, 1874-06-12
Tho Condition of Tho People Consc-
Q'lGnt Upon tho -Lato
Flood,
The Fraud Known as the Louisiana
Levee Company,
Proposition that the General Government
Shall Take Control Of the
LcYees.. r,
Comparative Merits Of tho Fort st.
-. Philip Canal and the Eads
Plnn.

1 AuAs
.Sptcial Correspondence Of Tic Chttaao Tribune.
New ORLEANS, juno !, 1874.
Tho summer opo1,s without nll,ch ollcourago-
n.out to tho Businessmen of this city mud tho
residents Of tho Lower AIasssippi Yalloy.
worry lnrgo proportion Of the lands submerged by
Tho overflow of tlio rfyorn still romainB covorod,
ind tho probabilities of rasinR nnytling OIL lasuls
now uut1or water nro worry Htna}l indeatl'
THE pEsr1TurIoN
Which exists III sono portions Of this State is nh
aolute!y appalling, Tho worst fcatnrc Of tho
raHc IL tho almost universal waut OF seed to conf
mcneo planting with again, md tho 1ack Of
money to buy food aud forago for Btoc1s to last
until n now crop is made. II rolief docs not
como from so1no sot1rce. I have no doubt that
u1nt,y people will die OF starvation during tho
coming summer. It Ia huusiliating that this
stntc should bo throuwn upon the charities OF
tho country, Slate which by nature il OIL
dowe,l no richly In soi1 and climate that, to
tho casual visitor md observer, 1t would seem
almost impossible to live many yoars along its
rich bottom linda without becoming wealthy.
Yet til g fact IL i,,1isputablo thet Louisiana to-
day occupies tho painlul position of
ruBL1c MESp1oAsT.
Where tho fault Of all this lies 1t is hnrd to
say. Some lay it al1 to tho Radicals and carpot-
baggc1s. They arc undoubtedly Responsible FOR
many sins Of omission and commission. but it
docs not present itself to my mind that they aro
tho calleo OF all the OWLS Ehc], have fallen upon
Ionieiana since tho War. have no doubt that
likd no Republican eycr entered tho State from
tho tno Gen. Sheridan left until now, its natorial
interests would nevertheless Aayo suffered not Il
fow royerscs. Tho condition Of The lovcos at the
close Of tho War was very bad iMtccd, and Ia
consequence Of the emancipation 1t vaS inpoB-
tibtc to rcpair them aud keep thom up as uiitlnr
thu old syatom. which WIS for avery proprietor
under penalty Of forfeiting titlo to his lands.
This wns nut considered very oneronH, al the
riycr-tront proptiotory woro wealthy, and could
tnrn their slaves to ropariag tho loyeeH
labor. o But But with til tho % loss Of their labor,
thoy woro unable to longor continue this work,
nnd 80 tho State assumed control of it. It WAS
for two or thrco years carried on through
Board Of Loyoo Commissioners. appointed by
tho Governor. But III 1870 a company was char-
tered by the State, known Rs the
LOUISIANA LEvEE COMPANY,
70 whom waB given tho exclusive control OF tho
leyees, and to compensate whom tax of
1lla'ly OH tho taxable property of tho State.
This company has fairly coined money, and has
boon fortunate enough to hayo escnped an over
flow until thts year. Quo provision Of its co1l.
ablo in damages for any loss which might occur
ly ronson of crovaBsos; but last winter bill
WAS passed. repeating tint part of tho charter, In
consideration of TUG Loveo Company abrogatlng
planters, though still Obliged to pay the leyco
tax, cannot recover from tho Company for his
losses. own whore thec can be traced directly
to its negligence. This Company il Justly exeorat-
highly probnblo TINT its inglorious career will
be brought to MI end by tho next Legislature.
It is evident to all rchecting minds TINT tlloro
il but way in Which tlls layoo businass chi DO
successfully conducted aud that Is BY tho
GENERAL QovEnNMESr.
1t is requisite that tho loyeos should be under
onaHystc1nasic management Ag the case now
stands these citizens of the United States who
arc unfortunate enough to POSSESS property
along this great river aro subject to tho capricca
Of lalf a dozen State Legislatures, aud IN
Louisiana they aro under tho necessity Of look
Ing to an Irresponsible priyato corporation to
protect their most vital iuterests, 4 man may
live i'll 6tato which docs take proper care Of its
lorces and yet he may hnyo his lalsds over
flowed and his stock drowned from crorasso In
the Stute Immediately above him. Such thing
ns combined md uniform action botwoen the
States fronting on tho river il impracticablc.
considerations is tho fact that tho work is too
enormous for the States. aud TINT tho work is
gradually increasing. Tho further north tho
leyccA arc extended lilo highor they hayo to DO
fAaea Vt the lower ond o. the river. Ihoy arc
before tho war, aud the watcr tlis year IN front
of this city was inches higher tLau it had
over been before. Uuloss tho planters Of tho
Lower aississippi SEQ those lovoes taken hold Of
by some power which inspiros greater respect
for its ahity than the Stato Legislatures, these
lands will gradually DO abandoned, and tho
sugar production Of tho United States will bo
only known as thing Of the past.
A great source Of dissatisfaction to tho buai-
ness men of Now Orleans. nnd, indeed. to MI ill.,
tcrcstcd in tho commerce. OF tho A1isaissppi
River, IL tho extremely unsatisfactory coudltion
Of ... ..
THE RIVER OUTLET.
During the nigh water Witch has prevailed now
no long, the river having boen heavily charged
with sediment, tho bar has bccn worse than
usual, aud indeed, noarly osory vosso! Of deep
draft llaa been stuck for period ranging
from t"onty.ionr HOURS to four weeks. at ono
s'mo du1T'ls Ma1ch thero were 1orty-aevon ves"