New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-05

ia7-s ~ j $3.50: AZ 50 81 ~ g $40: :;
| Ig-l 3lI87I al 223 s6s 653 81 9l4 666 AL 5492f
| 1873 4IIs74I 81 224 1888 5ls 06 6727'5 St 434,2t
1874 5ll875I 81 200. 40 l, 6ol6s4 III $50 80
Making total amount paid to the Leve
! Company up to December 80, 1875, 81, 9l3
| 700.
| The Levee Company have thus actuall
received thirty-fo and half cents pc
cubic yard for all work performed since thei
| organization, and all the uncollected tax t.
the levee fund is still due them. l under
stand the company claim to have expended
| considerable amount for repairs and Gre
vases. If so we have no possible means o
ascertaining what this amount is. The mum
Der of cubic yards Indicated by the com
missioners year by year, during these foul
years, as being necessary to be con
structed. was minimum of 5000, 900 cubic
yards per annum. The Chief Engineer Of
the State reports that the work actually
done by the Levee Company for the last
three years has been insufficient to replace
the ordinary wear and tear of the levees,
and that the State is losing ground every
year. He also informs me that the work
done has been let by the Levee Company
to sub contractors, and has been practically
Gro wded into one hundred wol king days IN
each year, between the months of Novem
Der and May. The largest number of hands
ever employed by the company was $500 in
1872. Last year there were less than 1000
employed. In 1874 the number was still
fewer, because, as stated to me in the re-
port of the State Engineers, "the Peniten-
tiary hands built the Newsome, McCullum.
Bass, and large portion of the Hickey
levees, besides smaller works during the
summer months"
The fact is hardly disputed that the
Levee Company have failed to give satisfac-
ton to, or to secure the confidence of that
class of the community who have the larg-
est interests in the proper maintenance of
the levees, ana the best opportunity to
judge of the work done.
The Chief Engineer of the State. in re-
cent communication on this subject, says;
aystem Is Inc Elective to protect the State
from overflow, and should Congress de-
cline to come to our aid, some radical
changes will have to be made.
The Levee Company, understand. pro-
TESS willingness to surrender their char
ter on the payment by the State of certain
claims which they allege to be due them for
oil 10
may be left for future consideration and
action. The immediate and practical point
to be determined is. can the revenues
which the present three.mill tax, or less
tax will yield, be so utilized as to give the
state more levee work than the Louisiana
Levee Company have heretofore supplied :
oelleve they can. Is there any better
'ian within our reach! l feel confident
here is.
UTILIZATION OF CONVICT LABOR.
The plan which seems to me most likely !
o give increased efficiency and economy to !
ur ievee system c, insists In the employment |
u the able bodied convicts of the State. In |
lder countries the practice of thus en-
loylng convict labor has been pursued for
ears with beneficial results. From an
mcial statement made to me by the officers
the State Peniten iary, 1 learn that
ley had under their charge, on the twen-
eth OF December, 1875, So convicts, CLASH
cd as under: Males, 554: females, %: able.
odled males. $50. This number of able.
'dled men is not likely to diminish. On
10 contrary, as population increases. and
10 laws become more rigidly enforced.
10 number will be largely augmented
ON year to year. The federal prison-
9, military and civil, convicted within
Is district, were formerly confined in
II State Penitentiary, the government
lying Tor their support fifty cents a
ad per day. There would probably be
objection to these federal conyicts ba;no
dered to the State Penitentiary again
q worked under proper discipline in
same manner as the State convicts
any event, at the lowest estimate nv
plan proposed, it is believed there will ,
at least 500 able-bodied men available
WORK on the levees all the year round
Inc penltentiary situated at Baton
'use' on the river, about the centre of the ,
ID OF operations, is most conveniar+,r,
ated Tor base of supplies. Bv means ,
boats adapted for that purpose. the con-
u.s. securely guarded, could be moved
III point 10 point with the CELEBRITY and / 9
'clslon OF a military organization. III =
mated by the State Engineer that 500 =
e-oodled men will build 5000 cnb;o
Us per day. Experienced contractors :,
convict labor higher than other Labor
State Engineers estimate 5oo ooo =
'lo yards as the lowest amount Of laveas y
essary to be built each year. Five hun. y
q oonvlets, working but 200 DAYS in the =
f. can build at least 100000 cnhio r. =;
Us OF levee. Seventy cents is believed y.
'e a very liberal estimate for the coat Of :,
rus rat'ons and clothing per dav ner =.
q. If contracts were made for thesa %
as with the lowest bidder the S,o.s o'
III doubtless be enabled to secure them ~
a less rate of cost. Aa tho a. =:
o. In taking charge of the oon u u
:, would be compelled to ami "
'nem the entire year the cost for sss
sno0lo be considered, which vould :. =.