The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-14
Revetments and Protection
Levees.
Drainage s: stem Of New Or
leans
Something About the Great
Work Now Going on
Around Our City.

The great work which is now being ac-
lively pushed forward of building protection
levees on either side of this city. and the
construction of a revetment along the Lake
front, is a subject on which this community
should be somewhat more enlightene for
the great Importance of this work when
completed will be fully understood, and the
four walls surrounding the Crescent City
will carry with them assurance against any
thing like destruction of property by ere
vases and overflow in the future.
In company with the representatives 0 f
our other English newspapers, Il reporter Of
the BULLETIN last week made it point to
visit the upper and western protection levee
and that portion of the revetment along the
Lake 'front.', which has, to an extent, been
and judge for himself as to the
character and amount of abOr attending 20
great a work.
Sfateen Miles and y Half,
or g, l25 feet, will be the distance, when
completed, of protection levees and revet-
ment. 1t is estimated that $4,000 900 will
something like 81 ,OOO, 900, in bonds valued
at 53 cen $. has already been expended in
payment of that portion of the work done
during the past year. A period of two
years will. without doubt see the entire
work completed.
The entire sixteen and a half miles en-
circling three sides of the city will be a
beautiful drive, while along the lake front
space has and will be allowed for car
track and promenade. Taking in the levee
along the river front, we will then have
beautiful. drive of fully thirty miles, and
visitors to this city as we'll as the popnlace
can hardly complain of lack of what for
so long a time has been so much needed.
The
Upper or Western Protection Levee
commences from point on the river little
above Dan Hickcock's place, and run in al
most direct line to the lake about three
quarters Of a mile above the new canal,
distance of about four and three-quarters
miles. OF this f. lily three and one-quarter
miles has been completed, making a beautl-
full drive.
The balance has alread been surveyed
and laid out, and it is now simply question
of few months, and completion of that pOr.
ton of the great work will be assured. The
difficult nature of the work undertaken may
be understood from the fact that along this
levee strata of sand many feet in depth,
had to be overcome by bringing from some
distance earth to mix with the same, thus
assuring solid foundation. The height OF
the lev-e, fully, if not more than equals Nc
tairie Ri"ge, and necessarily any overflow
would be simply a matter of impOssibility
Some two or three hundred yards from the
lake, and at a point where the revetment has
-: L. ~ ,,,A1
thrown mp in digging the canal and building
the levee, shows Indications of sinking, and
in fact, the uniform level has been disar-
ranged. Several reasons have been assigned
for this, but we ore assured that the rene
lies are simple, and will be applied at the
proper time.
The Rev. tment
along the lake front will be, when complete,
four miles and half in length. OF this
some thirty three hundred feet has been
and is a fair sample of what
the balance will be. The planks used are Of
the best pine wood, each one of which was
thoroughly tested. They are gu ranteed for
ten years. Inside of the revetmcnt be-
5weon that point and the main land the
water will not be drained off, bnt this min
ature basin will be left for the use Of pleas
are boats.
The Eastern or Lower Protection Levee
will be in length seven miles aud half. 1t
thus described: POntchartran Railroad
from the lake along Peoples Avenue, dis
lance 1880 feet, to intersection of Florida
Walk, down Florida Walk 5000 feet to
over line Of the city to Fisherman's Canal,
thence along Fisherman's Canal to Missis
sippi river 10000 feet to the Slaughter
House. The work along this levee is being
pushed forward. and already two dredge
boats and two steam derricks have ad
yanced in from the lake some 5000 feet.
To further this great work the system OF
Draining
TO be adopted was also looked into, for it is
proposed that all the surplus water which
falls in the lower lands and marshes back Of
the city shall be carried off and deposited
over the revetment into the lake. Once the
,wamps have been cleared of its heavy
woods in the shape of cypress, and the
waters carried off by a complete system Of
the health of the city will fully
equal that of any other metropolis and all
.hese rich lands eclaimed will he made
AVAILABLE Looking at the map before rs
we find that the draining system of the city
has been divided into four sections.
The First ettion,
wing between the New Canal and Bayou
St, John, is drained by the Orleans Canal
through the Bienville draining machine.
which has two wheels. 1t was through the
Orleans Canal that Galvez and Poydras
street canals were eXcavated sometime
since to afford better drainage Two thous
a al two hundred and eighteen acres are the
figures given which are drained by the ms
chine above mentioned.
The second Section,
living between the New Canal and the Pro-
lection Upper Line Levee, is drained by the
Dublin and Melpomene draining machines.
The two wheels of the Dublin machine drain
all the land between Toledano street and
the upper limit of the city, while the Mel
pomene machine, which has bnt one wheel,
drains the balance, that is between Toie-
dano street and the New Canal, throwing
the water through a cnlvert into the latter
canal The three wheels combined drain
1850 acres Of land.
In this section their is now at work three
dredge boats and two derricks. One derrick
to finish he levee 10 the river, and the other
To clean ont Claiborne Street Reservoir
Canal in the rear of the Sixth District.