The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-04-11
THE LEVEES AND REvETMENT
WORK.

We have received. the report o
the Chief Of Engineers Of the U. S
Army for 1905. This report con
sists of seven large volumes, hand
somely bound, and covers all the en-
gineering projects of the country
under the direction and manage
ment of the Army Engineers. Il
contalns. in detail, all the reports,
maps, pro6les and specifications Of
all the work in progress and is full
of valuable information. To give q
faint idea oil the extent and scope oil
this vast work we copy few items
from the report of Capt. Townsend
as affecting our own little commu.
NIFTY and territory, which is only as
to drop in the bucket.
.sDuring tire past season the work
of reyetlng the bank above Lake
Providence has been begun. The
primary object Of this Improvement
has been the protection of the levee
across the foot of the lake, whose
destruction is being threatened by a
rapidly cavipg bank. This caying
would also ultimately have destroyed
the town of Lake Providence, and
the work will form valuable por-
ton Of any project which may here
after be adopted for the permanent
improvement of Lake Providence
reach. -Four thousand seven hun
dred and eighty feet of bank was re-
vetted. The average cost per linear
foot was sao.4l, making a total
of sl45,359.s0."
This report covers the work done
during the winter of 1S94.95. An
equal or greater amount was done
during the winter of 1895. 9s, which
will appear in the next annual re.
port. Tuning then to the report
for levees of the middle Tensas dis.
trict, extending from the La, Ar
kansas line down to Bedfords, a dis
lance of 81 miles, under local charge
of Assistant Engineer w. S. Brown,
we find tabulated statements show.
ing the following facts.
In 1882 this entire line contained |
3, lsl, 900 cubic yards. From 1882
10 1894 there was erected and added |
% this line under contracts of the
government 8, 1923, 40s cubic yards.
IN l894.95, there was added in en-
argement and banquette 7Os, 80
Yards, and the work of the present
season, now within a few days of
completion, covers 9ol, 1000 yards.
This shows that the Government
las put up in this district, covering
My 81 miles of river front, 4,s27,-
ls yards of levees to date. And
uring all this time the Levee Board
as not been idle. 1t has also done
great amount of work, putting our
svee line in quite as good if not In
etter condition than any in the /
ountry. By survey and report of
ne assistant engineer this 81 miles
levee contained, at the close of II
le work in 1895, 9,357,s6I cubic J
ards. Add the work of the pres
1T season and it will contain, when
'e contracts are completed, 10, s4s,-
81 cubic yards. Compare this to
e condition existing in 1882 and i'll
i'll be seen that there has been an 9
crease of 10 per cent in the eff :,
ency and strength of the levees. b
he cost of this work by the Gov 3
nment, including amounts eypend- :, q
during the seasons of high water, n
approximately $4,000. These IN
cts and figures speak for them NJ n
lves, and when 1t is considered to
W small a portion of this great
nntry is covered by what we have
own, some few may be able to :
rm some idea of the extent, scope
d cost of the engineering projects a.
these United States. re
With the above conditions exist tb
!, news now comes that the River OF Of
Harbor bill reported by the VI
nmittee on Saturday last, passed da
} House on Monday by an over p r1
Ginning majority. This bill pro- co.
es for the expenditure of $685. as'
for the present year on the Of
ssissippi river, and an additional nal
,ropriation of ss,375,oo for ma
ure contracts.