New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-07
GREAT NEGLECT.

VI q Go3tlOh "a OOi
: city is attributable to neglect. The New
Canal Company are plainly guilty of the
most culpable neglect in not needing the
Z notice of the Department of Improve.
ments given to them over year ago. The
company was then informed that the City
Surveyor had reported that the safety Of
much property depended o. the strength
ening and raising of portions of the banks
of the New canal.
The report specifies the points that
were considered weak, and ordered the
levee to be raised and strengthened al
Claiborne and Broad streets. The levees
around the basins between Broad street
and Hagan avenue and between Hagan
and Carrollton avenues were also reported
as needing immediate repairs. The New
Canal Company not condescending to even
reply to the communication addressed to
them upon a subject of vital importance
to the people of New Orleans, they were
again and again addressed upon the same
subject without ever paying the slight
est attention to the communications
reminding them of their duty. This
utter disregard of the interest of our peo-
pie and noncompliance of the lessees of
the canal with their part of a contract
that is remunerative TO them only, should
have been made the cause of breaking
their valuable lease. But our City
Fathers did not choose to proceed against
them in this way. They undertook, it is
said, to do the work themselves, and ne
elected to do it we'll. This is the cause
Of the break in the canal near Hagan
avenue, n of the places reported a year
ago as needing immediate repairs. 1t is
true the ''bench mark" in the canal at
Magnolia bridge indicated before the
break a higher stage of water by two inches
than any previous storm mark shows;
but it is believed that no overflow would
have taken place this side of Metairie
Ridge had the banks of our canals re-
NAMED unbroken. The storm that oc-
casioned the present rise in our canals was
not near as severe as storms that have
occurred in the fall of the year, producing
like effects. Their violence is always at
tested by the great damage done along
the lake shore, at our watering places,
and to sailing vessels in the lake. The
storm just passed does not seem to have
been of sufficient violence to work such
destruction, although it has, in conjunc-
ton with other causes, been sufficient to
cause a great deal of damage to
New Orleans. 1t is quite prob
able that the Bonnet Care crevasse,
which let the waters of the Mississippi
into Lake P~ontchartrain with a rush, may
have been an important agent in producing
the great volume of water at present in
the lake. At all events, it is most impor-
tant that the levees of our canals, like the
levees of the Mississippi river, should be
kept high and strong, so that no pressure
of water could be sufficient to break them.
If they are high and strong, and extraor-
binary causes arise to break them, the
will not rest upon those whose
duty it is to guard the public in
%terest, and protect, as far as human
power and sagacity can, our city against
the commissions of nature. AS it is con-
coded that we would have had no
overflow this time without breaks in the
canal, it is most unfortunate that n
have occurred, for it fixes a re-
possibility, not only upon the lessees of
he canal but upon the city administra- :
ion, hat can not be evaded. :
But the great neglect does not cease !
lere. There has been not only neglect :
manifested by the city government in '
FORKS that are authorized by law for the {.
rejection of our people against inunda- l
ion, but there has been actual opposition .
the performance of the work. '
The Mississippi and Mexican Gulf 7
anal Company have found obstacles in :.
lie way of the performance of the work =
onfded to them by the Legislature, for =
lie protection of this city against over !
ows and for its proper drainage, from a
uarter not expected. The present over
ow demonstrates the folly of further OPP
osition to this much needed work, and o,
is to be hoped the city administration ii
i'll unite its energies in helping to push N
forward to completion; for every year ir
yes new proof that there can be no r.
fety against %inundation without it. W
When the present administrators as w
med the government of the city there o,
rs much promise of reform. The ex- til
avagance and neglect that had been ex- th
under the old charter, it was o,
id, could be avoided under a more SIM 70
e and much less expensive form of city Sc
'vernment. For this reason a new charter ar
Is obtained and for a while an effort was ar
ade to fulfill the just expectations of the m
ople. The current expenses of the city its
re promptly met monthly and it's credit de
IS once more established with a pros 70
ct of its remaining good. The streets be
IRE well attended to and kept re- tin
clean. The dirt carts went m,
und IN the morning regularly and tri
thered up the refuse animal and veget- TT
lie substances of our kitchens. This is On
divided for by wise city legislation. th
yery family iS raou;roI 70 ,1aoo A. o9,1 i,