The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-22
DRAINING UITY swAMps.


ny reference to the report Of the committee
on drainage of the New Orleans Sanitary
Auxiliary Association Il will be eeen that this
Important subject is again revived, and we
trust will he kept alive until the work has
been accomplished.
Englneere of ability have given this auee-
ton much attention. and many millions Of
dollars have been expended. enough In Fact to
have perfected suitable syetem of drainage
and sewage II properly applied.
The DEMOCRAT haa repeatedly urged this
matter upon the public, AZ the writer had o.
caaion during ts75-76 10 examine the various
plans which had been considered by different
city governments. In order to ascertain which
! WAS the most feasible In view Of the depleted
condition % the city treasury. and we enter
tain ITO doubt of the praotibillty u doing
the work now.
The proposition Of Mr.. dHemecourt, or
substantially his plan. contemplated the OK
ktenaien OF light levee from tho New canal
10 the Orleana canal. thence to Peoples Ave-
nue. canal land further II reuuiaitel BY which
the swamp lands adjacent 10 the lake would
b protected from tho lake water from peo-
plea canal to tho New canal. from which lat
ter point protection levee has already been
constructed along the lake shore aud back to
Carrollton. ~..
Tho removal N tho draining machines or
the erection Of new machines or pumps at
the lake end Of the Peoples Avenue, Orleans
and Dublin Avenue canals. connecting tho
Mepomene canal with tho Dublin Avenue
outlet. would result In draining tho entire
swamp area. bring these lands Into immc-
date cultivation. give them q taxable value.
| and open UP cheap homes for the poor
but above and beyond all thia, It will de-
stroy the swamp lands. which have been and
are 30 productive Of malar,al diseases.
Draining machines OF pumps, which dis
| charge tho canal waters directly into tho
| lake. would reduce the water level III tho
canals two or three feet. draining adjacent
swamp lands and making thcm AZ dry AZ II
they had been filed up with two or three feet
| Of earth.
| The cost would not be beyond tho ability Of
the city and tho Sanitary Auxiliary Assoola-
ton combined. and we are sure that the pub
lie would respond literally In aid Of such an
important work.
Two Of the small dredGeboata now belong
Ing to the city could be most advantaReously
employed In throwing up the necessary
entertainments between Peoples Avenue and
the New canal. at oost OF about ten
cents per cubic yard: or. II tho engineers
should decide that smaller entertainments
would answer the purposes OF protection
from the lake water, labor is plentiful, and at
the prices paid by the State for levee build
Ing, this work could be done for about 16 or
| II cents per cubic yard.
The lake water now overtiows the swamps,
which are rank with decaying vegetation
drainage water. forced toward the lake, Is
backed BY the lake water and kept at q level
with the lake. This impure water impreg-
mates the coil. which, 1t Is safe to say, absorbs
nine-tenths Of the impurities contained In
solution. and not more than one-tenth Of the
impurities forced through these outlets ever
reaches the lake under the present system OF
drainage.
| IL this be the condition Of the canals be-
tween the draining machines and the lake,
| how much worse Is the situation between the
draining machines and the city? As rule.
the water Is permitted to stand In the canals
until near the top level, but even when kept
down. the machines are located 60 near the
city that the reservoir capacity is entirely In
adequate, and, as consequence, every hard
rain results in OVERLOOKING the streets and
lands adjacent to the canals. Street sewage
Is constantly emptying into these sluggish
receptacles, and the impurities arc as con-
st4ntly being absorbed Ii the soil.
Removal Of the machines to the lake would
afford reservoir capacity ample to receive the
heaviest rainfall, and the impure drainage