The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-07
URBAN,
AN INCNDATION.

! We have had surfeit of overhows indee
: SO much Of Louisiana has been and is still vi
der water that the very thought Of it has bee
enough to make the heart ache and the cons
quences bad as they are would have been to
shocking to think of had it not been for til
timely and generous assistance OF Boston
) Baltimore San Francisco and other cities &
the country.
The overtiows of the parishes We're, how
ever, not altogether unexpected for We al
knew beforehand that the levees had beel
neglected and that any unusual rise Of tn,
Mississippi would necessarily sweep away tn
frail barriers that had, as if in very mockery
been reared to resist them; but we had RICH
to expect that within the city limits Shout,
be free from the horrors of an overflow
The levees were repaired at great expense
and small army of laborers employed by tn,
city fought, and we are glad to say tough
successfully, every attempt of the angry nvel
to make breach and pour itself upon the
alarmed and helpless people.
The river subsidized, and then everybody
thought the danger was surely over, but i'm
agine the surprise and dismay OF the people OF
the Sixth District upon waking up last Sun
day morning to find that flood from the
clouds had as effectually inundated them as
though the river itself had broken through its
barriers. From Greenville down to Bordeaux
street-a distance Of nearly two miles-and
from the swamp to Chestnut street Except the
ridge on ST. Charles Avenue), distance of
more than a mile, there was a perfect sea,
the water rising to within six inches of the
high water mark Of the crevasse of 1861.
In particular localities the water was four
feet deep. and there was scarcely resident
within the space mentioned, that did not have
his garden and yard inundated, while in many
houses the water Was over the floors. Bridges
and wooden sidewalks were swept away and
the loss in these respects, alone, will be very
The inhabitants were necessa-
rily confined to their houses, and, in some
localities, it is impossible to find dry land
enough for human being to walk on yet.
This we take it is pretty bad showing for
4 great city that spends waists sums for drain
lge purposes, and for department whose
monthly expenditures are almost large enough |
Q run an ordinary city, and give Fourth of
July celebration besides. 1t is all the worse |
rom the fact, that it is entirely unnecessary |
nd could be avoided by the exercise of lit |
le common sense, and by the judicious ex-
'enditure of a small sum of money.
Let US glance briefly at the facts of the case.
n all that vast area to which we have alluded
here are but three outlets or drains into the
laiborne Canal, which is reservoir canal for
,e Sixth District. These are at Peters Ave-
ue, Soniat and Valence streets-the last two
re at the lower section of the basin-and all
tally inadequate for the purposes for which
icy are designed. Nashville Avenue, which
rmerly carried off vast quantity of water
ON the low lands on the river side Of st.
harles Avenue has been permitted to close I
it'll weeds and debris and the canal on Hen ,
Clay Avenue, the old Burthe's plantation
ain, has been, in the exercise of an inscru- .
BILE WISDOM filed up, and a fine shell road,
nit on its crest for the especial benefit of our '
nest ~ Auditor whose estates lie adjacent. I
le new City Park has now no outlet save the
| plantation drain, which is well nigh closed. +
It is therefore manifest to any one &C $
ainted with the topography of that section
It an inundation must follow every heavy J.
n, and it is also manifest that unless the
y takes prompt measures to afford relief to
, people resident in the overfowed district,
; will become responsible in damages for
r culpable negligence. Il
t is exasperating to reflect upon the large o.
MS uselessly expended by the city, in the N
tn District, when we happen to know that r
h one-tenth Of the amount vastly more 81
lid be effected. To show that we know b,
ereof we speak We propose to give an ex- ia
it Of the reckless expenditures in the above II =
trict expenditures that rebound in but q,
le benefit to the people and only serve to Fl
port almost in idleness lot of political bl
nmers, trainers and whippers-in. ~
he following is only a partial list of the eff
cunts expended by the Department Of I'm
vements in the Sixth District for services
salaries Of men who could and should
rly all be dispensed with 20
district superintendent ..s1;SOO 90 ~
clerk. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 900 90 -Hf
&c ward superintendent. ........... 5000 90
&c banquette inspectors -. ....... 1900 90 ple
superintendent Of carts. ........... 900 90
sengers- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 600 90
pc foremen, over Is men 3l3 days at
50 per day. ........-............. 2,347 so
zen regular hands 313 days at $26 so WI
r day. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. S,216 Is Inv
carts 3l3 days at SIS per day.. 4,635 90 res
Total. .......................s SIS, 1853 IS M
MS is only partial list, and no doubt is 7tb
aportion of the peoples money that is ten
ndered by a government whose watch
1al reform and which uaa oxnootod Il, | ma