The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-02
payments on that account for each year to have
bee n duriae the same period % follows, vtsi ~

III; | i II
HI III: I: a.: &c: &c: Sc:
Company up TO December 30. is7s. si.oss7oo.
The ievee company hays thus actuaily re-
yard for oil work performed since their organs
zstiOn. aud NJ tho unOollected tsx to the levee
fund 10 still duo them. understand the com
amount for repairs and crevssses. II 80 we have
Do possible means Of ssesrtaDipg what this
amount 10. The number Of cubic yards indica-
these four years. as being necessarily TO he con.
structed, was y minimum OF 3.0OO0OO Cubic yards
per anpum. Tho Chief Eng ipoer Of the state re-
ports that the work actually done w the Levee
COMPANY for the past three years has been In
sufFicient to replsce the ordinary wear and tear
Of the levess. aud that the state II losing ground
every year. He Aso informs mo that the work
done bss besA let BY the Teves Company TO sub.
contractors, and has been practically crowded
into one nMndred working days In each year,
between the months Of November and May. Tho
largest number Of hands ever employed by tho
company was 2500 in 1874. Last year there were
le.s than 1900 employed. In ls7. the number va.
Of the State Engineers. tho PsDitentRry
hands built the Newsotne, McCullen. Bass. and
large portion Of the Hickey levees. besides
sIps1er works during the summer months"
The fact 10 hardly disputed that the Levee
Company have fsilsd TO giye satisfaction to. or
%nni nifty Who have tho largest interests IN The
proper maintenance Of the levees. and the best
Opportunity + Judge Of The wora done ,.o.,.
communication on this subject says:
II il painfully evident that the present system
Ia ineffective 70 protect the State from overflow.
and should Congress decline 70 come to our aid,
some radical changes VIII have to be made.
The LAvee Company, understand, profess q
willingness TO- surrender their charter on the
ibey allegs to 10 due them for work done. This,
slso, 10 n question Which may be left for future
consideration and action. The immediate and
ennes which the present thrce-mill tax. or . less
tax win yield, be 20 utilised ~ 10 give the State
more !evee work than the LoIiis,ans I Ave-. Com
can Il there any better plan within our reachi
feel confident there Ia.
Ut.lsxatssa 81 CssvIcs Labor
The plan which seems TO the most likely TO
five increased efficiency and economy to our
,vee system consists In the employment Of the
countries tho practices OF thus employing con.
Wet labor has been pursued for years with
beneficial, results: From an official statement
teStisry. I learn that they had under their
charge. Cd the twentieth Of Decemt or, 1875.
$50 convtcis, classified ~ under Males. 5s4; fe-
males 10; sbe-bOdfed males Gao, THIS number
Of able bodied men IL not likelv to diminish On
the contrary. "A population increases, and the
laws become more rigidly enforced. tho mum.
Der will be largely augmented from year to
yesr. The federal prisoners. military and civil,
convicted within this district. were formerly
confined ,n our STATE .I p,snitsntiary sne govern
bead per day. There would probably DO no
objection to these federal conyicta being ordered
DEL proper discipIine in the saline manner a. the
state con iCts. In any event. ut the lowest esti.
mate BY the plan proposed, Y IL believed there
w w,T 10 on the icvccs ali the year round
the river, about tie centre Of the field OF opera,
tons Ia most conveniently located for n base OF
suppies ny means Of boats adapted for that
purpose. the c0nvicts. securely guarded. could
he moved from point TO point with the celebrity
-etirIsted by the state Engineer thai 600 abe-
bodied men will build 1000 cubic yards per day.
Experienced CONTRACTORS rate convict labor
estimate 100000 cubic yards as the lowest
. mouDt OF levees necessary to be built each
year. Five hundred nyicts. working but 400
days In the year. can build ut least 600 O00 cubic
, ards Of lcvee. Seventy cents 10 believed to be
very liberal estimate for the cost OF guards. ra-
,ion. and clothing per DAY per man s, III con
eat bidder the State vOuld doubtless be enabled
TO secure them Mt q less rate Of cost. As the
compelled TO subsst them the entire year. the
cost for 365 days Ah0uld be considered. which
would amount to tl27.7y0: add for cost Of trans
!, the state were 70 provide two stesm tugs aud
con Wet bargcs, ono TO he used above the mouth
of Red river ana enc below, the result Ia an out
tre COZ yicts not able bodied say 100 at nifty DENTS
per day each, making e1a,2s0 per snnum. and by
this calculation 100000 cubic yards OF levses
cents per cubic yard. The state, II necessary,
could employ hired 1aborers for the building OF
the remaining 500. 900 cubic yards computed to be
necessary. This could certainly be done for
thirty cents per cubic yard, or even less. aay
ol6O.6OO. Tho amount OF necessary salaries for
and engnesrs, ETC.. would be-, say
cubic yards OF fevee amount to e356.0OO. or an
average OF % 70 100 cents per cubic yard. To re-
capitulate.
Cost Of Transportation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1890
SUPPORT u females and males not able bodied.
io@V
Total. .........-..:.... 900
labor II thirty cent. per yard. $4,000
Estimated cost OF salaries Of csmmissiobers
and engineers. So"
Total. .Sa,s,ooo
The rate would be proportionately reduce as
ho amount OF convict labor Increased, thus
the neccs, ~, for ' hired labor go.
manner prevent the national government taxing
partial or entire charge Of the levees, should II
70 90 80 a. ,Ss 1,u1s Gay
;wo veryl serious difilcultee-how TO keep up
he levees rs tar rs possible with the means at
,ur command. and what 70 90 with the State
,onvicts and the Penitcntiary should an exigency
involving the latter be forced upon the state.
II the general government at any time should
zone to the relief Of the state In the matter OF
The Mississippi levees, the convict labor even
hen could be utilized on the levees Of the inte-
'ior streams OF tho state or on other public
works.
The state Engineer reports that the Lsvee
Company built in the ieveo year OF 1884,. 739 $50
,ubic yards; and the Auditor reports that they
have already received in payment OF the he, same.
,um Of $780, Oo at tho rate Of forty four cents
per cubic yard. being within six cents OF the
mount tnfty cents per cubic yard allowed them
,y their charter. large portion OF the tn xes OF
STA remain yet uncollected. and after paying the
six oents there viii be considerable
excess to the credit Of the levee fund.
Upon this showing, 1t IL evident that the pres
mt ievee tax could be reduced, and the reve.
,ues, " properly utilized under the proposed
plan. would build quite ~ many or more lcyees
han are now built by the Ievee Company. THIS
company receive three -fourths - much from the
state MS is paid for all State purposes, including
he half mill for the purchase OF the State
House.