New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-30
OFFICIAL Az
OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
REGULAR SESSION
OF THE
THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE
STATE OF LOUISIANA
Nineteenth Days Proceedings.

w. Lowek in the chair.
On call of the roll the following members
answered TO their names:
Speaker G. w. Lowell and Messrs. AL
lain, Armstead, Antoine, Bowman, Bryant
| Baker, Boyd, Blackstone. Carey, Connaugh
| ton, Cousin, Demas, K. K. Davis, Decker
Devezin, Dejoie, DumOnt, Dayres, Devices
| Elliot, Fontelieu, Greene, CAN'T, Guichard
Ieffuer, Hubeau, Hill. Hahn, Hedgepath
Judice, Heating, Kirkman, Kenyon, Kern,
Keys. Lewis. Landry. Lawes, Murrell (La
fourche), Murrell (Madison), Mahoney
Mayo. Martinez, Mathews, Montaldo, Pey-
ton, Raby, Rochon, Rodrigues; Sawyer
Stewart, Southland, Sutton, Sewell, Thomas,
Tureaud, Williams, Wilson. Worthy, Wig
gin, Ward, Wands-63.
Quorum present.
Prayer by the Chaplain.
On motion of Mr.. Murrell, of Madison,
the reading of the journal in detail was dis.
pensed with.
On motion, the journal was approved.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Mr. Wands, of Tangipahoa, chairman OF
the Committee on Ways and Means, made
the following report:
Committee WAYS AND MRANs /
January 70 1873
| To the Honorable Speaker and Members of the
House OF Representatives:
Your Committee on Ways and Means
| has had under consideration Senate bill No.
| A., and recommend lts passage.
j. b. WANDS, Chairman.
On motion the report was received and
adopted.
Mr. Wands, of Tangipahoa. called up
Senate bill No. AZ, entitled an act TO pro-
vide for and regulate the clerical force in
the Auditors office, to fix their salaries and
to provide for the manner and conditions
under which the Chief Clerk can acv as
Auditor, and for other purposes.
Passed third reading under suspension
of the constitutional rules.
It finally passed its title adopted, and
notice of concurrence ordered to be sent to
the Senate.
Mr.. Devices, of Red River, chairman of
the following report:
! To the Honorable Speaker and Members Of the
House OF Representatives,:
Your Committee on Lands and Ievees
| having been instructed to examine into and
report upon the condition of the Louisiana
| Levee Company, beg leave TO report that
| they have performed that duty, and present
| here with the result of the examination,
with such in formation as they have been
able 60 gain respecting the condition OF the
levees OF the State.
The Levee Company was Incorporated
under the general laws of the State early
in February, 1871. In the same month and
year they made a cor tract with the State
to provide and maintain proper and efficient
| levees on the banks of the Mississippi river,
| and on all the rivers and streams running
| into and from the same, within the limits of
| the State of Louisiana, under certain con-
ditions and stipulations set forth in the con
| tract.
The Levee Company, though organized
| in 1871, can nos be said to have begun its
| existence until December OF that year.
The OriginatOrs of the company were
| unable for the want of funds, to comply
with their contract From February to
December nothing had beer done toward
| building the lrvees. The floods of the
| spring Of 1871 1.-THE highest ever known had
left the levees ON both sides OF the river,
from the Arkansas line to the Balize, in the
worst possible condition. The breaks in
the levees were many and frequent From
| two hundred and fifty to two hundred and
| sixty leveeS required immediate rebuilding
| to protect the fairest portions Of the State,
| and the railroads connecting New Orleans
with the North and with Texas from being
| overhowed. Such was the condition of the
| levees of the State in December, 1871.
Who was to build these many levees,
some of them the largest in the State, was
| a question Of vital Importance u those who
| lived on the alluvial lands as we'll as 90 all
| those who prOfitcd by the traffic predicated
| upon the product of these lands. There
was no law authorizing or directing the
State authorities to take action in this mat
ter. The riparian proprietors, though
threatened with ruin, were totally unable
TO protect themselves. The Leyee Com
pany under the con troll of it's then directors
was without resources. Under these cir
cumstances several citizens, most of whom
were large owners Of real estate, and large
taxpayers, determined to obtain the con
troll of the Eevee Company, and by the
means OF that organization to repair the
levees and protect the alluvial lands as far
as possible from the threatened overflow.
Having obtained the control of the Levee
Company, the first step they took 80 effect
the contemplated purpose was TO place in
fhe treasury of the company the sum of
| $500, 900. which was, within 3 few weeks,
increased go over 100000.
With this cash capital, and judicious
use of credit based thereon, the company
! proceeded to Systematically and vigorously
reoulld the leyees. 1t appears from our ex-
| animation that, from the time of this or
| ganization, in December, 1871, TO April,
| 1872, the company constructed 1913 levees,
containing ,355, GAS cubic yards, for which
1T paid sf5,477 n, and this vast amount
OF work was completed and paid for before
one dollar was received from the State,
either in bonds, securities or taxes. The
first money received by the company from
| the State was on the twenty third of April,
1872. After all the principal levees had
been completed, and she terrible losses
from o general overflow avcrted, for we
fully believe that but foc the timely action
OF this company, under the then condition
of the leyeeS, one-half of the cultivated
lands in the alluviai river parishes would
have been under wafer, and much of the
other hst seriously injured in their drain
age
z. section seven-Strike out IN line twenty
one the word ''be' amt insert lie"
Section eight-R.ine twenty four, after the
word pro rata insert 'f0r actual DAYS
employed" At the end OF section eight
add tho following: IN all suits by or against
the beard Of directors Of the public schools
of tie city OF New Orleans, or BIZ or against
Tho president of the board o. she Admins
traitor OF Finance OF she city. involving the
disposition OF moneys raised or to be raised
fog school purposes il case the said board
president or Administrator of Finance shall
have occasion to appeal, sue out I'M unction,
or take other proceedings in which ordinary
peySies would BIO re9uiycG 10 give bond and