The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-30

express terms of the law, TO be paid by the
State"
his appointment until January l, 1879 He has
mp to that time, been paid by the StateS The
Legislature, in the session of 1873. neglected To
| include Gen. Longstreets salary in the apprc-
priation bill for that year. Tire Legislature, i'll
| ,be session of 1876. also refused to make the
| necessary appropriation.
| AS the State did not, or would not, provide
| for his salary, Gen. Longstreet brought suit to
| compel the Auditor to Issue q warrant on the
| State Treasurer for his salary, S. 900, and for
| the salary, - 600, of J. Longstreet Secretary
OF the Commission. an Office unknown to the
law, and also for 81 200 on account of expenses
| incurred in levee surveys. All to be taken out
of funds accrued to the Levee Company. AS
THIS demand was not III accordapce with the
law, and 1t was deemed highly improper that q
State official, whose duty It WAS to decide on
questions where the interests of the State and
those of the Levee Company might be supposed
to antagonize, should be paid by the Levee
Company, this claim Of Gen. Longstreet was
opposed by the company.
1t was in connection with this suit of Gen.
Longstreet's that the restraining order was
issued, at his instance, inbibiting the Auditor
from giving warrants to the Levee Company
for money in the State Treasury to the credit
of the Levee Company, unless his claims and
those OF his Secretary were first paid; thus
depFiving the Lsyee Company, at q most critical
time, of it's cash resources. This restraining
order was issued on the 14th of March, 1876
and perpetnated on the 5.h of April,
There are other errors of facts and fGnres in
Gen Longstreets letter to w bica wouid also
call your attention.
Levee was included in the Order of October
1st, 1873. and that on the 15&h Of November
following, the plan, proiiles, ami specifications
for this work were sent to the Lovee Company"
The eli iil plan aud profile of the Millken's
Bend Levee, no file in this fiji 70, show that
this statement is untrue, for endorsed thereon
lis the following:
located by Commission of f 81 ne-rs, staked
and leveled November l4th, 1873. Office Com
mission of Engineers, New Orleans, December
lst, 1873 Respectfully forwarded to the Levee
Company for construction. (Sigped) P.
Hebert, Acting Chairman of Commission of
Engineers
Therefore, although the Commission of En-
gineer did include this levee in their October
LIST order, as one to be built it was not located,
staked and leveled until November II ard 1.-The
were not sent to the Levee Company on the
18th of November" as stated, and not until
after December lat, following.
Obviously the intention of Gen. L1ngstreet
was to cast the blame of delay in the copstruc-
ton of this levee upon the Levee Company,
when the fact is that our company did not re-
ceive the order for construction, with the re-
quired plan, profile and specifications, until
more than two months had elapsed after the
commission had decided that it should be bnilt.
The company is allowed, by law and contract,
sixty days after the receipt of the plans and
protles to commence work. but in this case it
anticipated their receipt, and closed a contract
for the work on November H. 1875, with a
proviso that work should be comm On oed on said
levee not later than December l.
The law and the contract provide only for
the constructo of levees for which plans, pro
files and specifications are furnished, after the
same have been located and staked ont.
l. herewith, append q tabular statement of
the account of the State with this company,
made up to March IA, 1876. the date upon
which the restraining order referred to was
served upon the company, which account you
easily verify DV reference to the archives
of the State in the hands of the Commission of
Engineers. and of the State Engineer as to con-
structon and by the books of the Auditor and
Treasurer of the State, as to cash received AS
to the amounts expended for repairs, and boat
for survey, vouchers are on file in this Office to
verify them.
Amount cubic yards built 1896 O6o g. l51 SO
Repairs ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 80 922 IS
Advanced to Comm scion of Engnee~s, to
pay for boat for use in September, 1875,
in making annual survey of levees---. 200 90
S3,4l $50 81
Cash received from State l97055O 90
Balance due 4th March, 1876 AL $40 IS
To which add, for work done ct
sured say zoo 600 cubic yards, 5Oc.- 100000 o.
3! 54I $40 80
Very respectfully, yours,
JOHN HENDERSON,
President Louisiana Levee Co