New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-04

| l0v0o0 OF Cn0 4leol6SlUpl uov0Op00 C0(
that though appropriations for worl
; miaor Importance were readily agree
there was most formidable opposite
the theory that the national govern
should assume charge o the Miseis
levees. The estimated expnditure, am.
ing to some $50, 100000, vas an ohiel
which had great Influence Conseq uel
the efforts to secure aid tr the levee
the Mississippi river faila for tho Il
Indications that have recestly been 81
by the present Congress on the subjec
subsidies and national aid to works Of
ternal improvement, seem b renoer sln
hopeless the expectation d any
measure of relief being adopted H.ns
during the present term. Hapie, ~
ever, that it may have a fapnlsp n"D :.
l recommend that your ba1pe JUN
resolution urging Con gres o w
troll of the levees as o nAe "o' '~'
ing, and that you also INV '.o oo,ope1'
ton of the Legislatures( .n0' o'A'e,
whose interests are eimp on0o'ou Will
or own. III
| l have always bee9 op'n'on 'na
the d;a;cuI.;as wh;.C advocates O
Matchmaking the levea 'no 'i'ssiss'pp
have encountered be immensely
leesened if, instead 81 A'ng oo's'ess te
assr,oa a. liabilities which
are estimatsd 70 81 to $4,000, 900,
and which may 10y u tna'
sum, an attempt tep ~ inuuce
Congress to approfsu cow .eA'' III oe
tail, for specific wobp A00oss'ty'
in the same way as spprp ''"'o.' are made
for deepening rivers snS.'os uaroors'
1t will be rememb ered p"' -. 'o"or mouse
of the last Congress incuueu ~ one OF their
appropriation bills 81 "ppoptiatlon OF
$4,000. 900 for Ievee pupo.' si,oV'oW of
which was to be expeo.4 ~ .o'' STATE.
After passing tho Houe iSwas lost in the
Senate by a very cloe vote. 1t is to be
hoped that our Representatives in Congress
will be able to secure come immediate aid
tor the reclamation md protection from
overflow of the many thousand acres of
fertile land within The limits of this State
which the crevasse oflE4 withdrew from
cultivation, and which the State has been
unable to restore to productive industrr.
OF THE a2rE AND THE LOUIS
lama LEvE COMPANY.
In the meantime, nfl Congress can come
to our assistance, ilwhole or in part, it is
no more than ordny business prudence
to inquire in whstpsitiou the State stands
with regard to Is levee system and
what possible usures can be adopted
to repair. as fl ~ possible, the levees
broken down y crevasses of the past
few years, and krevent the recurrence of
ike disasters b The future. Act No. 4 of
81 transfernl the absolute control of
he constructon Of all the levees of the
state for tweatyNne years to a company
herein incorporated, known as the Loui-
lana LeveeC Company. All the powers of the
tate or parishes over the levees of the
Mississippi river we're vested in this CON-
any. Thsy were required to construct a
system Of levees' building not less than
900, goo cubic yards a year, to tie
mount Of 100000 yards, at points to
, designated, and upon estimates to be
'epared BY board of commissioners for
hose appointment provision was made,
ID were to receive yearly for twenty-one
ars ten per cent of the aggregate
nount which the estimate thus made
,ud call for. A tax of two mills
the dollar was provided to meet
mediate exigeucies. No serious at
npt appears to have been made to
~ into effect the spirit of this enactment.
0 Levee Company have inaugurated no
stem of levees They have, from time to
2. built isolated levees. and repaired or
he'd up others, and they have received
proceeds of thu two mill construction
which was only designed to be paid
such time as IN estimate of the con-
dated system of levees' could an
" be made. They have, in no one
built the 100000 cubic yards which
were required annually to construct.
o same act which Incorporated the COM
, and conferred upon them these
rs Of constructing leveea, also made it
duty to maintain and keep in repair =
evees built by them, and rendered q
responsible in damages for failure to n
}. In compensation for this obligation, o
were to receive the proceeds of fur .
tax of two mills on the assessed value !"
the property in the State. The Levee ~
AMY thus became virtually the in "
3 of the levees. In 1878 an act was "
d by the Legislature releasing the ~
any from all insurance liabilities, on
ton that they would relieve the ~
yers of one mill of the two mills TX
for repair and insurance. ~
this act was presented for y.
val, it seemed to me that the direct w
is which the taxpayers generally ~
derive from a remission of one mill p1
IN were so much greater than the 90
Q advantages which riparian owners ."
Expect to receive from the insurance of >.
evees by a company, who had not 70
efficient assets to meet their current 40
les that gave the bill my approval. WI
ms of this amendatory act, however, nc
grave legal questions as to the ex- ecu
of any valid contract between the ear
nd the company. There is no specific aro
contracted for. The company be- De
imply the agents of the State to let guar
tain levee work, for which they are NAL
We compensation of fifty cents per 'lell'
lrd. They are required to do no speci- "ooi
unless ordered 60 to do by the COM at
ere, two out of three Of whom ara an. State
~