The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-11
No. 1907 AN ACT

10 repeal an act entitled An aot TO create BOARD
of State Engineers" approved February |
twenty four, one thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one: to vest the control and
mans gement Of public levees in poll jures;
to authorize the appointment of engineers:
fxing their duties and compensation: to at |
thorze the Governor TO contract for the CON |
etruction and repairs of certain levees, and to
provide for the payment thereof.
eEoTIoE 1. BE il enacted by The Senate and
Of Representatives Of the State Of Louisiana.
in General assembly conpened, That an act enti |
tied San act to create Board of State Engineers
approved February twenty four, one thousand
eight hundred and seventy one. be and the same
ia hereby repealed.
pEu q. Be 1t further enacted, etc.. That the
police jnries OF the several parishes Of the State
are hereby invested with the management and
control Of all public evees of the State, and are
authorized and required TO make such regula-
tions Ms necessary and proper for the repair
and construction Of ieyees within the limits OF
their respective parishes; and FIR these purposes
they hereby authorized to call out all citizsns,
subject to road duty, to work on suoh levees;
| prouided that they shall not require more than
twelve days work ON any Or sll such levees
| from each and any OF said citizens during any
| one year; and, provided further, that they shall
| not call out id citizens, except for the purpose
Of max ng ordinary repairs TN such leveea, or in
| case of emergency, when creyasse is imminent.
| or existing. Rnd such citizens ehatl not be re-
CURED to work upon any eyees, except public
levees in the road districts, upon which they are
| subject to duty.
SEC. 8. Be il further enacted, ETC.,, That the
Governor OF the State shall be- authorized TO ap-
point three engineers, one of whom shall be
known as Chief engineer, and two az assistant
engineers, whose term of Office shall be two
years from the day Of their appointment. The
chief engineer shall receive salary of three
| hundred dollars per month, and the assistants
two hundred and fifty dollars each. 1t shall be
the duty OF eaid engineers to mike q careful
survey Of all the public evees of the State, said
survey to be completed as soon after the subsi-
dence Of high water as is practicable, in order
that the contracts for work may be let out and
commenced at the earliest moment possible.
They shall report to the Governor Of The State
the extent OF repairs necessary and OF levees to
be constructed, which are OF prime Importance to
the State at large, and are beyond the means Of
the parochial authorities They shall also, in
said report, furnish estimates and specifications
of tbs work necessary to be done.
Sec. 4. Be 1t further enacted. ETC., That the
4 Governor of the state, upon receipt of the re-
port Of state Engineers, with estimates and
specifications, ~ provided by the preceding sec
ton, shall advertise for proposals to make such
repairs and construct such levees as are recon-
mended by the said report, and shall award the
contracts therefor to the lowest responsible bid
ders, who shall give such bonds for the perform
ance OF their contracts as shall be required by
the Governor; propided, that the total amount OF
levee work, contracted for under the provisions
OF this act, shall not exoeed three-fifths of the
estimated evee tax for one thousand eight hun
dred and seventy SEVEN And in the event three
tifths of the estimated levee tax Of one thousand
eight hundred and seventy seven shall not be SUI
icient to pay for the work recommended to be done
by said engineers, the Governor shall contract for
such leveeswork recommended by them as he
shall consider OF the greatest importance and
will afford protection to the largest Of terri
tory, distributing the same with due regard to
the protection OF lands lying bob above and
, below the mouth Of Red river. The said en-
: gneers shall report to the police juries Of each
parish in which surveys of Ievees are made, the
| avtn N m y IN
police juries, with estimates and specifications,
and shall, in addition to their duties as State
I Engineers make such surveys and perform such
services as may be required by parochal authori-
ties in The repairs and construction Of levees or
: other public works.
, SEC. 5. BE II further enacted, ETC., That the
q Governor Of the State shall be authorized, when
s reliably informed that q crevasse in any i'm.
= portant leyee OF the State is imminent, to pro-
vide such assistance to the local authorities al he
0 may deem necessary to prevent such crevasse
Q and the Auditor of Public Accounts shall draw
q his warrant upon the Treasurer tor the payment
d OF the expenses thus incurred, upon presenta-
1 ton to him OF an itemized account OF such OK
Q penses, approved by the Governor and engineer
= In charge OF such work, may have been
done; which warrants sha be payable out OF the
Q levee tax fund, and shan be receivable in pay.
/ ment OF levee taxes in same manner and tc
It same extent as are warrants issued in payment
+ OF 1evee work done under contract with the Coy
J, ernor, rs hereinbefore provided
J, SEC. 6. BE ii further enacted. ETC., That the
d work executed under contract made al aforesaid
b shall, when completed, be examined and meas
n ured by the State Engineer in charge OF sac
l. work, who shall il such work has been executed
according to contract issue to the ontractors hi'
l. certificate showing the amount OF work done &C
L cording to contract, and upon presentation !, O
If such certificate, approved by the Governor the
k Auditor of Public Accounts shall draw his war
: rant upon the Treasurer for the payment thereo
= out Of the Lsvee Fund, and such warrant shal
d be receivable in payment OF three hfths Oh TIT
n levee tax of one thousand eight hundred snt
d seventy-seven.
l. SEC. Z. Be ii further enacted, etc., That thu
t, Board of State Engineers created under The pro
c. visions of this act, shall take charge OF and pre-
d serve the records and archives OF the presen
y State Engineer department. Their salaries sinai
G be paid monthly, on their own warrants, APPROX
h cd by the Governor, and their accounts OF travei
id ing expenses, incurred in the proper discharge
their duties, shall also be paid in the same rnsn
ii ner subject to the same approval by the Gov erno1
at SEC. g. Be it further enacted, etc., Tnat thi
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