The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-03
THE NEW ORLEANS DEMooRAT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER g. 1877

water through the canals from the river 10 the
lake. or the reverse, and the latter to be rem
defed useful in supplying The adjacent streets
with an ample supply Of water either for fires or
for street cleansing purposes. The advantages
10 The city Of such al, Improvement in providing
water for fres,
THE CLEANSING or STREETS,
snd TO the drainage canals In keeping them we'll
supplied with water TO prevent the aeeun uaton
If iith therein can scarcely be estimated. Were
the canals connected with the river in the manner
above indicated, they would not be- the dry,
staebabt pools for which hey are sp Justly eele-
bfated. These and many m re Of The foul black
bitches which run thrt ugh The centfe If some Of
The otherwise most beau ifnt tborobghfarss OF
New Orleans, could be made streams # pure
running water. and The health Of the city inn
proved thereby beyond measure.
Many OF the engineers who addressed you let
tiers upon the subject Ut q protection leyee for
this city, perceive, teoonElend the adoption OF
The line lire Of the Metsrie and Gsntly ridges
This plan. In an enspee,ng point of view, il Ger
taihly the most feasible, to say nothing OF it's
great economy as a temporary e1pedient in &C.
communicating The area this side of the ridges
above mentioned. But there are other oonsiders
tions which should have governed the said en-
gineers In their views Of protection lsvee FOR
This city. BY an examination Of the msp 1t will
be seen that the city Of New Urleans en- ends 10
and along the lake shore, The latter boundary
alone being being not less han 20 600 lneal Eng
lish feet The area comprised within The exterior
boundaries Of the city being at least double that
which IL enclosed between the ridges aforesaid
aud the river. The drainage OF this immense
area Of land is not, therefore, pr sided for by the
building OF levee along the ridge aforesaid: aud
yet attn Informed that he whole Of this properly
is aubaet to drainage az well "a 10 other munich
| pal taxes. Its drainage ia not only not provided
for by the plan proposed by the engineers who
have recommended the levee 10 be placed upon
| E,lt ts,x,
mepse accumulation Of filth from the thiokly
| populated area this side Of the ridge over aud
| upon the entire surface Of the distfi i beyond
them. which every man Of common sense must
| condemn. IL this plan ~ carried out, and tiie
entire drainage OF the area within the ridges IL
poured over into the swamp beyond, New Oresns
will continue 10 be celebrated the woi Id over
graveyard for all new eomers,
| The swamp between the city and the lake viii
thus be converted into q miaans tic pest.hole the
e.halstions from which will be waited by ever.
| lake breeze into this city, to bring disease and
death 10 multtudes OF It's inhabitants. and make
New Orleans avoided, as IL justly should be. By
all sensible people who have not the aeeimatiot
| OF q frog or an alligator. Indeed, doubt wheth.
er even these animals would not abandon this
district should you pour the filth Of this city
| constantly upon it's surface, ! cannot conceive
how an enlightened people, no have any ap'
probation for their own best interests, could fol
| q moment think of continuing to make the swamp
n pest hole to be avoided rather than the at
traetive and desirable place for residence ii would
become
IF PROPERLY DRAINED.
| Extend your levees TO the farthermost limits Of
| the city and near to the lake may be
economics Il aud practicable but by no me ans at
tempt TO build levee upon the uncertain quick.
sand foundations out into the lake, where IL
would be greatly injured II not entirely swept
away by the first considerable heavy seas brought
to bear ganst IL, The lard at suitable dsi abse
| fr.tf, uInro s,f he lo4a hos ali al
the heavy seas, 10 just as suitable for the founda
ton Of levee. II properly constructed. nine
tenths of the soil upon which all he levses Dor.
dering the Mississippi are built 1t Is therefore
| nonsense TO assert the impracicabllity OF build
ing levee upon the shore. Were the spec fioa.
tioBs for the cone truotion OF this le.se properly
| drawn, the people Of the city would have no oeoa
zion to oompl In Of the price per cubic yard au
thorised by the Legislature to be paid TO tbs
Mexican Gulf Ship Oa nal Company TO build this
work. and the eald company woul be in no par
| ticul0r hurry to commence operations to com
pete IL. The vegetable surface deposit should o
oourss be removed TO the depth, perhaps OF sew
eral Get. 30 "a 10 find material Of q obaraote,
| suitable for the reception o. the supt rstruo urt
to be placed upon 1t. A concrete lsvse of tbs
character described 10 my former letter, built II
q pre- per manner, If material which seems pro
videntialy to hav- been provided in ineXhsustibIt
abundance, In and near The lake. would provide
bar Ter against which nett her time nor the waters
Of the lake could have any apDreoiable influence
| except to improve it's condition. The con para
tive economy Of it's cost should at onee commend
| its construction 10 public favtr. ! am assured
| that mud TO considerable depth. ne well nj
sh fling quieksa de exist in the lake near III,
shore. II such be the fact this location for
levee would thereby be rendered very obi soi ~.
able. Having built q proper feves around tbs
city, the next important question to DO oonsid
cred IL that OF drainage.
| AS OPEN CANALS
|
sary to discuss the superior merits Of updel
| ground sewers. All that Id required TO makt
The canals effective IL to have them kept free
rom aeoumulattons Of filth and in perfect work
ing order For this purpose they should be vel
| supplied with water The Irregularities Of The
grade Of the street CUTTERS should likewise re
ceive attention, that there may be no exc sslve
| Accommodations OF water during heavy rainfalls
| in particular localities.
The canals should be out through the ridge
and terminate near tho protection levee at tbs
| lake in on or more pump wells or small reser.
volrs VIII nee. with pumps Of suitable constyno
ton, power and capacity, the water from the
canals may be thrown over the levoe into the
lake.
| The raclama ton OF the swamp lands in the rsa,
| of the ridge would nearly double the area Of the
svallable land in this city for building purposes
| The swamp would coon disappear to make way
| for improvements, which would be sure to follow
| The city would soon extend to the lake, instead
Of stretching so upns turslly for so many miles
M and down the river. This ortion Of the cit,
would be conveniently accessb o, and. with the
lake brsezss would be as healthy any other
district. An immense property would be added
to our taxable resources, and our financial con
| dition immea surably improved thereby. Al
sources of disease by the exist ing marshes. made
douby obnoxious and dangerous by the present
syett m Of drainage, would at once be remove d
and New OrIe ans made what it should be, popu
lar and desirable place for residence at all sea
sons of the year. BY an extensive, iudicious ant
| liberal system Of public improvements Louis Ma
leon made Paris he most attractive city In tn.
world, and tit paid" 1t is not. however, ex pectet
that New Orleans will ever rival Paris, as 1t was
| but New Orleans possess the natural advanta gel
requisite for o great, attractive and beautiful
city.
| DIR. j. H.. CAsTELLAEos
was also one OF our prominent physicians intel
viewed, who expresst d blmsef decidedly IN favo,
| of the complete drainage OF the entire territory
| oncu nied hv the city OF New OrIeans. and "a de