundred feet wide at bottom
and twelve feet deep from the mouth OF
Bayou st. John to Ship Island.