The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-07-14
THE DANGER OF OVERFLOW.
"A CHAT WITH CITY SURrEYOR r. s
HARDEE.
What Might Result from n Yr0tractcd
storm on the Lake.

storm on the Lake.
The conclusion Of the Louisiana dele
cation In Congress to postpone the call
ing up Of the levee bill, prompted in al
probability by wisdom, lest any attempt
to force Its passage through at this ses.
sion might entirely destroy the posi-.
bility Of bringing 1t up again, is the
more to be depIored on account OF its
bearings upon the safety OF New Or
leans.
without any desire TO create alarm 1t
must be said that the present condition
Of Lake Pontchartrain offers real dan
ger OF an overflow OF the city in the
event OF protracted storm on the lake
A chat with Mr.. L. s. Hardee, City
Surveyor, yesterday, confirms what has
been previously said regarding his sur
vey OF the lake to ascertain whether the
sediment held In solution by the
waters OF the Mississippi, flowing
into the lake through the Bonnet Carre
crevasse, was deposited in the lake IN
safiicsnt apsntiia4 to materially ,sat ny.r raise
area eighteen miles In length by from
two to three in width, where the river
water comes in, the deposit was from
two to three feet in thickness, forestall-
ing eventual danger but no immediate
overflow. But as the water flows
in constantly through the Gre
vase ia immense volumes and
the outlet OF the Rigolets Is insufficient
to allow of an equal discharge into the
Gulf, the consequences Is That the vol
ume of water Is constantly increasing
In the lake, and has In two years raised
IA hu
history OF the Gulf storms which have
occurred within the past thirty years
show too plainly that the city cannot
ford such an increase Ia the height OF
water in the lake, the waters OF which
have, on several occasions, been driven
into tho heart OF the city, and
il is the opinion Of Mr.. Hardee
that a protracted storm might
even now overflow the entire
city by overcoming the natural obstruc-
tion, the Metairie Ridge, owing to this
constantly increasing height. This con-
dition will not be improved, as the river
rises and necessarily pours its waters
into the lake in increased quantities.
Fortunately, no considerable rise Is to
be expected before April, and before
that time 1t Is hoped that Congress will
have given "a favorable consideration to
the claims Of the Mississippi Valley to
be protected from the evil effects
OF the unruly Mississippi river.
1t will also, it seems, behoove the
representatives of the State of Missis
sippi in Congress to join their influence
with those Of Louisiana to ur ge the pas
sage OF the levee bill, for the flow Of The
fresh water OF the river through the
Bonnet Carre crevasse is slowly but
effectually affecting the fishing qualities
of the watering places on the seaboard
OF the State OF Mississippi. The State
OF Mississippi could with much reason
and right claim the urgency of this pro-
lection, as it is, probably, the only sea
board State which has never received |
Government aid for the Improvement
OF Its coast.
Our city has been so impoverished by
the Radical thieves that, not only the
grand scheme Of protection levee en-
circling the city conceived by their
knavery only to rob the people) has
become impossible, but the plan OF con-
structing cheap protection levee along |
the inner shore of the lake cannot be
In few words, the city
cannot afford to spend from fifty to
seventy-tive thousand dollars to save
millions which it would certainly lose Ii
the fears Of Mr.. Hardee were realized.