New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-17


believed to be extravagant, will be approved
by our whole population. =.
The New Orleans and Northeastern Rail
road Company, the New Orleans, Metairie
and Lake Railroad Company, the Right
Bank Railroad and Freight Transferring
Company. the Louisiana and Arkansas Rail.
road Company, the New Orleans, Baton
Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company,
the Alexandria, Homer and Fulton Kali
Railroad Company have all failed so tar to
do anything. l. therefore, recommend the
passage of an act providing that unless
work on these roads Is begun within SIX
months, and regularly prosecuted, the char
ters be repealed. They stand in the way OF
capitalists who can and would do the work,
and should be removed.
THE LEvEEs.
On this most important subject have
much to say. Upon these works depends
the prosperity of our State in her agricul-
tural and railroad interests. Possibly New
Orleans might exist upon the commerce
passing between the great Northwest and
the outer world, because of her position on
the Mississippi river but the wealth of the
State is dependent upon the completeness
and safety of our levee system, and it de-
serves and should have, as it has heretofore,
your most earnest consideration. For the
first time in the history of Louisiana, one
comprehensive plan has been adopted, and
let us hope it will be effective.
The various laws passed since the settle
ment of Louisiana to 1871 have all proved
Intellectual to stop crevasses, and, occasion
ally, vast destruction of property; and if it
were even then proper to trust to the old IT.
parian proprietor plan, all such ideas are
now obsolete, from the change Of the labor
system; and the only way to compass the
object was decided to be either by cOnsti-
tutiOnal amendment making the levee tax
perpetual, or by contract with private
company or corporation for a term OF years,
that some plan could be developed for per-
manent security instead of the vacillating
policy that has heretofore been followed.
The first contract proposed and passed by
the Legislature of 1870 was subject to many
constitutional objections, and was compel
led to veto it. The next act, No. of 1871.
for the same purpose, had and has several
Objectionable features, and the additional
act or contract known as act No. u. ap-
proved February %, was required to Obviate
these objections, and still the two bills do
not properly harmonic. You may, there
fore, during this session be asked for supple
mental legislation to make the system conf
plete and effective. Act No. 4 provided for the
issue of one million of dollars in State bonds;
but as the constitutional limit of indebted
ness has been reached this assistance could
not be given to the company. They were
also authorized to issue five hundred thou
sand dollars of their own bonds, on the an
ticipated estimates. This was not permitted
to be done, and the company were either
unable or indispOsed to commence the work
of building the levees until since October |.
While probably without my sphere of duty,
strictly construed, yet l felt compelled
to take an interest in the management of
the affairs of the Louisiana Levee Company.
and hope my interference has Injured to the
benefit of the State, as well as the company.
for their interests are now identical, and
it is to be hoped that under the present
management our alluvial lands will be pro-
tected, our railroad communications pre-
served, and our State resources developed,
according to the prophecies of the most
sanguine friends of the present levee sys-
tenn The outlet and 1.-The cutoff advo-
Gates are the most bitter opponents OF the
present system. and l have directed the
subjects, which will be embodied in his an
nual report.
In Act No. Z. approved February "a. 1871,
creating the Board of State Engineers, and
abolishing the Board of Public Works, you
allowed 100000 cubic yards to complete the
existing contracts OF the Board of Public
Works. This was not sufficient, as appears
from the report of the State engineers, and
you are asked for all appropriation Of S53,
5S4 76 to pay the certificates of Indebtedness
issued by the Auditor tor the 100000 cubic
yards and s57 1853 70 in payment of the GER
titicates of Indebtedness issued by the State
engineers to complete the works.
During the high water last spring num-
Der of crevasses occurred, and as the Levee
Company had not taken charge of the
works, and there had been no legal provision
q 4 1l1,I
provide means to close, or attempt to close
the breaks. For this purpose the Citizens
Bank advanced 100000, and the Louisiana
National Bank $40 900, which was expended
by the State engine assisted by Senator
Lynch as disbursing AGENT, with the result
you will read in ii, State Engineer report.
and the special "el,"rt Of Mr.. Lynch on this
subject.
That prompti.l,le ii action and the as
sistance given oy these banks prevented
a vast destruction of property, is evident,
and would ask you to make the proper
appropriation to refund the money as
early as practicable. No special apprOpria-
ton was made at the last session to detray
the expenses of the engineer corps, and
much inconvenience was the result. 1t is
hoped that this Important matter will not
be overlooked at this session, for upon the
activity and efficiency of this department
levee matters, as we'll as all other internal
improvements.
You will find a condensed and compre-
hensive view of the magnitude and import
ance of the levee system in the report of
the Board of Engineers. You will see that
Engineer Van Pelt estimates that over
1900, 900 cubic yards are required to repair
the levees from Red river to Fort Jackson.
You will find that Generals Humphrey and
Abbott estimate that over 100000 cubic
yards will be required to raise the levees to
their old grade, and over 35,000.000
cubic yards to the new grade. You will
find that there has been built under the
Board of Public Works 6,3S0,O00 cubic
yards. You will find that over eight mil
lions of cubic yards have been built in the
parishes of Carroll. Madison, Tensas. Con
cordia and Pointe Coupee since the war,
and that over fourteen millions of cubic
yards have been built in the State during
this time. You will also find the cause OF
this vast increase in quantity over the est
mates of former years.
The Louisiana Levee Company has been
lately reOrganized. with some of the strong
est financial men in the State as directors.
Mr.. Gaines, of the Citizens Bank, is it's
president, while Mr.. Duncan F. kenner, one
of the oldest planters on the Mississippi
river, and a man of great practical expert
ence and knowledge OF the levee subject, Is
Its vice president and active business man
ager. The company has now a cash capital
of 100000, and has assumed the payment
Of all work contracted for or authorized by
me during the late season of uncertainty
and delay of the company to prosecute the
work, have great confidence now that the
work will be done promptly.
MILITIA.
] have again to speak in terms of the
highest praise of the State militia. The
valuable service they have rendered in
preserving the peace, and the spirit and en-
terprise which they have manifested in