The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-02-10
Report of President Mcclellan of
the Fifth District Levee Board.


The following report of Hon. j. I.
Mcclellan, President of the Fifth Lou
kisiana Levee Board, shows the affairs
of eur district to be in excellent shape
and the financial matters in good,
healthy condition:
Talulah. La. Jan. 10, 1900.
To the Honorable Board of Levee Com
missioners fol- the Fifth louisiana
Levce District:
Gentlemen-I have the honor to SUBJ
NIT the following report of the affairs
of the Board since date of its last meet
ing. October IL. 1899:
All levees placed under contract dur
ring 1898 have been completed The
works under contract by the Board
now are ut Cottage Home, in Tensas
parish, which is well up and will be
completed on time; Claggett. small
loop in Tensas parish. amounting to
$4,000 cubic yards; Cottonwood, in
East Carroll parish. 83, 900 cubic yards.
All of these works have sufficient
force to be completed before high
water.
Under resolution of the Board about
$4,000 have been promised to hasten
completion Elton loop. under contract
bv the United States government, in
East Carroll, and further promise of
about $l5C0 to complete said loop to
the upper end of the revetment near
Hicks slough.
Attached to the secreiar)'s report
are statements showing the condition
of work under contract in the Fifth
District by the State and United States,
yardaoe completed and to be complet-
ed, and all of them are SO far advanced
as to give no apprehension of not being
finished on time.
The revetment work at Lake Provi-
dence. Elton and Kcmpe have all pro-
crossed well, and give promise of SER
wing the purpose and preventing neces-
sity of very extensive levees being
built.
The river has been too low for revet-
ment work on Bondurant chute, There
are several other points where a revet-
ment should be undertaken. such rs
Reid and Biggs, in Madison parish,
and Illawara, in East Carroll. and a
stretch north of Hard Times, in Teusas
There are some threatened points
from caving. but none are imminent,
and it is hoped will tide over the high
water of 1900
The past fall has been the best in
quite number of years for levee build
ing, and consequently the work
throughout the district is entirely mp.
Lands-The several sales authorized
by the Board in October have been
made, and number of acres sold aggre-
gate III. 1854, netting $2S.950 %.
which has been paid into the State
Treasury.
Bonds--The Board now has on hand
bonds amounting to $51, 800, and has
the right to issue bonds amounting to
$40, 900. and will on the first day of
July. 1900. have the right to retire
bonds amounting to $1,000 making
1865 800 which they can take up on
that date. and it will probably be best
to defer sale of any 50-year bonds
until then. when bid for the whole
$500 900 could be asked for; $50 800 10
be delivered at that date and the others
as they may mature.
Financrs-With amount of sale of
lands IN the State Treasury the Board
has been able to pay all warrants
drawn against the revenues of 1898
and previous years, so no past due
warrants drawn will be out standing
after February l. and it will be seen
from the secretary's report that the
revenues of 1899 will pay all warrants
drawn against them.
The condition of the finances, though
for 1899, are good.
The levee work being done by the
various authorities is farther advanced
than usual. If Congress will now
come TO the rescue with a liberal APP
preparation and some measure be
adopted to prevent cavIng, the levee
system will be established on firm
basis and an era of confidence be in.
augurated in the district.
Cut Ofs-There have been several
preliminary surveys made by the Unit
ed States engineers across bends which
threaten great damage to property
owners, and while levees SHOULD be
placed on as permanent location as
possible. individual interest should be
considered whenever it can be done
without injury to the system, and l
have req nestled the State Board of
Engineers to examine closely these SUI
vcys aud make report on them, so the
Board and they themselves can act in
diligently in considering these meas
ures. Respectfully submitted,
j. Il. MCCLELLAN, President,
EPWORTH LEAGUE SOCIAL.