New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-01

whether much. or little. Thence we find
the levees pretty safe down to Smoke Town,
where, as usual we shall have to patch
from place to place, and this will carry US
below to Don aldsonville. At Esperance we
shall need some 5000 cubic yards. Then, at
Csbanocey. patch of some 1000 cubic
yards, where the levee is above eight feet
high; and again at Bonnet Care church
little work on Q low levee of only four or
five feet, 5000 or 5000 yards will be sufficient.
This brings us within the influence of the
Bonnet Care crevasse and all the levees
thence to the city Of New Orleans are re-
lieved by the outlet. For two years this
levee has been open, without widening
more than from 1900 to 1900 feet but il has
deepened and discharged moro water. 1t
already ceases to have the character of q
crevasse, and runs out smoothly, so much so
that one unacquainted with the river would
be doubtful which was the true channel.
1t has washed something of q oh annel
bac,- to the level Of the swamp, and then it
and in the woods that is ten feet high, full
half the fall to the lake. Thence it divides.
running now chief up stream parallel to
the river, and it spreads for twenty miles
up and thirty miles down over the rear of
plantations. At the rear, six or seven mil es,
reaches the railroad and Lakes Maur epas
and Pontchartrain. Its way is blocked by
the rail, and culverts only let it out. They
have raised the embankment two feet
throughout their twenty five miles, and
double that amount for six or seven miles,
where it continually sinks. The lake is
said to be shoaled out for four or five miles,
and the navigation obstructed. The fr esh
water has driven all the salt fish from the
lake and broken up the watering places
and homes on all the other side of the lake;
and it has raised the water on the rear Of
the city of New Orleans about eight cen
inches. The water escaping from the Rigo-
lets takes the direction of the Mississippi
sound, and fills all the bathing regien Ms of
City, Biloxi, Ocean Springs and even Pas
cagoulas is in q measure destroyed at that
season when the watering places are most
desirable. Let those who would keep the
crevasse open reflect on these matters.
1t is folly to talk Of closing this crevssse
with any funds the State appropriates for
levees. The general government must un-
derrake this and the Morganzs crev asse, Or
the people must submit to inundation.
About the upper boundary of the city,
the Carrollton levee for one mile, must be
replaced; but perhaps it can bear another
years abrasions. 1t is not badly caving
bank; but encroaches at the rate of ia feet
in twenty-three years, as per last levee
built. Next year, at furthest, we must have
a mile of new levee, at a cost of nearly
100, 900 cubic yards.
Above Algiers, at Bobb's brick yard and
saw mill, levee will have to be built of
twelve feet, for half mile in length.
Whether it can wait till next year is doubt
full. 1t will take GO, 900 cubic yards.
From the city down, the levees, if re-
vetted, are generally sufficient for the sea-
con. 1t is not sufficiently appreciated how
the waves attack the levees below the city;
the further down the more destruc lively.
Some sort of revetment must be resorted to
for large portion OF the levees. At Har
laem and Point-a Ia Hsche, some work will
be required. The latter is a very small
levee and, if mile has to be renewed,
three or four feet levee will protect it; and
,Nh oho11
view of the Mississippi levees for the sea-
son.
RED RIVER.
The levees on the river below exandria
are in pretty fair condition, with the ex-
ception of one bayou few miles below
town. A levee of 10000 cubic yards will
close it. From Alexandria to Bayou Cotile
is tolerably secure. The town will have to
take care of itself.
Above Nachitoches nothing will do any
service that does not close Tones bayou.
That is confessedly work Of the general
government, since it saves a navigable
stream, the Red river, from destruction.
Above Shreveport the river is leveed for
twenty miles. Some work of 10, 900 or Il, 900
cubic yards to secure the levees of Bsnoist's
and Willow bayous will make fertile and
productive region safe.
ATCHAFALAYA REGION
What must be done for this portion Of the
State? The commission of engineers must
determine. Certainly its population on
the various bsyous, including Grand river
and the Teche, LAY their levee tax, as we'll
as other regions. They should be remember
ed in any system Of protection.
THE LAFoURcHE.
This bayou can be protected half way
down, or say thirty-fve miles, to Thibo-
daux, without much additional work. But
the growth of the levees as you descend be-
comes so enormous that the whole levee
fund would not protect them. We have re-
peated the recommendation that that bayou
be closed, on principle, so often that it will
not bear repetition. Whether the people Of
Louisiana shall support $50 miles or 25O
feet Of levee probably will be settled by
the impracticsbility of continuing it with
the fund available. The commission have
assented, and possibly may assent again to
divide the fund, and leave larger interests
to ruin and abandonment. If so, we may
we'll appropriate 100000 yards to the La
fourche, below Thibodaux.
CONCLUSION.
And now, with this review, we congratu-
late our agricultural population, that with
the exception of the two chief crevasses.
Morganza and Bonnet Carre and their de-
vastatlons, we have less to do upon levees