The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-11
THE NEW ORLEANS DEMOCRAT, FRIDAY JANUARY H. 1878

as far as possible common school system In
which the advantages Of education should be
equally and impartially afforded.
The report Of the Superintendent will call
your attention to what he deems necessary.
LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY AND MECHANICAL
AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
The report of this institution has not vet
reached me. / am informed that 1t is In
course Of preparation, and it will soon be
submitted to you. There was considerable
delay in organizing this college In eonse-
quence Of litigation between the former and
the present boards, which litigation has now
closed favorably to the latter. The moneys
which the college Is now receiving con-
slst OF an annual amount of about
$4,000, payable semi yearly, being the
interest upon consolidated bonds for
merly belonging to the Mechanical and Agri-
cultural College. The institution has as
assets 1856 State bonds of $1,000 each, and one
city bond OF $1,000. These bonds formerly
belonged to the University. The board Of
that institution constantly declined to take
any action looking to the funding
of these bonds, taking the position
that they represented trust fund
and did not evidence debt In q
technical sense, and that the State was bound
In good faith and under the constitution for
their whole amount. Whilst the board was
taking this position the Legislature ON Its
part took no steps for making provision for
the interest on the same, and as result these
bonds have been for some years entirely use
less When the present board met 1t deter
mined to take action such as would bring
this matter to O test, and accordingly O reso-
luton was adopted directing the Secretary of
State and the State Treasurer, who were the
joint custodians OF the bonds, to present them
for funding to the Board Of Liquidation.
These officers declined to do so on the ground
that their duties were special and were de-
fined precisely by the law, that this particu-
lar duty was not imposed upon them by the
law. and that the board had no authority to
give them orders on the subject. The board
then applied for writ of rnandamus to force
a compliance with their resolution, and after
argument and hearing the mandamus was
issued and made peremptory, as prayed for.
and the mandate OF the court acquiescsd in
by the State officers. When the bonds were
presented for funding, the Board Of Liauida-
ton declined to fund them. In consequence
Of this decision / have, as President Of the
College Board, ordered called meeting of
the same In New Orleans for the purpose OF
taking steps to have the correctness or incor-
rectness of the decision reached by the Fund
ing Board judieially determined by the SUI
prerne Court AS the matter Is one Of great
public importance, every effort will be made
to have decision In the case before your ses-
sion Is over, to the end that the General AS
sembly will be able to act with full and Ger
tain lights before It,
| BOARD OF STATE ENGINEERS, LEVELS AND
PUBLIC WORKS.
The Board of State Engineers created under
| act No. t40. of the extra session of 1877 has
energetioally faithfully and economically
performed its nbties, and has accomplished 8
great deal with the limited means through
which it had to operate. The levees contracted
for and in process Of construction, and which
have been judiciously and equitably located
aggregate 1,O3O, 900 yards, at cost Of $242, 500
averaging less than 2294 cents per yard ant
| ranging from 16924 to 20 cents per cubic yard
The basis assumed In estimating the amour
Of money authorized to be expended, was
three-fifths of the three mill tax on an assess
ment of $t70,0Oo,OO0, with deduction o
20 per cent for delnauencies and expenses
of collection, giving the sum of $244, 80
| as available.
| The contracts for these levees were baset
on warrants to be drawn against the above
mentioned tax assessed in 1877 and collectiblt
in 1878. It is aseertained that the assess
ment assumed in making the estimates wal
too small and that the real assessment will
probably be between St76,O00,oO0 and
$3.50, 100000.
The report OF the board Is submitted here
with, and attention is specially called to III
application made on page thereof, that the
Legislature devote to levee purposes in 1871
the sum of $21, O0e referred to.
The board estimates that 1,475,00 cubi
yards will have to be built in 1878 to maintain
the levees Of the State in thorough order a
present grade.
This does not contemplate the closing o
the large crevasses at Ashton, Diamond
Island Bend Glasscock's, Morganza, Bonnie
Care and other points, nor does it look h
the retaining of new or abandoned lands O
to extending any interests-it has reference
to what is strictly necessary for the protec
ton of industry and capital now engaged
| In farming.
This work Is proposed to be distributed al
follows: Cubic Yards
Required on the Mississippi river
| above Red river ............:... 650.00
| On the Mississippi below Red river 10000
On tributaries and outlets. ........... 225,00
| Total ........... 1880
1t must be borne in mind that the means
which have to be applied to the work of 1877
are the taxes colectible in 1878, and that theI
have been nearly exhausted.
The propriety of, and urgency for, the pro
lection of the alluvial lands Of the Mississippi
by the general govern ment Is so manifest az
to require no argument; but until it assumes