Tensas gazette., 1915-10-22
PROCEED INes OF lEvEE BOARD
Office Board of Commissioners,
Fifth La. Levee District.

{Office Board of Commissioners,
Fifth La. Levee District.
Tallulah, La, Oct. 18th, 1915.
The Board of Commissioners for the
Fifth Louisiana Levee District met in
regular session at Tallulah, La, its
domicile, this day.
President Rhodes called the meeting
to order at 1890 a. m, and directed
the Secretary to call the roll of men,
bers, and the following Commissioners
answered roll call:
E. J. Hamley. R. L. Hill from East
Carroll.
J. M. johnson, T. P. Kell from
Madison.
F. L. Gurthrie, B. F. Young from
Tensas.
J. H. Lambdin, E. C. Rhodes, Pres.
from Concordia.
The regular business of the meeting
was taken up as follows:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
To the Honorable members of the
Fifth La. Levee Board, Tallulah, La.
Gentlemen:
We, your committee appointed to
investigate the merits of the claim of
certain property holders in Concordia
parish for suspension acreage tax on
lands subject to overflow from back
water coming around the lower end of
the levee system, find the lands south
PIT Breeze are protected in a measure
by the high water stage from sweeping
down through the sloughs and Bayou,
and the high bank extending down the
river below the end of the 1evee, which
reduces the level of the back water
coming up below.
While these lands cannot ada0uently
be protected until the levee system is
extended on down and the red river is
divorced from the Mississippi. This
exposed area is valued very low, conse-
quently pays very small ad- valorem tax
is held mostly for the timber that is
standing on it, purchased at very low
figure on account of existing conditions.
II taxes were remitted on anv of these
lands, which has been done under extra
ordinary conditions, it would be very
difficult to establish an arbitrary line
that would do equal justice to all the
tax payers that are affected by the
back water, on account of the low
swamps extending for a great distance
up into the parish, with irregular depths
Of water standing over the land during
flood season.
All the flooded area would be slightly
benefited from the fact that the head
water was cut off by the levee system,
thus reducing the depth and preventing
strong current from securing and wash
ing the land. As was originally seen
at to include these land in levee dis
tric, bonds being issued based on the
taxes derived from it, and present con-
ditions are unchanged, we cannot rec
ommend that the taxes now be suspen-
ded.
Respectfully submitted,
E. C. RHODES,
J. H. LAMBDIN.
Committee.
On motion of Commissioner Hill the
above report of committee was approx
ed and adopted.
Reports Of the president and secreta-
ry were approved and adopted.
Hon. jeff B. Snyder appeared before
the Board with request that the Board
grant the application of Douglass Alex
ander, q resident of Madison Parish,
La. for a "Quit Claim" deed to q GER
tain track Of land in said parish, a de-
scription Of which, and all the facts be-
ing fully set out in the application.
After considering the matter, action
on the application was deferred until
the next regular meeting.
On motion of Commissioner johnson.
seconded by Commissioner Kell the Sec
retarv Of the Board was directed to find
copies of contracts with certain parties
to put lands on the assessment rolls
some twenty years since, and report at
the next meeting of the Board.
Maj. M. p. Robertson, of the Board
Of State Engineers, being present,
made . report touching the present
emergencies. and the general condition
of levees in the district. and submitted
to the Board certain emergency repair
work agreed upon Sy himself and the
president, as important before another
high water.
On motion of Commissioner Hamley.
seconded by Commissioner Kell, the
following resolution was adopted:
BE IT RESOLVED, That the presi-
dent of this Board be, and he il hereby
authorized to advertise for enlargement
the Holly Brook Levee in East Carroll
Parish and the punch Bowl" levee
obOve the town of Vidalia, Concortlia
Parish, La, also the repair of the
1lidee the Reid -Biggs Levee in Madison
porish; and Q search ditch at Rifle point
Concordia parish.
In the matter of the petition of the
Bank Of Vidaha, for refund Of taxes
for certain years collected by the
Ihefi6. On motion of Commissioner
Kolli seconded by Commissioner Ham,
lev. TIE matter was deferred to Hon.
Ie6 B. Snyder, attorney for this Board,
lpr his legal opinion a. to the proper
nleps h the matter.
8 On motion Of Commissioner Hill,
pnd.d by Commissioner Kell, the
11ication Of Maj. r. E. Conner, for
\ Ia Of acreage tax erroneously as
- for taxes for the year 1914,
- I.ferrod to Commissioner Lamb
Gn3na President Rhode4 and the
neuD from Concordia Parish, - 81
a. =. -. for their investigation and
0m IS Of Commissioner Young, |
2een1ed1 - Co QAissioner Joaneoas the1
sassiae san ~ sdepesds