New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-16
THE MISSISSIPPI LEVEEs

THE MISSISSIPPI LEVEE
Inspection by Congressional Oommitte
The Cs1siteee Pledged for Nasiesal Al
Our levees have at last 90 far attracte
the attention Of Congress - to secure tn
appointment Of . committee Of three I
como down here at their own expense /
inspect them. And Collector Casey havin
kindly placed the services Of the revenu
cutter Wilderness. Captain Barr. At tn
disposal Of the committee and the Stat
engineers, yesterday was selected for max
ing trip down stream for the purpose O
inspection. About ten o'clock the cuttel
backed out from her wharf, foot of FRS
street, with . party of about twenty y-fv,
gentlemen on board, including tho love,
committee, Hon. Frank Morey, of Louis
lana, chairman; General Mckee, Of Missis
sippi and Hon. Mr.. Duke, of Virginia
also, State Engineer General N. JEFF
Thompson; Prof Forshay, representing the
Levee Company; Governor Warmoth, Gen.
eral George A. Sheridan, Senators A. b,
Harris and p. b. S. Pinchback. Representa-
tive L. A. Souer, Major F. E. Dumas, Board
OF Ensineers; General Harry I. Hays, oi
tho Chamber of Commerce; p. J. Keanedy,
Esq, the we'll known levee contractor: E.
L. Hewitt, secretary Of the State Board Of
Engineers; General J. II. Sypher, and C..
b. Darrell, Representative in Congress
from Louisiana; Mr.. C. A. Weed and judge
Alexander Walker. Of tho Nsses; q repre-
sentative Of the REPUBLICAN, and several
other gentlemen.
The cutter steamed rapidly down to the
Aississippi and Mexican Gulf canal, where
landing was made for tho purpose of in
spscting that work. A limited force is en-
gagged in scooping out the principal lock,
which, when completed, il to enable vessels
to pass from the river into tho canal, and
vice versa. As much - this company has
already done, much remains to do before
tho canal can be properly ranked among
tho wstery Highways of tho State.
Embarking again the party steamed
down three miles further to Mr.. Louis Fas-
nscht's Orange Grove plantation, where an
other landing was made. We were intro
duced to the hospitable proprietor by
General Thompson, and shown around the
place, particularly the sugarhouse, where
the grinding had just begun. Along the
route, 1T various points, the levee was care
fully examined, and the we'll known weak
spots pointed out BY General Thompson.
whose knowledge embraces nearly every
thing on the subject. But as the mission
was moro Of . political than of q specific
tho explanations naturally
assumed the shape Of . general disquisition
upon the subject Of direct liability for the
necessary expense to be incurred in the
work of putting our levees in condition to
protect our lands from overflow. Upon the
return to the city, liberal lunch was
spread out by the officers of the cutter, to
which the invited guests did ample justice.
But it il with what was said by the several
of the great interests pres
ent, rather than the dinner, that we have
to do.
General Thompson, at the proper time,
called upon Colonel Morey, as chairman of |
the committee, to introduce the subject. !
Of course, the honorable gentleman il in
avor Of conserving the entire interests of
he State. Alluding to the idea that the
is the great inland sea of |
he derived from thence that it is
! matter of national concern that it should |
'e kept in repair out of the common fund
# the nation. But members from this State
lone could do comparatively little in the
vay of moving Congress to vote money for
he purpose, unaided by the people, and
specially by the press. To the latter all
he friends of the enterprise must look for
he energetic advocacy of any work of the
ind. He closed by calling upon repre-
entstive Of the press to speak.
Judge Walker, of the Times, responded.
[e considered it compliment in the high
1T degree to be called upon, on behalf Of
ne press to speak upon the subject under
before representatives of 80
amy other important interests The State
oard of Engineers was present, members
Congress, the Governor of tho State, seve-
Il members of the General Assembly, and
representative of the Chamber of Com
erce. But he would say that in his opin-
N, when the United States assumed con.
'ol and ownership of Louisiana, the gov I
'nment became bound to carry out the con-
ition stipulated by the vendor France, that
L the property should be protected. 1t Is
tterly impossible for this State to perform
le work alone. And it is not an unreasona-
le demand to make of the general govern {
lent, that out of its abundance it should {
'ntribute to our assistance. If Congress
i'll lend helping had, we will do the rest.
General Harry T. Hays, on behalf of the
hamber Of Commerce, pledged that body t
} cooperate with the State Board of En- I
neers in urging the adoption of any plan G
hich the board would recommend. He 7
- aware Of the necessity for work, and '
. expenditure Of money to accomplish it. Z
be remarks Of the foregoing gentlemen b
ere rather of hopeful character, inspired f
'obably by the delicious breeze and pleas '
It weather. And there is no doubt if the {
hole question could have been left to them q
Q necessary amount of money to build a A