The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-04-25

and opponents, but we can not re
fain from speaking a few words il
it's favor.
Even in the prosperous days o
Louisiana, crevasses were of frequen
occurrence in the most wealthy ani
populous portions of the State, but
the vast amount of slave labor and
money at the disposition of the plan
tiers enabled them either to stop the
break or rapidly recuperate from the
damage done by it, but in the present
condition of the country the planters
are unable, as in former days, to fur
nish hundreds of laborers to strength
en- the weak places or to stop break
In the embankment; paying taxes to
support a corporation organized for
the express purpose of building and
repairing these levees, it is natural
they should be but little disposed to
expend time and money in securing
any one save themselves from inun-
dation.
The Levee Company has utterly
failed, either from want of means or
from disregard of the welfare of the
people, to accomplish the purpose
for which it was chartered, Under
these circumstances to whom save
the general government can we look
for safety from an annual overfow7
1t is matter of Importance to
every State in the Union that Louisi
ana should be secured from inunda-
ton by a perfect system of levees,
and time has shown that the general
government alone has the means and
the power to accomplish this end. A
vast amount of the richest lands in
this State are totally unfit for cultiva-
ton by reason of their being under
water for q portion of the year.
These lands if secure from overflow
would quickly be converted into fine
cane, cotton or rice growing planta-
tons. In every parish along the |
Mississippi and the various bayous |
which traverse the State, yen find |
what are called brules; the lands in
these brules are remarkably fertile, |
but for one-half the year they are
little better than morasses, yet nearly
every one of them could be reclaimed
f the Mississippi could be kept within
is banks. The majority of these
swamp lands belong to the United
States and it is to her interest to con-
7ert them into fertile fields if pos
lble. The people of Louisiana have
'een paying for several years most
tax to support the Levee
Company, corporation which, to
'ay the least, has rendered them very
title assistance, and if this tax has
o be paid they would much prefer
laying it to the United States than
o private association.
If the building and repairing of
hese levees is intrusted to the gov
it would necessitate imme-
late action, the work would hayeto be
very rapidly and thousands
t laborers would be furnished en-
loyment in the South. Many of
hese men, after the completion of their
abors, attracted by the richness
+ the soil and the many natural adj
antages which this country affords
ettlers, would purchase small piece
+ ground and make this their home.
nj thus our population would be
Materially increased. What We want
security. Let the public know that
he banks of the Father of Waters are s
ecure, and capable of keeping his
fishing waters within the channel he
as washed out for himself, and plan- ,
Itions which are now lying idle
ould be quickly purchased, rapidly -,
paired and soon cultivated. We n
earthly hope that Congressman
ORGY will succeed in getting his bill y
rough, and that at the next meet
g of Congress the U. s. government |
i'll be given the sole control of the D
wees in Iou;o;ano V