New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-21

New ORLEANS, June Is. 1871.
To the Hon Benz. F. Flanders Mayor of the city of
New Orleans:
| am in possession of your communication,
and will do all l can to assist you in the
matter. Before entering in the details of
that subject, allow me to tell you that on
the eighth instant the editor of the New
Orleans Times had the kindness to repub
fish my proposed protection of that portion
of New Orleans lying on the south side of
the Metairie and GENTLY ridges, but at the
end of my report few editorial remarks
were made, which are as follows: THE
great experience of Mr.. d'Hemecourt as a
surveyor, and the cheapness of the proposed
safeguard against overtlows, would give
Importance to his suggestions. but that
a more comprehensive system has already
been undertaken" / must acknowledge
that was entirely ignorant of that more
comprehensive project up to the reception
of your communication. Now | under
stand it thoroughly. There are millions to
expend in that more comprehensive plan,
and, in my opinion, no protection to that
portion of the city that needs protection
with that more comprehensive plan. You
desire, also, in your letter, estimates of cost
of levees ON lake shore above and below the
city, cost of canals and draining machines,
etc. Those estimates can not be done but
by great deal OF work, but, as | have
stated above. it will cost several millions
to reclaim lands that will net be worth one
fifth of the expenditure. Now, let us come
to what ought to be done. My experience
shows me that the city must be drained in
two sections. it being impossible for the
water to run in bitches and canals at every
rain at greater distance than there is be-
tween the river and the natural ridges in
the rear. This last overflow showed me
clearly that the Metairie and GENTLY
ridges were sure protection against storms.
In spite of the waters from the lake, with
the addition of the water of one of the larg-
est crevasses, those ridges stood one foot
two or three inches above the water as far
as the prolongation of Lafayette avenue,
Third District. / would call that section
between the river and ridges the first Sec
ton.
The second aection would be the one be-
tween the ridges and the lake shore 1t
would require to place locks, as proposed
in 1869, in the New canal and Bayou st.
John, at the intersection of the ridges. and
it will certainly be a perfect guard against
Overtiows of the nature of this last one and
with the addition of few more canals, kept
in good condition, the addition of drain
ing machine on the Orleans street canal, at
the ridge, to assist the draining machines
of Bayou st. John and Hagan avenue, with
proper tairace canal.
For that portion of the first section from
the New canal to Elysian Fields avenue or
POntchartrain railroad, l recommend the
plan suggested by j. l.. Gubernator. Esq,
which is to have only one navigable Ell
trance to the city by the New canal, and
connect the Carondelet canal with the New
canal by either Broad or Hagan avenue
canals; then place a powerful draining ma
chine in the Bayou st. John, at the point
10 %ho 4t,ar,
with the London avenue draining machine;
that portion of the first section will be per-
fectly drained.
The portion of the first section lying
above the New canal and between the river
and the ridge, drained now by machine in
the rear of CarrOllton; that machine ought
to be assisted in high waters of the lake by
another machine placed ON the tailrace
canal at the ridge, and that portion of the
first section would be drained as well as
possible; for the remaining part of the first
section, lying below the Pontchartrain rail
road to levee to be built at the lower line of
the city to connect with the ridge in the
rear. The Florida canal ought to be dug
from the POntchartrain railroad to the
lower line of the city where it meets the
branches of Bayou Bienvenu, and drain
ing machine placed at the end of that canal,
using the Bayou Bienyenu as a tailrace;
that portion OF the hrst section would be
the easiest drained, because the Bayou Bien-
venu empties into Lake Borgne, in which
lake the water is always lower than in
Lake Pontchartrain, even in stormy
weather. l will terminate in recommend
ing by all means, first the protection
against overflow from lake waters of that
portion OF the city already partially settled,
which section have called the first section,
and in which there is yet remaining vacant
land to accommodate at least one hundred
and fifty thousand families. Said protection
to be paid by property holders as the law
provides for, and after it is done, under the
pretext of general Improvement and public
health, make the levee at the lake, place
other sets of draining machines also at the
lake. but keep the locks at the ridges in
good condition, in case the levee at the lake
should give way, and in following that plan
the property holders on the river side of the
ridge might pay four-fifths of the cost of
draining the land on the other side of the