New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-17
Going to Work on the Lcvces.

1t is good news to oUr suffering planters
chat work will commence Immediately on
the !eyees. The delays that have occurred.
and the embarrassments that have been
met and overcome by the !eyee commits
siOners are set forth in full in the following
correspondence. The ::vee commissioners,
General James Longstreet. Ex Governor Z.
.. liebert and G. W. L. Bayiey. Esq .
addressed the following communication 10
the Auditor:
New OKLsAss. September 20. 1854
Hon. C:arles Clinton. Auditor OF Louisiana:
s;R-! a accordance with paragraph ore. section
two. of act No. -. approved March 8. 1874 which
direcis the commission of engineers. on or besoro
the first day Of October in each year to prepare .
report with statement in detail. of tho humbeS
and location OF the le7ets 10 be constructed dur.
Ing the year next ensuing. with a careful estimate
OF the number Oe cubic yards suc, !evees will con.
tain when cOmpie 'ed. and to deliver one copy OF
said statement and estimate to the Governor OF
ihe State, one copy to the Auditor of Public Ac.
counts and copy to the precedent OF the LOuisi.
ana Leyee Company said commission does here
with report the accompanying list Of the ievees
required b. built the ensuing ievee year to
save the State from overflow. We would remark
that there are mahy other !evees that should be
built the Mississippi river aud :hs other rivers
in the State, but when they can be postponed
without general overflow. We have omitted them
from the list. You will perceive that the works
ordered aggregate I so; 800 cubic yards
I Lave Slo honor 10 be most Respectfully, etc,
JAMES LvNGSTREkr.
Chairman Of the Commission Of LNsIueess.
"a. Auditor replied az follows:
NEW ORLEANS October 1874.
General James Lonsstres.. Chairman Commission
of Engineers:
<iESzRaL-1 have ths ho.or "a acknowledge the
receipt of the commune Atinn from your board Of
the list instant, with inclosed list of ievees or.
dered 10 be constructed for :Ge ensUn. ievee year,
Ssg-egating 90. 500 cul.c yards.
Allow me to call your attention to the provisions
of section seven of act No. j. approved January -
1874 Said section limits the total rate OF taxation
except for school purpDses) % twelve and half
mills the dollar and prec AIDES the possibility Of
add, onal taxation fer lcvse purposes.
admit the paramount Importance of construct
abilities are that even graater number Of them
needed. let. under existing laws no idea OF
an increase in taxatisn for kvee purposes can bs
entertained.
suggest that the repair fund be used and sp
piled for construction also; This may be accom-.
and the Levee Company, subject. OF course TO TAti
dcatiOn by the General Assembly.
would respectfully call attention TO my letter
necessity Of mo5f, ing your estimates. SO as to be
covered bv tax of two and . half or. at the ut.
most, BY three mills on the dollar for both tho con
struction and repair funds. In this the Levee Com
PAW itself cOncurred.
Furthermore beg to remark. that the letter and
spirit of the law the subject plainly indicates
the duties of the Levee Company in this direction.
The construction and repair OF Ill levees needed is
imposed but by no means made dependent upon
the levy OF any tax DevOnd that specified in the
act.
True the same act provides fbr the regular levy
each year, by The Auditor. of a tax for co.struc-
ton and repair urposes, based upon the esti-
mate Of levees ordered for the year; but act No.
above referred to and tine acceptance by the COM
pany ef the provisions of act No. st of 1874 egis-
lation in practical effect supplementary to section
seven of said act No. 81, far annuls those parts
of act No. of 1871 10 restrict the total assess
ment for levee construction and repair funds to an
aggregate of three mills.
Act NO. So grants to said company certain immu
mites in return for its acceptance OF the reduced
tax provided for in act No. 8 but in no other re-
fpects the provisions of the original levee act
No Of 1871, interered with, and the duties Of the
Levee Company, under the circumstances, are
plain and distinct to wit: For and in considers
tiOn of the compensation, benefits. rights and pow
stated in said act No. a. of 1875 to take charge
OF, manage, control construct, maintain, repair
aud keep in repair all the l.vees in this state,
he Mississippi river; its tributaries and outlets
(>ec. par ?, act No A. of l813l the State of Lou
lsans, on its part. assuming to levy and cause to
be collected, the taxes and to pay them over a.
pro vid-d in sac.iOus six and seven.
Very respectfully, vo,lr obedent servant
CHARLES CLINTON Auditor.
The Attorney General vas then appealed
TO: