The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-04-07
Leyees the Only Salvation of the
Valley.

wees of the mississippi river, to
vehemently denounce the all levee
system and to advocate the entire
demolition and the substitution
therefor of what they are pleased
to term "outlets," or in other
words, tear down the magnificent
embankments which afford partial,
if not entire protection to the peo-
pie of the alluvial regions and per
NIT the mighty "Father of Wa
tiers" to sweep broadcast over the
entire valley, in its descent from
Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.
1t is the history of the Mississippi
river from time immemOrlal, at
least since the settlement Of the
valley or as far back as our re-
cords go, that it was accustomed
to overflow the adjacent lands
with the same persistent regular
ty, frequency, periodiclty and
height, that it has since the con
structi0n of levees and the c0nse.
quent raising of the bed of the riv
or, as claimed by the leyee oppo
nents; with the difference that
when it WAS not restrained by le-
wees or those of sufficient height,
it spread over the entire country,
making a wild waste of waters
from st. Paul to New Orleans,
whereas now, with a perfected le-
wee system, only certain sections
are inundated, while the rest OF
the valley escapes unscathed. But
as we have always contended,
there is not and never will be any
certain immunity from the rava
ges of overflow to the residents Oh
the Mississippi river and tributa.
ries, when such all unprecedented
volume of water is seeking to fad
its way to the Gulf as is now pass
ing down the river. 1t cannot bt
confined to the narrow channel
and will somewhere in it's mad DIES
cent burst it's earthern barriers
and bring desolation, ruin anc
death in its wake.
But it is far better to have par
tial relief, than no protection a
all, as would be the case if the Wis
ionary and impracticable theories
of the outlet advocates should pre-
vail. 1t is only necessary to cite
the era before the war, to demon
strate the utility and protection tt
be derived from leyees, versus ont
lets, all of which is within the per
sonal knowledge aud recollection
of the writer.
In 1850, the Lee leyee, foul
miles below st. Joseph, in Tensa.
Parish, broke and submerged tina
Parish below the crevasse, Con
cordia, and the low lands of Gaia
houla. This section of country
was not ravaged by another over
flow until 1862, twelve years after
wards, when Geneaal Grant Gu
the levee above Vicksburg, trying
to make cut. off. so as to pass his
gnnboats and transports below
Vicksburg, without coming II
range of the Confederate batteries
If the Mississippi river could b.
Strengthened from its source to it
month, which is not an absolutel.
impossible engineering fiat, i
would solve the problem of over
flows, but it would he at the ex
pense of the navigation of the riv
er, as it would create a current @
such velocity as to he absolutel
incapable of being stemmed b.
steamers of the greatest powe
which could be constructed by Oh
gineering science. Levees are tn
only salvation of the country
They must be rebuilt when wash
ed away or caves occur. 1t Wi
be an evil day for the residents G
the valley and will remit it to it
primitive condition, the abode {
the alligator and all kinds of fisl
when the levee system shall b
abandoned, to give place to til
chimerical outlet scheme of Cap
John Cowden aud his ill-advise
| followers.
TZtllnI ;Drhfns,,r