Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-14
DYKES AND DAMS.
what was Effected at the Recent Meet
ing of the LeVee Board.
An Expenditure of s325.OOO Author
Ized-mOney 10 Back Il.

Owing to telegraphic difficulties impossible
to overcome, the APPEAL has not been able
to present as clear and comprehensive a
statement of the proceedings of the meeting
of the Board of Levee Commissioners OF the
Second district of Mississippi as was desired
A summary of the work accomplished is
therefore necessary. To begin with, it was
incumbent the body should devise ways ana
means TO provide revenue to meet the ex-
traordinary expenses Which must ensue from
such an overflow IA has just passed off. This
problem was solved by the offer of capital
ists-Colonel Richardson and two New York
houses-to take 100000 worth of levee
bonds at par. That either of these will be
accepted is not certain. The loan is amply
| secured, and, IL made To run for seven years
should command premium-shouId sell at,
say, los.
The Board, early in its session, adopted
the policy OF Immediately repairing the
crevasses in the line OF levees, to provide. if
| possible, against any June rise, and restore
confidence and faith in the levee system. It
was fortunate, amid the general despondency,
| that the gentlemen composing the board
| fully appreciated the situation, and as the
! official guardians of the levee interest. with
! no talterlDg steps, proceeded TO do their duty
! There were many difficult questions to meet
| In the demonstrations from the overflow
lhere was strong current OF feeling depre-
/ ciating the efficiency of Ievees, and taking
| the shape of expedients for curtailing the
1 line OF levees with a view to protection of
the back country, regardless of riparian in
| terests The board wisely decided to en-
bark upon none OF these schemes, tn at would
| soon have DE- pleted their treasury and uIti-
! mately led to the abandonment of the sys-
tenn. As custodians of the interests of the
entire district, they decided to hold to the
limo Of Iaxyaca h.
| funds to repair the breaks, whereby to re-
| store confidence and give some earnest of
Immunity from further disaster. They
thought at an expenditure of $4,000 to
$4,000 this could be accomplished, and /
think the commissioners will receive the ap-
proval and commendation of their constitu-
ents. Certainly their common interests could
not have been intrusted to more dis
Greet, economical and conservative hands.
They freely confess to put their whole line
IN condition to resist a similar flood to the
present one will require the enlargement and
raising many miles of levee, and will severely
tax the resources of the district, but they
have great hopes of the organization of all
the Yszoo delta counties into one leyee dis
trict by which their resources will be in
creased, and the efficiency of more perfect
line of levees secured. With this view they
have called convention of all the delta
counties at Greenville for the 10Th of June.
Using the small treasure at their command
to the best immediate advantage, they have
not been blind to the wider field of future
operations by which this rich delta NAV
enjoy almost certain immunity from such
extremities as it is now passing through
The hope of aid for levees proper from the
national government is without foundation
As well build a man house as to protect
him from overflow at the public expense. A
rough estimate OF the work, all that can now
be made, shows that an expenditure of at
least $500, 900 will have TO be made between
now and the LIST of January of next year.
This is provided for, without reference to
national aid or expectations from any source
save those resources within command of the
board.
The contracts let on Tuesday are in detail
as follows:
awarded the work of repairing aud raising
the levees OF Pushmataha, Anderson and
Lake Charles levees, in Coahoma county;
Riverton, Catfish Point and Roaring Water
levees, in Bolivar county, and Tennessee,
Cottonwood and Magma Vista levees in Issa-
quena county. Their accepted figures are:
Entertainments, 20 to 294c per cubic yard;
excavations, muck bitches, etc, 25c; clearing
right OF way, surface breaking, ETC., $50 to
$50 per acre; bermuda soddipg, 1c per square
yard; extra haul on earthwork moved over
0Ofeet, l &c per cubic yard for each 100 feet.
Payments to be made in cash on fifteen-day
estimates, in order that contractors may be
protected against loss from June rise,
which might wash their work away. This is
not likely to occur, as the ability of the CON
tractors TO put up heavy work at short notice
is we'll known to the board and the public
To p. F. Lamb, of Concordis, Miss, was
awarded the contracts for work necessary on
virgins, Miles's and Hughes's levees, in
Bolivar county. Price, average 21le per
cubic yard.
Wallace & McTighe, of Arkansas City,
will put up the Wade levee, in Bolivar
county, at an average OF 25c per cubic yard.
2. M. Britt & Co., Of Greenville, Miss |
will look after the work in the neighhorhood
of Mound Landing, Bolivar county, for
which they will receive an average of 23Sc
per cubic yard.
Andy Tierney, of Greenville, gets the
Argyle levee at about 29c per cubic yard,
average.
The whole amount of work to be done will
aggregate close 10 100000 yards, for which |
nearly or quite SS25,0O0 will have to be
paid. The contractors are ready with men |
and outfits to commence operations SO soon |
as the water will allow. There is not much |
apprehension of a June rise sufficient to |
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