The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-06-10
rs THE ALL LEvEE SYSTEM
A SUCCESS

server that the reply should De I'M
conditionally in the negative. That
levees per Sc have proven an expen-
sive and destructive failure, and that
it is about time for the stubborn
persistent advocates OF the system to
throw up the sponge and try for
awhile a systematic combination OF
levees and outlets.
Possibly the change might inn
prove TO some extent the condition
of our valley. 1t certainly could
not make 1T any worse than it is to-
day in East Carroll, and the devas-
tated condition of East Carroll today
lie only counterpart of what other
portions of the valley have passed
through, one year after another,
without any intermIssion ever slpce
the natural outlets have been closed
and the all levee system attempted
as means of protection from over
flow.
In discussing this all-inportant
question we prefer combining our
observations to our own immediate
locality, where the practical expert
ence of number of years with the
relative height of the water along the
river front and in the interior will
speak for itself, and speak in no I'M
certain way.
Facts are stubborn things and
hard to overcome, and here they are.
Forty-six years ago when the ripa<
rian proprietors done all the levee
building that was done, the en-
bankments along the river front
rarely exceeded five feet. The
natural outlets, such as River bayou,
near Providence, were vide oper,
the water from the river passing
through as the stream rose, without
let or hinderance, going on down
Joe's bayou, Bayou Macon and
away southwark. In those days the
water from the river filed the low
grounds, and the Swan lake. Joe's
bayou and Dryprong country was in
a HIGH state of cultivation and con-
sidered the most prosperous portion
of old Carroll for planters OF moder-
ate means. There were old Zact
Dorsey on Wishwell, Jessie ID
CLANCY on what is now the Hamley
place, Lawrence Wade on the Rife
or Bowie place, Ezekiel Graves ane
old man Rippey close neighbors, an6
across Joe's bayou bridge Jessie
Vincent had fine farm, just below
was Col. Hodge, the Taylor's, Mcin
tyres, Faiths, Dorrell Wright, Jacl
yinson; and in the bend below, Free
Gable, the sHasbergers, Esquir'
Tompkins, DIR. Vincent and man.
others. In fact, it was thrifty
prosperous portion OF the parish
and today it is wilderness five fee
or more under water! with an occa
sional shanty here and there as
substitute for the comfortable home
that did exist. This is what all levee
and no outlets has donefor a desire
BILE portion of our parish.
The same wretched condition pre-
vailed last year, and is there any X
liable assurance that the same mii
fortune will not befall the countr
next year under the present order
things? Scarcely any all-levee ma
can be found who will have Il
temerity to say there Is. Wei
what is to be done? No one has
right to find fault with the existir
methods for protection without b
ing prepared to suggest or terms
better, or more promising plans.
We have for sundry reasons he
that a wise combination of levees al
outlets will be nearer approach t
wards safety from overflow tn
any other. Human science workil
in accord with natural indications
bound to be preferable to runni
counter to it as in the present ord
OF things. The inquiry will nat,
ally arise, How is this to be don
Our answer is Uncle Sam must
it. 1t is the governments waite
highway, and it is the duty OF
government to protect the people
the valley from its ruinous inroat
besides, II = combined system
levees and outlets are adopted, Il