The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-20
THE LEVEES.
ME-. GIBsON's LETTER TO GEN. BAR
NARD,


river. invite you To the consideration Of the
effect Of permanent levee system throughout
the length Of the river below the mouth of the
OHIO not only upon its low water navigation
but also Of the benefits II would confer in af
fordlnR protection and giving neaded facilities
70 shipping. commerce. and navigation IN the
high stages Of the river"
The constitution provides article saation q
| Ihat Congress shall have the power 10 regulate
com with foreign nations and among the
| Ihat The grant Of power over commerce s
| complete and absolute should not excite sur
| prise when wa reflect TINT II was mainly tho ob
| Ient which led to the formation of the FedareI
| constitution. The first atep was taken bv Vlr
gina on January u. 1895 whom she submitted
appointment of commissioners BY each 10 lax q
| into consideration the trade Of the United
states And within one month after the Fed
erhl government went Into operation under the
constitution the first Congress- passed an net
ior the establishment and support Of light
houses. beaeons. buoys and public piers the
ohIeet being rs recited In it. to render naviga-
ton easy and safe"
A. the outset there was some dispute among
public men "a to whether this power might be
hpplieh ~ Internal improvements generally
but there mover has been doubt "a to the IN
limited jurisdiction nt he Federal government
over commerce. and Of its power To Iecjsl lte for
itl benefl For half q century there has been
de- ided concurrence of the views Of tho ALL. ST
American statesmen on this subject and the
best possible results.
NJ Webster says: Oyer whatever other in
terests Of the country this government may diff
fuse Its benefits aud It's blessings. il will always
be true as matter Of historical fact that 1t had
It's origin In tho necessities OF commerce. and
Tor its Immediate object the relief of those mo-
ceasities by removing their oauaes and by es-
tahlishing uniform and steady system
Mr; Calhoun says: These provisions furnish
conclusive proof that the object 81 the power
was the increased safety and facility Of com
mnrca"
fraying out Of the treasury Of the United Sfates
tho expenses incurred by the establishment and
support Of light houses heacons buoya. and
public piera within tho bays nlets and har-
bnra, and ports Of the United States to render
the navigal Jon thereof safe ana easy Is cpeval
with the adoption Of the constitution and has
baen continued without interruption or dis
puto
II may now be regarded as the fixed policy of
the government. sanctioned by our ablest states
men and made operative upon n lar ga snale ut
every session of Congress to protect and MD
aud facilitate commerce In every possible man
npr,
The methods by which this may he done upon
our ocean and lake fronts and oven upon tho
rivers In the uplands. have caused hut little diff
have been made with regularity and Congress
has appropriated fabulous sums for their
prompt and complete execution. Fortunately
thora has baon n happy concurrence bet nan
the engineers OF tho government and the law
making power, Nearly ia,ooo,ooo auhorized TO
be expended under the direction Of the War
Department for tho benefit Of our commerce.
Tor the Improvement Of enr rivers ana harhprs
was voted at the last session Of The present Con
groasl
It Is proposed now to expand nearly a. ooo 600
upon Harlem or East river. lying wholly within
the state of Now. York. In addition to tho large
amount appropriated for tho harbor Of that
great metropOlis
But while the government is making those
large expenditures with nnsinied lberality
lor the eornmerce and trade On our ocean
fronts and lakes and rivers in tho uptands not |
u dollar in comparison has been devoted to
gyms, nv ease or SAFETY or needed facilities to
sea from Cairo TO the head Of tho passes-the |
highway fed by fifteen thousand miles of navi- |
gable and tributary streams, and bearing ,Ipon |
It's bosom the commodities Of eighteen States
and twenty millions of people the natural |
artery and outlet for the empire alike Of the
great Northwest and Southwest Why is this : |
" Is simply because the govern mont has faiad |
to appreciate tho neces4lties Of this river end
Of the valley Of The Mississippi. The moment
the engineers agree TO the usefulness If
lovees. Congress. believe. will vote the sums
necessary for ts Improvement
Tho question. therefore. submitted to your
board to determine for the time being nj least
ion indicated.
md estimates for levees have already boon
made by distinguished engneors
Whht In needed now T. your opinion na 10 |
whether ievees Will not subsslve tho cornmerCa
md trade upon the Mississippi river-are not
n fact, the proper and essential appliances 10
iot rendar needed facilities to shipping. com
nelce and navigation In tho high stage4 Of the
lv"r they would nnanesionably prevent
II is agreed by oil engineers that overn pyya
ies'roy tho channel. or rather change It. SO that
vhen the water subsidies II is Iii fJieuit 10 asnar
ain tho outline Of the new channel: sand bars
Lre formed and snags are deposited 80 that tho
liability TO accident and the dangers Of naviga-
ION arc greatly decreased. An enormous Tux il
imposed upon tho carriers ~ commodities III
he higher rates of insurance, and IN the nacas-
ity for moro powerful machinery nnd bna's
nd In their frequent loss. II Is estimated that
no extra Insurance. alone amounts To not loss
ban 40 Ga.3oo annually n sum sufficient TO
make all the needed improvements
The lavees cohline the water to its channel }
nj Indicate better than light houses o. bon | !
ona. or huoyE, precisely whore It is But If !
must be borne In mind TINT much Of the com f,
1erce and trade upon this rtver might lbs cur '
led without tho expense Of steam Before the
estructi9n Of tho levees vast business was ,
ono in ilats and bargns, for tho current fur ,
lshns itself the propeing power. The poo -
!" living upon the banks purchased all thair
npplies from silk dressas aud pianos to pIows
nd wagons. their clothing their grornrias
ieir farming utensils and household goods
-om the trading boats. aud fieets Of tn, SO boats
ere seen IN al tho bayous, and ct every village
nj oily. OF tho single article Of coat millions +
dollars worth is shipped from ftsburg !.
Ono
Now. when tho riyor Is thirty. forty or 0fy
ling to destruction what protection il thers n
n THIS very commerGe for which TINT great s.
yer should afford fHcilities. n commerce with
ut my expensive vehicles between the urO-
lcnr and consumer direct n
The great West Is soeking tho markets IF Tho :
ORD Tor her grain. but while producing fahti-
ms crops the profits are 80 cut down or eft by
!" cost OF TRANSPORTATION that tho people Of 80
at favored section, in the midst OF al abound i
IL land. are crying out for relief Afford :,
roper security by levees to tho shipping and -
argos aud flats would carry their products half ~
ay to the European markets without loas aud
airs one hundred millions 81 bushels Of West