The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-01-08
Bossier Levee Board Proceedings.
BOssIER CITY, LA,

BoES1er Levee Dlstrlct met tnls day at
Bossier City, La, in called session.
Roll called. Present: G. A. F. Poole,
A. J. Moss, T. w. w. Stinson, w. T.
Colquitt, w. D. Mercer, Jr., and w. B.
Mccormick. Absent: Alex Caplis.
Mr.. J. w. Jeter, former member and
President of the Board, having severed
his connection with the Bossier Leyee
Board, left the office of President OF the
body vacant.
After discussion of this question by
all the members, upon motion, duly car
ried, Mr.. w. B. Mccormick was elected
President of the Board by reclamation.
Minutes OF previous and last meeting
were read and approved.
Several communications from different
parties were received and read, inquiring
about land, descriptions and price, be-
longing to Bossier Levee District. The
Bossier Levee District land being at
present in litigation, all communications
and inquiries were referred to some flu
ture meeting for discussion, and the
Secretary requested and instructed to
answer said communications.
Mr.. H. H. Montgomery's (Assessor)
communication, stating that he had not,
as yet, received his pay, $50, for making
Produce List of 1901, was read. Upon
motion of Mr.. Poole, duly carried, the
Secretary was instructed to notify Mr..
Montgomery that a warrant issued to him
at previous meeting had not been re-
turned to the Board; but as soon as said
warrant is returned, that the Board viii
pay him the amount due him, $50, for
making Produce Lis, 1901.
Capt. F. M. Kerr, Assistant State En-
gineer, being present, was invited to
address the Board relative to his inves-
LEGATIONS of the conditions existing along
the banks of Red River from the upper
to the lower end of the Bossier Levee
District.
Capt. Kerr stated that he had made a
personal inspection, in boat, of Red
River during the highest stage of water
of December, 1902, and had written a
report covering the conditions of Red
River at its highest stage of water in
December, 1902. His report was handed
to Secretary Braden, and read as follows:
NEW ORLEANS, DEC. 20, 1902.
Hon. w. B. MCCORMICK, President
pro TEN Board of Commissioners, Bos-
sier Levee District, Shreveport, La:
Dear Sir-Having been advised by you
that a special meeting of the Board of
the Bossier Levee District had been
called to meet at Bossier City, on Tues
day, Dec. 80, 1902, at which it was de-
sired that l should be present, take it
for granted that a preliminary report,
touching upon the recent high water in
Red River, its effects upon your levee
line, and the immediate requirements OF
the district in consequence thereof, will
be expected at this meeting from this
department, and, therefore, beg leave to
submit the following, based upon re-
connaissance of the line of levee in the
district at about the time of the highest
water:
Opportunity and time to obtain the
necessary information to permit exact
statements have not yet been given. but,
along the front of the Bossier. Levee
District, it can be safely estimated that
the high water of December, 1902, COM
pared in height with the high waters OF
the past in Red River, about as follows
"a From the upper end of the district
(Willow Bend plantation to the vicinity
Of Rough and Ready plantation, it was
somewhat higher than the high water OF
f004-the highest of previous record fol
that part of Red River.
{2) From the vicinity of Rough an6
Ready plantation to the vicinity O,
Shreveport, about equal to the high
water of 1894, which, at Rough anG
Ready plantation and at Shreveport
was about one foot lower and at Pandora
about midway, about four feet lower
than the high water of 1892-the highes
of record for that part of Red River.
90 From Shreveport to the vicinity
OF Curtis place, somewhat lower thar
the high water Of 1894. On this part O.
Red River, the high waters of 1894 ant
1892, were, generally, about equal ii
height, and were the highest of record
"a From the vicinity of Curtis place
to the vicinity of Knox Point, somewhat
higher than the high water of iS95-tht
highest of previous record for that par
OF Red River.
(5) From the vicinity of XIX Poin
to the lower end of the district, about
equal to that of t692-the highest O.
record for that part of Red River.
In spite of the extreme height of thu
water thus generally prevailing in the
river along the leveed front of your dis.
trict, during this period, but upon one
stretch of your line did the river threaten
to overtop the levee. This was upoI
what is known as the Dortch- Mercer
levee, where some raising and backing
was done, in short lengths, aggregatino
about a quarter of a mile in length. =
Comparing this with the total length O,
your levee ine-at this time about 81
miles-the very extraordinary showing
follows that less than one-half of one
per cent of your levee line was at an,
time in danger of being overtopped BY
the river. All other parts OF the line
stood from two to six feet above it.
While sipage was, as is usual, during
high water, general, and at some points
very pronounced, at no point did it grow
serious enough to call for any specia
effort to check its effects.
Excessive caving, however, occurred
at quite number Of places, notably Al
Willow Chute, Gold Dust, Hopewell
Christiana and Buckhorn, and gave
cause for grave apprehension for the
safety of the levee lines there.
At all OF these places the existing levee
appeared at number of times durina
the period OF high water, threatened By
breaches from the caving of the rive
honhr and at willaw Gh,,to rhr; -,