The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-23
THE LEVEE COMPANY.
PRESIDENT JOHN HENDERSOv's REPLY
TO GEN. LONGSTREET.
The ..cvac Company's statement af the
Controversy.

Controversy.
New ORLEANS, April 81, 1876.
10 His Excoloncy Vim, Pitt Kellogg. Governor
of the State of louisiana
StR-The newspapers OF this city OF
even date, publish letter from Gen
james Longstrect, State Commissioners,
to you, making certain allegations Of
over payment by the State to the Levee
Company, for work done in 1874 and
1875.
A sense of justice to the Levee Com
pany, and n due regard TO truth and the
proper enlightenment OF public opinion,
impel mo to address you an answer to
the erroneous statements made by Gen.
Longstreet.
This company not only invite, but IRE
anxious for the strictest investigation in
all matters Of payment Of moneys made
to them by the State, or measurements
Of works done, made by State officials,
or on nll points arising In connection
Herewith.
The Levec Company have frequently
asserted, and now reafiirm, that moneys
paid into the State Treasury for build
ing levees have been used, without war
rant Of law, for other purposes.
We further affirm that, 50 far from an
excess Of payment having been made
to the Levee Company in any one year,
vi tilcu 1fHI SiltB bIff IOIUlHtiDU Dl inc
company there has been deficiency Of
tract made by tho State with the Levec
Company for Ievccs built and repaired.
We affirm that the aggregate Of this
yearly deficiency largely exceed one
million of dollars in the last five years.
We affirm that, before one dollar was
paid to the Levee Company by the State,
the company had constructed and paid
for work done to an amount Of over
$10o 900 cash stock subscriptions Of their
stockholders, and have subsequently,
and during the last four years, borrow
ed, on their bonds and notes, more than
@GO0OO0, to carry on their works and
supply deficiencies occasioned by the
yearly non payment on the part Of the
State, trusting to the faith Of the State
for repayment.
Gen. Longstrect alleges that in 1874
the Levce Company received %G77 800 +.
in 1875, S3f3, 400, or 81 ,021 100 in the two
years, ana that in those two years the
work done amounted to 1924, 1872 cubic
yards. emitting the Levee Company,
under the contract with the State, to
only &9i2,07G, and that consequently the
Levee Company received 5000 more
than they were entitled to, and that this
amount has not been properly account
or has not taken the trouble to inform
himself Of the fact that moro than one
half Of this sum which he alleges WINS
paid this company, In those two years,
was back taxes on account Of work done
In 1871, 1872 and 1873.
From January lst, 1875 to January lSt,
1876, tho amount OF levec tax paid into
the State Treasury was $3.50, ,5SS 90, and
out or this only 1881 800 was paid To the
Levec Company for work performed in
IS7I-75.
As no money is paid to the Levec
Company except on presentation to the
Treasurer Of u warrant properly authen-
tieatcd by the President and Treasurer
Of the company, your Eycellency can
casiIy have tho truth OF our statements
verified by having these warrants ex-
u mined, and the various amounts for
each year aggregated.
/ would now respectfully call the at
tcnton Of your Excclcncy to the refer
ence made in the letter Of Gen. Long
street to the matter OF tho creva9se at
Milikens 8 Bend Early in April n break
occurred in the old levce Mt Milliken's
Bend, in front OF n new levee which was
being built under orders from the Com
mission Of Engineers.
On the receipt Of the news letter
was addressed to the Levee Company,
dated ith April, 1876, from the Commits
sion Of Engineers, directing the com
pany to close the crevasse as soon as
possible, under the direction OF the
Chief State Engineer. On the 1Ith
April q letter was received from the Com
mission Of Engineers, requesting in
formation rs to what the company had
done about closing the creyasse. To
this last letter / returned the following
answer, to which / invite your LXcel-
lency's attention:
New ORLEANS, April II, 1876.
Gen. James Longstreet. Chairman Commission
Of Engineers q
| In answer to your communication OF
this date, we beg leave to say that on
receipt Of your first communication,
having reference to the crevasse at
Milliken's Bend, the Levee Company
| Immediately dispatched Mr.. Darken, an
efficient engineer, to cooperate win
| Mr.. McGinty, the sub-contractor, who
| is building the new levee at Milliken' 8
Bend, in taking the necessary steps to
stop the crevasse, il possible, under the
direction OF the State Engineer. The
only information Mr.. Darken has com
muncated is that the ends Of the break
had been we'll rivetted to prevent the
enlargement Of the break by washing
That the work has not been carried on
as you say you are credlbly informed
can be attributed to but one
cause, the want of cash means to pay
for a large quantity Of material, the
wages of hands, etc, found necessary
to close the break. This deficiency o
cash the Levee Company is unable II
supply. The presumed amount Of taxes
to be received in 1876 had already beel
anticipated by the building Of levee
under orders from the Commission o
Engineers, and even a large portion o
the tax of 1877 has also been anticipates
under similar orders, and this compan.
has been further impeded in it's opera
tions by a restraining order from tn
Superior Distr ct Court to the Auditor
inhibiting him from issuing warrants il
favor of the company Tor taxes received
Yours respectfully,
JOHN HENDERSON,
President Levee Company.
On the 29th March, 1876, the Commis
) sion OF Engineers issued an address
concocted in terms as follows:
TO PLANTERS AND OTHERS INTERESTED.
OFFICE OF LEvEE COMMISSION OF ENGINEEKs
New Orleans March 20. 1876
The Levee Commission OF Engineer
feel it their duty to the planters an
riparian proprietors generally, that tn
three e-mill tax imposed upon all prof.
F.; erty in the State, for levee purposes,
! already exhausted upon the construt
: ton of leyees ordered, and this fal
0 short of providing for leyees which th
commission consider of imperatl'