New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-01

So many inquiries have lately been made
IN regard to the levees, that it is with
pleasure we lay before our readers the fol-
lowing correspondence, which gives evil
dence that the work win be commenced at
once:
PARISH OF JEFFERsos. LA.,}
August 2B, 1871
To His Excellency, II. c. war1noth GoveSnor ofthe
GoyERNoR-The undersigned citizens of
this parish would most respectfully inform
your Excellency, that the levee In front of
the Augustine property, between Camp
Parapet and Carrollton, has entirely caved
into the Mississippi river, and left a large
opening, which, if not speedily closed, will
expose the parishes of Jefferson and Or
leans Qeft bank) to certain inlndation,
more terrible in its effect than any which
has heretofore befallen our people.
Our object in addressing your Excellency
on this subject, is to most respectfully ask,
to whom shall we apply to have the neces-
sary steps taken to have this imminent dan
ger guarded againstl
Your Obedient servants,
Lucien Soniat, William N. Williams,
o. V. Wagner, #. Fisher,
G. w. Mithoff, w. Tebbe,
j. NJ. Pratber & Co., M. N. Bowman,
jacob Augustine, y. Besacon,
Henry Henchert. Dan Hickok.
STATE OF LOUISIANA, ExEouTIYs DEPARTMENT
New Orleans, August 81 1871.
Messrs. Soniat. Wagner, augustine and Others
citizens of the parish of Jefferson:
GENTLEmEN-Your communication Of the
twenty-eighth instant is this moment re-
ceived. In answer, have the honor to
state that the Louisiana Levee Company
aI of of ofr~Q n
ization and preparation TO prosecute the
work upon the levees of the State, in ac-
cordance with their articles of incorpora-
ton and act No. of the General Assembly
of Louisiana, approved February 20, 1871,
and act No. q certifying the contract with
the State), approved February %, 1871, and
/ presume they will Immediately commence
work.
General M. JEFF. Thompson, Chief State
Engineer, has been appointed by me the
commissioner on behalf of the State under
said acts, and any Communication in regard
to information on the subject of the levees
addressed to him will receive prompt atten-
II. q. wARMoTH,
Governor of Louisiana.
For the information of those who are not
familiar with the acts of the Legislature re-
ferred to in the letter from the Governor,
we will state that at the session of 1870 a
company called the Mississippi Valley
Levee Company had a bill passed which
gave them control of the levees, and i'm
posed specific tax upon the lands and
products of the alluvial or oyerhowed dis
triets for their remuneration. This bill was
vetoed by the Governor. At the session ct
1871 the Louisiana Levee Company obtained
the passage of bill No. a, which made the
tax ad valorem, and throughout the whole
State. In the hurry in which this bill was
passed there were many safeguards for the
State omitted, and the Governor declined
to sign it, also, unless the contract or agree
ment as embodied in act No. 27 was agreed
to and passed. This was done, and the two
acts may now be said to be but one act. as
they govern each other.
AS the matter now stands, the Louisiana
Levee Company contracts to build three
million cubic yards Of leyee the present
season. and five million cubic yards next
season. and so on until the levees are in
complete repair, and then they contract to
keep them in repair for period of twenty
one years.
The work this season will be eplaced where
it will do 1.-The greatest good to the greatest
number and at points where extensive
levees can be saved, as may be decided by
the commission of engineers provided for in
these bills; and it behooves all planters in
terested to send in their claims for atten-
ton, that they may not be accidentally
omitted in the apportionment of the work.