The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-14

company could build any number of n,;,,;o-
yaros annually for less than tba .nno
contract price. 1t is the State and plese 'a
.omeany, that is without the means 70 ~ uaa Gu
.ain Inc ievee system. Our comnanv :. onu
.Ius mat the United States shonlj CO.,,
.Lnarse OF levee construction and ma;nt.nano.
sinlougnout the whole length Of the M;ssis
s;ppi hlver' and is willing to Weld all If IFS
sa s.s ana privileges, so far as necessary r.
=; ISoale mat end, to the General Government
II required to do SO. o'0'NI'en''
I've we enurely approve of the clause in the
follows: 'eS'' WHICH reads a.
tne Secretary of War shall, after public
Chief nf Ta under the supervision of the said
Onei Vi Engineers, let all work to be done Inv
- .ue VI thls act and under this appropriation
W 1ne lowest responsible bidder or bidders and
- no event shall the sum herein appropriated
b any part thereof, be applied to the pay ment of
n 80 Insured by the local levee authorities or
~ " any other work than such as may be contracted
M ana constructed under the supervision of said
Chlef OF Engineers. y '"io
we nave no interests which are antagopistic
y! 70 tnose OF our fellow citizens of Louisiana in
,nis OF any other respect. We claim that we
nave conferred great benefit upon the pub
nc oy MAINTAINING the levees of Louisiana so
iar as IL was possible with the means available
10 MAINTAIN them, and SO far as the State. the
proprietor, has required them to be built and
maintained during the past Fl We years, which.
as Is now evident, was much beyond the
states ability promptly to pay for.
We nave In all respects faithfully complied
WIN the terms OF our contract, and performed
much more than of right We could or should
nave oeen required to do as such contractor
ano we calm that In no particular have we
deservedly forfeited the confidence and es.
TEEN OF the public. 1t has become the fashion
to abuse the Levee Company; to villify. mis-
represent and SANDER it, without right, cause
OF reason. Popular clamor and prejudice
seems to demand it, but, so far as we know,
every investigation of its affairs has failed to
abuse.
Certain it is that, until the General Gov
comes to the relief of Louisiana, no
Other me- hod so economical to the taxpayer
lor securing even the partial protection which
alone the State can provide for, can be de-
vised. 1t the public think otherwise, we are
willing to withdraw as soon as the indebted
ness OF the State to us for work done IS
LiquidAted.
l would now respectfully call public atten-
ton to the following resolution, unanimously
adopted by the Board of Directors at their
AAoneuAy mooSAub, ucIu NONomDor y,
1875, as an expression of the views and pur
poses of this company:
Whereas. the Louisiana Levee Company is I'm
sble to build all the evees of the State out of the
axes assessed and collected for that purpose. |
more particularly as large amounts have been
deducted from said collection, to meet the cur
ent wants of the State, and as commissions to |
assessors and taxcollectors, under construction
y the law, deemed by us erroneous, and even in |
llrect conflict with the act incorporating this |
company: and
Whereas, it is the desire of this board that the |
J D1ted States Go eminent shall take entire |
barge and control of all the leyees of the State
'e it therefore
Resotred, That this Board will use all its in
uence to induce the General Government to as
ume control of all the levees of The State of
louisiana, ana in case such action b. taken by
congress, the Louisiana Levee Company will |
urrender all the rights, titles and franchises
onftrred upon it by the act incorporating said
ompaay, provided that the State of Louisiana
makes just and equitable settlement of the
ums due said company at that date for repairs
pom and construction of levees as per contract.
JOHN HENDERSON,
President Louisiana Levee Company.