Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1898-11-25
GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF
THE LEVEES.
From the Tines- Democrat.l

euN VIC EtpoEihu ituuB OF the VAL
ley lying behind them, Is in the
city from an extended tour of the
valley between Cairo and Helena
Last night he talked entertaining
ly to q Times-Democrst represent
stive about his trip and the Missis-
sippi Valley generally.
"The people of those portions of
the valley which I have visited, +"
he said, "are very much encour-
aged ut the prospect of having the
all-absorbing question of relief
from the constant menace of re-
curing foods and from the pay.
ment Of inequitable levee taxes,
solved through the control of the
levee system by the general govern
nent. They feel that this is near
at hand, and that taxes amounting
almost to confiscation OH certain
lands for the maintenance of these
levees will be y thing of the past.
The so-called contract bill, which
passed the United States House of
Representatives when Judge Blan.
tIehard was chairman of the COM
mittee on rivers1and harbors in.
volving the expenditure of $1O,.
100000 for lsvees and dredging,
gave wonderful impetus to levee
building and strengthening along
nearly the whole levee line, not
alone by reason of the large
amount of dirt put up by the gen.
eral government under the op-
erations but by q renewal of hope
and purpose on the part of the
people, which caused large expen-
ditures by the various levee boards.
"Under the management of an
excellent executive board many
miles of new levees have been built
along the St. Francis front in Ar
kansas, and many miles more are
under construction. The Chicot
aud Desha points have been SO
thoroughly leveed that they with
stood even the food of 1897, and
for the first time in it's history the |
upper Tensas basin, in this state,
escaped an overflow. But for the
large amount of work done by the
United States from allotments |
from this 100000 contract |
bill, this fertile country would have
suffered its usual fate. As it was, |
only the most herculean efforts in |
which the Tensas Levee Board took
active part, prevented q break.
"The two districts in Mississip-
pi have repaired, strengthened and
raised their levees. 80 that they
stood tn, flood of 1898 without
break. I have not been along the
Louisiana levees, but we all know
that they are so strong that there
% but small fear of o crevasee south
Of the mouth of the Red River,
While the levees above seem strong
enough to withstand any kind Of
high water. II
with this showing and with
he strong probability of the early (
passage OF the Catchings bill by
Congress appropriating $40, OOO,-
100 to complete the entire system
ma strengthen and raise the pres
mt line, the development of the {
uture is beginning to engage the {
public mind in the upper valley ]
vhere / have been. That this pro- O
ection will quickly make that Sec
ion the scene of almost unparal-
ell activity is shown by the rapid I
Improvement following o reason C
bly, safe levee condition. One who T
las not seen it can scarcely real t
re ttat it is the almost untouched I
wilderness of ten years ago. The c
the lumberman and TIL
Or of the soil are there, and theyl
re making their presence known.
nd this activity is not alone in
he upper valley; it is everywhere,
Why, the Louisiana sugar crop for :
he Ave years, from 1890 to 1895, :
bowed an average increase of 1885,
% tons per annum over the out
ut for the five years previous. p
"The reason for my faith in the a
ear approach of government con- e
'ol of the leyee system il the q
ate ofpublic sentiment upon that Il
'atter. Last winter aud spring the X
nsinAaa men of the valley urota n