The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-04-12
LEVEE BOARD MEETING.

Regular Quarterly Session of La
fourche District Commissioner
President swartz pefers Resig-
nation Owing to Threatened
Flood.
| The board of commissioners OF the
Lafourche Basin Levee District met
here Thursday in regular quarterly
session, with President e. &. SWartz
OF st. James in the chair, and the
following members present: F. 3.
Lemann, Ascension; Robert c. Mar
| tin, Jr., Assumption; T. f. Wiggin-
ton, Lafourche; George Lorio, st.
| Charles; Angelo Champagne, St.
| John; Charles Viering, Jefferson;
R. Perez, Plaquemines; T. V. Thag-
gard, McDonoghville, representing the
railroads. Secretary w. J. McCune,
John Klorer, assistant state engineer
| assigned to the Lafourche district,
and District Attorney Philip II. Gil
bert, OF Napoleonville. legal adviser
OF the board, were also present.
Others in attendance were R. H.
bowman, president of the Bowie
Lumber Company; State Senator
Robert Rivarde, of ST. Charles par
ish, and Henry L. zander, of New
Orleans.
The minutes of the last regular
meeting of Feb. Is were read and
approved.
The secretary submitted his finan-
cial report for the quarter ending
March 81, as follows: Receipts
Leyee tax. s116,14s.45; acreage tax,
S25,843. 16; produce tax, $68631 10; de-
linquent taxes, $96.42; redemption of
property, 1928; refunds, s7o5.1S; to-
tai receipts, S149,658.57. Disburse-
ments-Overdraft at beginning of
quarter, s15,164.96; levee construc-
ton, s28,155.04; material, s13,634 40;
high water expenses, 5,872. SO; in
spector's salary. s788;; secretarys
salary, $3.50; commissioners mileage
and per diem, s1872.39; assessors
commissions, s643.02; miscellaneous,
s3662.85; total disbursements, $115,-
874.66. Balance on hand April /, 4
1S,61S.95. The report was approved,
as was also the report of the fl
nance committee for the past quarter.
Mr.. Wigginton, chairman Of the
finance committee, stated that he
had written Vice President Freeman
OF the Texas and Pacific Railroad
and Supt. Sheridan CT the Southern
Pacific, asking them to deposit at
once $4,000 each with the state aud |
itor to the credit Of the Lafourche I
Leyee Board, representing the pro
rata of these railroads in the cost
Of the 1850 pieces of steel sheet pill
ing ordered by the levae board for
use in tying the ends of any crevasse
that might occur in the district dur
ing the coming high water.
A tax of 10 mills on the dollar Of
The assessed valuation of all property
IN the Lafourche district subject to
for levee purposes was Ie-
Fied for the year 1913, together with
! forced contribution of 25s cents
per acre on all lands and 500 per
nile on all standard-gauge steam
'ailroads within the district. These
IRE the same taxes levied hereto
ore, and it is estimated they will
'ield this year approximately s175.-I
100. I;
The matter of 1evying a produce
AK was discussed, and the difficulty
II collecting it under the method
Employed in the past was pointed
tut. Several members Of the board
themselves as being OPP
.osed TO the tax, on the. ground
hat it is inequitable and unfairly
distributed, and it was finally de- !
lded to defer action on the matter J
ntli the next meeting, and then J
Q levy the tax only in the event ]
hat the funds it will provide are
needed I
The president was authorized to t
orroW S125,000 or as much thereof t
S may be necessary for the pur-
ose of carrying on the work of the G
GARD, the loan to bear s per cent 7
interest and to be repaid out of the
aVehues of the board as they ac- 3
rue. ?
President Swartz stated that on 4
[arch l he had notified the mem t
ars of the board that it was his in
sncion to tender his resignation as
commissioner, but that in view of
le alarming river situation which 6
IS developed since that date and =
Ie necessity for immediate action :
I the part OF the board to combat :
le mighty flood now coming down q
'e Mississippi, he had RECONSTRUCTED =
s intention and would serve as :,
ember of the board for thirty or :; :.
rty days longer. The commits =,
oners expressed their appreciation :.
Mr.. Swartz's course in this regard = =
i'd voiced unanimous regret at his - -
'ntemplated retirement from the $.
ryice of the district. Mr.. Swartz 9:
ated that the position requires ! !
ore time than his business affairs = =
III permit him to devote to it. and =
is solely for this reason he will =
Hnquish the appointment. =
A resolution was adopted reseind- o
g the appropriation of $4,000 to
e Jefferson and Plaquemines drain q
OF h1