The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-13
THE LOUISIANA LEVEE COMPANY,

We publish this morning most important
document, the address to the public OF the
Board of Directors of the Louisiana Levee
Company to the public" and not alone to
the people OF Louisiana, as the matter direct
ly concerns not only this State, but large
part of Western Mississippi, more than haii
of Arkansas, and a considerable portion OF
Tennessee, while it concerns Indirectly out
in most i'm portant manner, the whole val
ley of the Mississippi.
The key of the address is in the concluding
paragraph, being the resolution UNANIMOUSLY
adopted by the Board of Directors OF the COM
pany on the 9th inst, and which u.s. oeyono
doubt the expression Of the opinion and
sentiment of all who are interested IN the
Levee Company and all who are interested In
keeping up the levees. As will be SEEN the
resolution contemplates and advises the
transfer and control of the levees OF
the Mississippi and its tributaries 10
the Government of the United States, prom
isipg on behalf of the company in the event
| of Congress assuming such control, to surren'
der all the rights, titles and franchises con-
ferred upon the company by acts OF the Legls-
lature, the sole and certainly very reasonable
condition being that the State should settle
for work already done by the company under
its contract with the State and according to
its terms.
After carefully reading this resolution the
address which precedes it will be duly appre-
ciated and readily understood. The notable
facts recited are:
l. That before the formation of the Levee
Company by Act No. A, approved February
90 1871, the. State was indebted IS, 600, 900 for
levee repairs and construction, represented
by deprecated bonds, the levees then being
in dilapidated condition.
q That the new Levee Company was like
the State, without the power to rebuild and
keep up the levees.
g. That number. of capitalists and leading
citizens thereupon undertook the great work
which was beyond the power of the State, Of
the Levee Company, or the proprietors of the
lands needing protection, for which purpose
rogated to the contract of the company.
A. That they contributed and advanced
$4O0, 900, and built all the levees required by
the State through the Board Of Engineers,
building before October. 1872, 1857, 761 cubic
yards for which only 1922, 900 was paid on
account leaving 1854, 656 due, paying to
contractors cash to the amount of 35 cents
per cubic yard for all levees built, and losing
S525, 900 in interest alone.
5. That the total amount of levees built is
an aggregate of 5,6l7, 553 cubic yards, costing
So, 266, 347, and that instead Of making an in
come, the stock Of the company is now worth
less than 20 per cent of its face valuation.
6. That the total amount received from the
State is 81, 754, 200, which has been expended
for construction and repairs, besides an ad-
vance made by the company Of s7SO,0OO.
7. That the State has been constantly in
default, while the company has uniformly
complied with all its contracts.
s. That the contract of the State with the
company under the act of 1871 and the
amendatory act Of 1873, is explicit, definite
and obligatory.
9. That the company is now and has been
at all times while under the auspices and con-
troll of the new corporators, ready and willing
to construct and repair levees to any extent
that might be needed, provided the State
would fulfill its obligations and carry out its
portion of the contract as contained in the
acts of incorporation. 1t is the State and
not the company that is without the means to
maintain the levee system"
The entire statement is earnest, fair and
candid. Those who have been in the habit
of repeating the groundless censures passed
upon the Levee Company as now constituted
ought to read the address with thoughtful
attention. The present able directors have
worked hard to accomplish all they under
took. The only reason why they did not and
can not succeed is that the State is not able to
second their exertions. Thel literal fact is
that the State government and the people,
whom it ought to represent, are alike too poor
to protect their lands from overflow.
We hail this address as q well-timed argu-
ment in favor CT Congressional action.
Either must the General Government come
to the rescue, or else must a vast area of
lands, unsurpassed in fertility, be abandoned
to frogs and alligators