Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-04-19
THE LEYEE POLICY


men so bitter in their opposition
to one man, as to rejoice over the
misiortuncs of n community, be-
cause they think the one man they
dislike, has made partial failure,
in his endcavOr to protect from
overflow, the alluvial lands Of the
State. Gov. McEncry made the
most earnest effort, that has been
made since the war, to afford pro-
/ lection to the most productive por-
tons of Louisiana. His efforts
were endorsed and seconded, by a
Convention composed of represent
ative men-that's the cant eX-
preston in favor-Of the State, but
what is far better than being rep
resentative men, they were men
who were directly interested in the
protection sought, and who earn
estly wished to obtain it.
These men approved the course
proposed by the Governor, and
pledged him their moral support
in his efforts to execute it. That
was ali they could do, and they did
all that was possible. Supported
by this endorsement, GOV. Meme
nv lost no time, but went energctl-
cally about doing the very utmost
that could be done. He made ar
engagements for the building of
Morganza, Ashton and 'Possum
Fork. He did not do all this alone
and unaidcd, no one is SO imbecile
as to claim, or even think that, but
he, with other earnest men, sue
ceeded in making the arrange
ments, necessary to close entirely
two of these gaps, and to partially
close the other. The cry is now
that Morganza down was doing no
harm, and that there was no use III
putting it up; the lands ovcrfowed
by that break had long ago been
abandoned, and their overflow
would hurt no one.
There is q portion of Louisiana,
known far and wide, as the Teche
country. 1t is the most productive
portion of the sugar country now
cultivatedin this State. In 1S74it
was entirely ovcrfiowed. Morgan
"a was a prominent factor in this
overflow. A large area of the
richest portion of Assumption par,
ish is affected by it, and further,
all the Grand, or Bell River coun-
T; try, which is far more productive
as regards sugar than. even the
Teche, is left idle on account Of the
) water from Morganza. This is the
levce, or rather gap in the lcvees
that was doing no harm. AS we
all know this important break was
closed, the progress of the work
was closely watched, and was fin.
l ished in ample time. 1t was care
fully inspected, pronounced one o
= the best levees in Louisiana, ant
land idle for years was subjected tC
u the pillow and put in cultivation.
1t gave way before one of tn,
greatest floods known to the Mis-
sissippi Valley, and this disaster
e causing some loss of life, a consid
t cradle loss of stock, and an i'm
+ mense amount of capital, was mad,
r the occasion of a jubilee, by the op
: ponents of one man. The wrecl
o and ruin, consequent upon thi
If break, the disappointment of
}, large class of people, the casting
It down of the hopes of those benefit
It ed by this work were all lost sigh
S of in the incorporate and fiendisl
e exultation INDUCED in by thes,
c revengeful spirits.
It Ashton still holds, in spite o
s the prophecies made concerning ii
= 1t was said, it was sure to go,
C there was a big water in the Mis-
e. sissippi. 1t was too narrow at tn
n base, it was built of sand, and woult
It melt away like snow before tn
e sun. Its benefits are evident an
Il cannot be disputed. The writer ha
l. lived some years OH Bayou Tensas
s. and knows the effect there, whic
r in briefi is this: That lands with II
n levee was overlooked, when tn
< river reached ~ feet at Nicksburg
: that land with a front levee thre
y foet high, was Is or 20 inches III
/, der water, in 1888 when the highes
n point reached at Vicksburg was A
1t feet 10 inches, while in 1884 tn
d river got to 40 feet, and a porto