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

ferry landing at Delta will have to yield,
and the railroad depot be moved to lower
position.
From thence We mus. pass down to the
Diamond island region, which has never
been closed. there is an opening of three
miles that lets the extra water out through
Harper's, the Roundaway. Walnut and
Willow bayous, into the Tensas river, and
carries it across the bend into the old river
sgain at Carthage.
We pass this and the Backridge levee as
so much relieved by tho Palmyra cutoff
that they are not deemed worth the seven
miles of levee to protect them. Stopping
only to lament the ravages and utter des-
truction Of Point Pleasant and Wilson's
plantation. we pass on to Hard Times.
Here we must build new levee Of fifteen
feet for mile, and consume 5000 or
10000 yards of earth; or perhaps tempcrize
with a patch of 10000 to 10000 yards to be
lost mex. year.
Thence we paes to Disharoon and Hard
Scrabble. Here We must patch, and take
the risk, or perhaps build very long levee.
It is close on the bank, and must be attend
ed to. A levee of eight or ten feet will
cover it, or we may have to build three
miles.
Thence we pass to Waterproof, where We
must finish levee that is already begun.
1t ia two miles of ten to fourteen feet levee
that must be built though it will consume
l20, 900 yards Of embankment. This be-
longs to last year.
Next we pass to Marengo leyee, near and
above Natchez and Vidalia. Without
knowing exactly what it will be necessary
to do here, it is certain that the river has
caved right into the bend Of Concordia
lake, until the estates Of Msrengo (Row-
ley's), Kerr, Alexander, Cartwright, Surget
and Minor are chiefly in the river. Some
patching, perhaps, may answer the pur.
pose. and postpone to another year the
building Of a new levee.
Thence the levees are good las they are
generally in the intervals We have passed
over), down for twelve miles. until We
come to Henderson's levee. This is open
for nearly mile, and will take levee Of
fourteen feet to close it. Here again we
can put 100, 600 cubic yards of earth, and
of course protect the river plantations in
some degree to Red river, and all middle
and lower Black river estates.
Green's levee is ad jacent, below, and
badly caving; but the levee is small down
to Mill bayou. three miles below. five
foot levee will protect it-perhaps 10000
yards. Thence to Glasecock's levee. where
We have an opening Of two miles or more.
1t is probable that this will not be closed,
as nothing will do any service without a
great expenditure.
Thence to Brabston levee. Here a little
work may protect Miller's Bend. with FIVE
or six plantations.
Thence to the mouth Of Red river. No
leveeing will be of any service to the coun-
care Of himself, or await the retirement of
the waters.
Thus We have described $50 miles OF
levee, and prescribed 600 cubic yards
Of earth work to be built and paid for
from the levee fund. What better shall be
done is grave question to be solved BY
the commission of engineers when it shall
make its visitation. Its fat is the law be-
yond question. The Levee Company is not
bound to build beyond the amount pre-
scribed by this commission and the COM
mission, knowing how much money is about
to be collected to pay for the levees at fifty
cents per cubic yard, and will only prescribe
enough of work to consume this money.
About 800 900 cubic yards is all that must
be expected from the commission or from
the Levee Company. It is fixed by the law
that the company shall be paid fifty cents
per cubic yard. We could build twice as
many yards and protect double the amount
of country, If the price were half the sum
paid to the company. In the present state
of demand for employment unquestionably
the work could be done for an average of
twenty five cents per yard. The lessee Of
the Penitentiary Colonel s. L. James, has
stated that he would take the whole con-
tract at eighteen cents. Undoubtedly it
could all be done at twenty-five cents per
cubic yard, and instead of 900 cubic
yards we should have 100000 yards, in
Guiding the Bass, the Morganza, and the
Henderson leyees.
RED RIVER.
At the mouth of Red river is the inlet of
all the waters that have escaped above from
Arkansas downward. If the water be higher
in Red river than in the Mississippi, all the
water Of cIevasses above will be forced into
it and swell the river and endanger the
levees thence downward. If not, then the
Atchafalaya takes off a part of the whole
of the extra water. We pass below, how
ever, with the certainty that the two cut
offs of Racourci and Shreves will protect
the first few miles to q small extent. At
least twenty-five miles Of levee will need
no work.
At New Texas levee the work of patch
ing will commence, or we shall have to
erect new levee of 10000 yards
Thence we pass on to the Morganza levee.
where the crevasse has been open these two
seasons, spreading devastation and flood
over the entire Foudoche and Crosse Tete
region. The Atchafalsys below is sub
merged, and the flood extends to the Teche
and the railroad. No single levee in the
State commands and submerges so much
that is valuable or calls louder for work.
1t is estimated that about 10000 cubic
yards will be necessary for its closure. We
believe, however, that it will not be at'
tempted from the levee fund. The people