New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-24
QUE LEvKE sYSfEN.-

8 MI. 1. .. daf0ee, civil engineer, pul
: lished in the Times Of Sunday last pr,
posal to relieve the river by wasteways
special points, to be so protected by tin
Der and SO restricted by side levees as
4 do no material mischief to the GROWN
crops or stock of the planters. Agains
' this theory there are two objection
f stated. One, that stated by Major Barr
ard, United States engineer, that to dra'
, off the water will be to- check the current
, to check the current will increase the de
post, and that this will raise the bed an
consequently the surface of the river
: The other, that such discharge Of surplu
water on the east side of the river will 81
fill the lakes as that the refuent water viii
invade the rear portion Of our city. Thu
incidental damage to the oysters, cited by
the bon riuant of the Times, we do not Al
present take into the estimate
| We do not underrate this system o.
relief by waste way, which, however, an
officer of the army some years since
carried so far as to propose that the planta-
tons should be fairly futed with bitches,
which would have occupied about as
much land as was left for the pillow. But
still we think this relief system entitled to
consideration and even to experiment
The statement that our levees are at least
two feet too low, coming from an engineer
of such experience is practical sugges-
ton about which no one will disagree.
Let us by all means have higher and
stronger levees.
There is, however, question touched
on by Mr.. Hardee, which presents even
more difficulties than the precise mode of
treating the common danger. It is, under
what authority, and by what discipline
shall any system be executed and main
tanned? Mr.. Hardee thinks the United
States should detail force of thousand
men, organized and drilled as sappers
and miners, who shall be marched down
to the river, and employed in the con-
struction and reconstruction of these for
tiications. This also involves the pro-
posal that the federal government shall
become "the proprietor and guardian of
the whole levee." Engineers, like some
soldiers, believe in a strong and we'll |
organized system; and even some of our
own citizens-the savage defenders Of |
State rights-grumb1e at any proposition |
to lend federal money, or work with fed
eral agencies for the benefit of the city or
State Of their residence.
We have stated our difference with Mr..
Hardee as to the system proper for adop-
tion. There are practical objections to the
United States ownership of the levees and
its guard Of one thousand men. It would
be bad economy to add to the army or to
AXE from its active service such force
After the construction of the levees, which
must be done by contract, and not by SOL
liers, there would be no use for this thou
'and men, except at periods Of high water.
Unless these officers and troops were can
oned along the whole river it would be
impossible for them to know when or
where they would be needed. The present
Ievee Company, like the Pope's soldiers,
turn out in good weather, but they have
lot amounted to row Of pins in the .
resent overflow. General JEFF Thomp- ,
on has. like King Canute, commanded {
he waters to behave themselves; he has !
poken pleasant. speeches to the waters;
e has told the waters jokes worthy of s
eng embalmed in the funniest pages of G
vain; he has even drank to the waters +
l flowing beakers of Chateau Leoville, 9
ut they will not be appeased. They are {
lexorable.
Their mercies are like human beings ::
During civil war. i
The river can not be commanded from d
these headquarters. By no means, q
eneral jeff You can do as much as
ing Canute himself, but you can not sit
New Orleans and watch the muskrats, :;
I'd fight the crawfish at Miliken's bend. :,
ncle Sam could not do it. But if we in :,
itute home guard, Of our own planters b
I'd laborers who live along the whole 6;
le, who know the weak places, and can ~
atch the muskrats; if We organize the v
ilitia of the waters, place them under b
of able generals; brigade them; n
1t them in regiments and companies, o.
Divide magazines of material, with boats ~
convey reinforcements to any point at f.
cked by the great enemy; if we lay along ir
IS whole line. at least in time of high /,
ater, telegraph wire such as is used in Il
modern warfare, or even connect with q,
listing wires at principal points, then the 81
st defense can be made that human h,
ency can offer. Do not underestimate -
capacity of this home guard. The IN
st defense of besieged city always
mes from its own people protecting in
e'r own homes. The planters would IL
ercise degree of vigilance and effort 81
lich could not be expected from the fo
st soldiery, coming thousand miles to G
fend the homes of others. ca
These home guards should be paid lib 20 e,
ally. The laborer can not be expected eo
lose much sleep for the crop in which
is not interested, nor to prevent til
lamity from which he can escape. The p1
oorer on drowned out plantation can tn
re his all on the end of a stick and, like ",
thousands Of itinerant toilers who M
me here from Europe, look out for ga tn
somewhere else. No The lahnrar 1 10,