The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-10-18
NO. Is

the State, Uxacted heavy demands upon its blood
and wealth. 1t would bedificult to fully estimate
impossible to exaggerate the full total of the de-
structiOn material aud other, that attended the re-
suits of the great struggle. From the singleness of
pursuits of its citizens and because there were no
classes bat the planter proprietor and the slave
laborer, of course the industrial prOstraton was
complete, and slow aud uncertain of convaeseenee.
And succeeding the and in its train and further
vexng aud complieating its turbulent and yet disor
dered adjustment of social status came an era of
msrule and official robbery the period of 're-
construction"
These phases of, and matters pertaining to, an un
happy period of the countys history are referred to
thus, 10 furnish an answer to the natural query why
country SO richly endowed by nature, has not made
more rapid progress has not at least kept pace
with far less favored localities! But when the con
dition subsequent to the war, and consequent upon
the changes wrought are thoughtfuly weighed
when 1t is known that the struggle in the "black
bet' has been to maintain civilization; to combat
the encroachments of new forestry, an old bar
Oarlsm aud that the floods have had anew to be
shut out; the verdict will be that those who have
had this labor to do, have at least been no luggards
But during all this period there has been SOME pro-
gress. AT times as in the great flood of 1882, there
has been threatened retrogression. But the ener
gies of the people were called upon for renewed
effort, and the response came. And now we are
justified in assuming that there is more of promise
and hope for this section of the State than has ever
before shone down the futures vista.
Having devoted the foregoing pages to a retro
spective sketch of the county, we will now speak Of
its specific resources, institutions, industries and
products First among the institutions of the
county are
THE LEvEEs
In 1912. great flood made II imperative that there
should be concert Of action tho part of the scatter
ed planters, to strengthen and join their fragments of
leyees to keep out the spring floods This effort was
supplemented later by the Boards of Police of the
different counties levymg a tax, apd taking charge
of them as public works. And Washington county
having been carved into many another great flood
in 1858, made it important to enlarge aud consoli.
date this riparian rampant. SO Lovee District
was established, comprising, and providing for taxa
ton Of the whole Delta, with James L. Acorn ms
Sltc,
and line of leyees constructed under Minor Merri.
wether its engineer Thus was built the great sys.
TEN of lcvoes which, when the war between the
States began, 1861, presented connected and un.
yielding front to tho great food of that year. aud to
the still greater of 1862. Breaches by cavng and
abrasion, in absence of repair during the war, and
by being cut by tho Federal troops as a war meas
Ia, asa astf
1866 we apparently had it al to do over again. This
, huge work, portion of the Delta, Bolivar, Wash
mgton and Issaquena, undertook with empty purses
| and enfeebled hands, but with determined, hopefu
hearts.
At the first legislative session after the war, il
1865 the Board of Levee Commissioners for th,
f counties of Bolivar, Washington and Issaquena wa,
Incorporated, and entrusted with the task of recon
structing the 200 miles of levees along their front
Under this act, with almost yearly amendments tn,
Leyee District has since been, and is now being
/ conducted. The same act was made applicable t,
Coahoma and Tunca counties, subject to popula
vote of the voters of said counties. But those coun
ties refused to become part of the Levee District
q Ample provisions were made for taxation upO
lands and cotton, and arbitrary powers were con
= ferred upon the Board of Commissioners Blu
a great difficulty which the Board had to con
f tend against was tho want of a credit throug
which the bonds authorized by said act, 81 900 0Ot
could be negotiated. The obstacle was in grea
+ measure removed by Col. Il. Richardson, who be
4 come large contractor, and took bonds in paymen
: for levee work. Others followed his lead. But tn
bonds were generally negotiated at great sacrifice
q and the work undertaken at war prices.
0 Still levees were built and strengthened and th
bonded debt greatly reduced Prior to 1874, how
ever, this reduction and eyee building was effected
u under a most extravagant administration and at
Q ruinous rate Of taxation; 81 per bale on cotton
ten cents on land and 10 mills ad yalorem Of
all property, real and personal And while this as
! evee construction tax being paid the old ante
bellum levec indebtedness, of over 81 900 900, ha
to be met by additional tax, upon the front coul
ties of g. and the back counties of cents per acT,
on all lands. CThs debt has been quidated in full
principal and interest, and without "scang.w
n When in 1875, real local government was rees
: tabished in Washington county and the Levee Dis
trict, the Indebtedness of the latter was si5000C
II In 1882 this had been entirely paid off, the cotto
f tax reduced to 81 per BALE the acreage tax aboshe
and the ad valorem tax reduced from 15 to mills
l. The levees in the meantime had been greatly on
d larged aud strengthened.
/. In 1882 came the greatest overflow known in tn
Mississippi Valley since it was first visited by th
. white man.. Great destruction befe the levee
II which had been constructed at much cost, an
4 for brief time there was much dependency. Bu
: this flood passed away, the General Governmen
granted liberal aid aud the levees were rebu
!, larger and stronger than ever. And the floods G
d 1873 and SI which have wrecked the levees of othe
. sections of the great Valley, have left those of tn
" "MissssIppi Leyee DISTRICT comparatively unscatl
Q ed. This rebuilding and strengthening of our evee
3 has, it is true, placed upon the district indebted