The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-11-03
The Leyee System Of Louisiana
Editor of Picayune:

be interested iu knowing the facts, the
following information and statistics
respecting the Louisiana Levee sys.
TEN lave been, with some trouble, OBJ
tanned.
Before The war the construction and
maintenance of levees was a servitutle
upon the lands owned by the riparian
proprietors; they had to build and
maintain Their own levees
In 1866 the State, assuming the
proprietorship Of the levees. appointed
levee commissioners, issued bonds and
levied taxes to provide means to build
levees.
The commissioners let out contracts
in such manner and to whom they
pleased.
According to published reports, more
than 13,OOO,0O0 cubic yards of leveo
work was done in this way.
From 1865 to 1870 inclusive, SO,
1874 900 of 8 per cent, levce bonds were
issued netting, it is said, less than S.
600, 900 in cash. By means of special
appropriations and special taxes the
system was maintained but it became
notorionsly unsatisfactory
1t is difficultno to arrive at what
was the cost tTthe tax payer of lovee
building previous to 1872, but it prob
ably exceeded 20 cents Ter cubic
yard.
Prof. Forshey. in his memorial to
Congress said "Thus the system of
building llevees) under State manage
ment, and with State bonds, makes
(made) the cost one dollar per cubic
yard.
The contract with the originators Of
not those who now representative
Levee Company provided for the build
ing of Is, 900, 900 cnbic yards of perma-
nent levees at 60 cents per yard,
amounting to SIS, o00, 900, and the main
tainance thereof; on the absurd suppo-
sition that that--or any given-quan-
tity of earthwork would complete per-
manent levees throughout the State,
and that thencefOrward only repairs
would be needed.
Permanent levees are impossible
along the banks of sedimentary river
which abrades its banks, like the Mis-
sissippi, sometimes a half mile or more
in single year.
To pay for this $4,000, 900 yards, ten
per cent, or 100000 per annum for
twenty one years or $l8, 9O0, 900 in all
was to have been collected by means
of a general tax upon all the taxable
property in the State. To have in-
sured an available fund Of 5000 900 an
nnally would have required the annual
assessment Of at least SIX mills per
taxable collar. In addition, to keep
these "permanent" (s) levees in repair
when built. n further tax Of two mills
per dollar was to have been collected
and paid over to the company.
Had this arrangement been cOnsnm-
mated, by the construction of tho 49,
O0O, 900 Of yarls>of levees, tho annual
levee tax must have become fully eight
mills per taxable dollar, but, the orisi-
nal parties who got up the company
had not the means to carry out its Oh
jects and they transferred the contract
to the present company.
Fortunately for the public it was
very soon, discovered that the so called
permanent" system ofllevees could
not even be commenced; that tempo
rary ievees to cover yearly emergen-
cies were alone possible practically,
and that SO onerous levee tax as was
requisite for the permanent" system
coul, not I've collected. Accordingly,
by mutual agreement the State modi-
fed its contract with the Levee Com
pany. The price per cubic yard was
reduced to fifteen cents per cubic yard
and the annual levee tax was reduced
and limited to three mills per taxable
dollar. Of course, thereafter, the
amount of levee work to be done in
each year was limited to the available
funds receivable out of the three mill
tax of that year. At most this cannot
now exceed half a million of dollars,
Equivalent to one million of cubic
yards per annum, whereas from two,
to three millions Of cubic yards per
annum ale needed for reliable and
perfect protection against overflow.
The State is the levee proprietor,
and, through its Commission Of Engi-
neers, it prescribes the location, di-
mensions and extent Of all levees to
be built during eacl, year. The Levee
Company is nothing more nor less than
the contractor, to build such levees
and snch only as the State requires it
to bnild, at City cents per cubic yard
payable out of the levee tax fund.
The State has no right to order more
levees built than it Can pay for out of
the three mill tax, and the Levee Com
pany can build no levees not ordered.
The lay provides that sin order to