The herald., 1916-06-15
A[G|ERS OUTFA[[ CANAL To Be EXTENDED.

the TACT that the Levee Board has
! done nothing for the rear protec.
/ ton Of this lower district, notwitb-
standing that it has been devastated
| by Beka. Live Oak and Hvmelia
within the past eight years. it would
De diltIcult to imagine what excuse
this protecting board could now
make. why it would not give us our
back levee. particularly when the
city is willing TO furnish two-thirds
OF the material free.
The Herald has often heard the
statement made by citizens who fol-
low up such matters. that il wouId
simply be suicidal for this section
10 depend upon back levee trayers-
ing the sea marshes OF Barataria. 10
miles from our field line. No one
OBJECTS, OF course, to the Hero in
terestS placing a rear levee along the
outer edge of their domain. but ey-
erybOdy who knows ANYTHING ahout
local overflow conditions. contends
that we should have a levee of our
own, along the border of our yaIua-
Die lands-a levee of ample propor-
tons, which we can have under orr
own supervision and which We can
always maintain in proper condition.
The city will own 10 feet on both
sides of the canal, so that this leyee
could be built 10 feet high, with a
base of 60 feet and crown of 10
1eet, which, while absolutely pro-
tecting this section from back water
would afford a splendid s mile
walkway for the present, and the
basis of 20 foot roadway later on.
when such straight, short cut he
.Ween the city's limits on this side
would be demanded.
The right of way for the fiat in
creeping canal mentioned. from
which the Levee Board would secure
IS material, would also have to be
donated by the land owners. but no
me would for a moment refuse TO
i've up three or four or five hum
ired feet of their presently nom
holdings, in consideration
# the vastly increased value such
grand improvement would bring
bout.
With several automatic flood gates
laced in this levee at proper inter
ais, the canal on the field side
iould lead the water to the main
anal on the swamp side, which main
anal would carry said water by gra-
1ty, to Bayou Barataria. If thei
evel of the main canal, due to the
ainfall and adverse tide conditions
'as higher than the water in the
cid canal, the two pumps of the
Iglers pumping station would easily
andle the surplus water which the
ormally dry field canal would not
old.
with the advent of the big s5OO,-l
90 quarantine station, the United
tates government itself will be
cry largely interested in this lower
sction-the upbuilding of which
leans so much for the presently
lilt up portion of this side; so that
behooves our people to see to il
lat the government officials in
large of the Immigrant Station.
avail station, and quarantine sta
on, have no serious complaints to
sake again local physical condi-
ons. Good roads, good drainage
Id good leyees both front and rear.
Ill bring all the other needed good
ings, while eliminating the bad
lngS. As we said in a recent edi-
rial. cut down the trees back to
e 40 arpent line, and you will have
owed the mosquito line nearly
lie further away. Get after the
wee Board to help the city, and
that you get two canals and a
levee, instead of one canal and
levee, and this wooded strip men
ned, will be worth the cost of
ting down its trees. The object ]
son which the reclamation of this -
le-deep strip will furnish, will
'bably induce another mile strip
be taken in, when this entire
oded section will possibly, in the
irse of time, be thus transformed
m menace into an asset. The
lsible business men constituting
Hero drainage company know
It what is outlined in this article
eminently the proper thing for
city authorities, the Levee Board
the owners of the cleared lands