Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-04-04
Ing WATER SITUATION.
(Natchez Democrat

Mr.. Marshall Robertson, of Baton
Rouge, Of the Louisiana State Levee
Board Department, arrived here yester-
day morning, having come down from
Alsatia or Salem, La, whichever name
suits the reader, and appeared to be very
ssnguine as to the ability of the State,
District and Federal levee workers to
hold the Fifth Louisiana Levee District
line against the high water that is to pass
down this way.
He said the levees are in better shape
than they were in last year and they will
be able to stand from two TO three feet
more water than was recorded last year.
He did not venture prediction as to
what the stages might he, nor did he say
the water would 90 one-tenth higher.
His statement was that the levees will
stand higher stages, and this will be all
sufficient for the people in the district.
The official forecast by the u. s.
Weather Bureau, has been published in
the Democrat. The official forecast
made by the Weather Bureau is for 50.5
feet to SIS feet. The highest record ut
Natchez last year was 5l.4 feet. The
Weather Bureaus forecast is predicted
on the proyiso: eff the levees hold'
This means all the levees above Natchez,
the forecast having been issued Monday
night. Breaks after that forecast was
issued will serve TO reduce the figures for
Natchez. With weather conditions fav-
orable the stage will not excede the fig
ures given by the Bureau.
Mr.. Robertson confined his remarks to
the levee situation, saying that the en-
tire line OF levees in the Fifth Louisians
Levee District is better than last year
that large forces are now at work topping
the levee so as to have them topped be
fore the crest comes.
Here is a very interesting Statement
made by Mr.. Robertson, that will b,
pleasing to all interested in the subject
There are very few places in tn
Fifth Louisiana Levee District that ar
not big enough to stand "a feet at Vicks
burg and the same at Natchez. At thi
date we have many levees without an.
water against them. The water has no
yet reached the ridges"
Mr.. Robertson said that the Salem
levee is probably five feet above the sur
rounding levees and there is no DANCE
as to its grade. 1t has 3 to 8 1-2 ban
quette, with 20-foot crown and S-foo
side slope.
1t has been completed since the earl
part Of January and has had Is feet {
water against it. During the duratio
of the last food Ganuary) sand boils di
not injure it. The government intend
to build crib 6 or 8 feet wide to loo
around these boils, the boils coming
As feet at vicksburg.
There is ample money at hand an
materials and men on the ground for Il
work. In fact Junior Engineer Dan
and l75 men with quarterboats are no
on the job.
Mr.. Robertson said that PresideI
Rhodes of the Fifth Louisiana Lev,
Board, is also on the job and intends
stay on it. Other members of the Boal
are also busy. Besides Capt. Sheriff,
the U. S. Engineer Corps, is very bui
and has issued instructions placing qua
terboats, men and material at all plac
where they may be needed.
Major Barton has been placed
charge of the levees from vidalia to Il
Point.
Junior Engineer Schoenberg, fro
Vidalia TO st. Joseph. La.