New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-02-20
THE STATE HOUSE.

| Inc DuI incorporating the Louisiana Zen
ira! Railway Company IS still il the HANDS
of the Committee on Railroads: bat the
| friends Of the bill think the committee viii.
| before long. bring it before the Senate.
Immediately after the reading Of :he
| journa! in the House yesterday. Mr.. Mon
taldo. Of Orleans. called fox the specia!
order Of the day. House bill No. 1876. emit
| tied al act 70 amend and re-enact section
| two Of act entitled an act relative TO the
Louisiana Levee Company. etc. Speaker
| Lowell: announced the bill to BE upon its
| third reading. and called Mr. keatins 20
| the chair.
Mr.. Gair. Of Eas: Feiiciana. called to- a
reading OF the bill. The Clerk proceeded
| TO read the bill: and after reading d few
sections Mr. Mathews. of Tensas. moved TO
dispense with its further reading. ani that
it be recommitted TO committee. with in.
structions to have it printed.
Mr.. Devices wanted the reading OF the
, bill finished.
The Speaker ruled tina: the reading of the
bill must be completed.
AlltE luC CItIh ldNA IlliStltt itd'AEhS' NEis
Montaldo moved the fna! passage OF tie
bill. A call for the previous question was
lost by very decided vote OF the House.
Mr.. Mathews here obtained the floor. ard
said that if the bill is d good one. let Us
have il: but he wanted to be satisfied that
it is q good one before voting :or Il. His
constituents were deeply interested in .hc
building of levees. They live in district
of the State where the lands withou, ievees
would be valueless. Ye: he IS opposed 10
passing the bill before tie House at this
time. He wanted time 10 consider it prep
erly.
Mr. Gair followed in similar strain. He
wanted members to reflect before voting
for the bill. He hoped its friends. observ-
ing proper respect FOR the interest OF the
people, would pause before deciding to TAX
the whole people of the State to build
levees in parishes bordering on the Missis-
sippi. He for one would certainly object 20
being taxed four and a hall mills on the
dollar to improve the property of men !iv-
ing in sections of the State liable 10 inun-
dation. He should. therefore. move to have
the bill recommitted and priv led fer The
use Of members.
Mr.. Lowell was the mex: speaker. He
explained the condition Of the bill, ana
stated why the Louisiana Levee Company
asked for its passage al this time: said the
season for high waters IN the Mississippi
was fas, approaching, and the people living
near its banks were already beginning 70
dread the danger of an overflow. The
State had made a contract with :he Levee
Company TO have levees built and kept IN
such order as to avert the dangers of over
flow. Therefore. the State could not avoid
its responsibility in this matter any more
than the Levee Company. Ii might safer
iniunctions 70 be placed upon the fund
raised 70 pay for the building of ieyees, and
thus interfere with the work OF the com
pany: but it can not evade entirely the con
tract il has entered into with the Levee
Company for the protection Of one OF the
richest and faires: districts Of country upon
Gods earth. Mr.. Lowell SAID he ..as per-
sonallv interested in the work OF the
that needs that protection which the Levee
Company is bound to give 70 all property
holders and planters living on the banks O..
the Mississippi, or contiguous thereto. if the
State does not break faith with il. Mr.
Lowell asked members to carefully con
slider the bill; take i. up and read every
section of it; yea, more; read every line
veg. every word. He would have them
read and understand il thoroughly. But
he wanted the bill passed as soon as practi
cable in order that the Leree Company
may be enabled to 20 10 work and guard
the people living on and near the Missis
sippl against the dangers THAI usually
threaten them in the spring of the year and
early part of the summer. the hands of
the company are now tied because an in
junction has been placed upon the leyee
fund collected and placed in the State
treasury. 1t is impossible fer the company
10 proceed with the work unless i. can ;tvai.
itself Of the funds collected 70 pay for il as
i is finished. Il is believed the bill! before
the House will relieve The company OF al
noyances experienced in the past, and en-
able il to proceed with its work with even
more effect than at any previous time.
Mr.. Davidson, of Livingston, followed
Mr.. Lowell. lie said he had long been the
friend of levee system for protecting the
fertile bottom lands bordering the Mi>s!a
sippi river. Without protection agains;
inundation large amount CT property
1,onp,n oNo NoA
lie might be in favor Of protecting the peo-
pie against the dangers or an overflow. lie
could not consent to tax his people in a
matter of this kind without fully under
standing what he is doing. He : respon-
sibe 20 his constituents for his conduct in
the Legislature, and he must be able 10
render satisfactory account OF his stew
arlship here. He said il would not do to
tax the people of the highland parishes at a
higher rate than was necessary TO build the
levees. 1t was true. he said. that he had
voted for the bill incorporating the Levee
for the bill under consideration without
being satisfied that it is good bill.
Ny. Benham. Of Carroll. was happy 20
observe the bright lights that were spring
ing Il? and Illuminating the subject under
discussion. lie Lad heard the gentleman
from Jefferson Mr.. Lowelp and the gentle
man from Livingston ,Mr. Davidson with !
a /: :.t deal cf satisfaction. NJ. Benham
said il was true that much OF the most
va.uabl. lands in Louisiana would be |
" oT:h.eSs without levces and therefore. he
wanted them at almost any price. The |
gentleman from Tensas ,Mr MatEewsl had |!