Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-04-21
Presidents Report.

TO the Hon. Members of the Fifth
Louisiana Levee Board.
Gentlemen:
In the past ninety days we have seer
the highest water of record against ouI
levees, which eliminated in a break al
Limerick plantation in Tensas parish.
During the unprecedented strain
against our levees, we had many places
develop weakness that would have caused
4 break had they not received prompt
attention. A system of guarding the line
vas established as soon as the river
reached food stage, the number of guard.
being increased as the river rose. During
the critical stage, every mile of the levee
was inspected each hour of the day and
night; every development was reported
and received immediate attention from
our local member and the Government
engineers.
In our district we have less than ten
miles of levee up to grade and section
contemplated. With 250 miles of levee
incomplete, and strain of Is inches
more of water than ever known before,
against them, the failure of less than
half mile of the 24O in our line, would
indicate that levees properly constructed
and carefully guarded will protect uf
against floods.
1t is a notable fact that the levees now
up to commission grade gave us no trouble
and stood the test perfectly. That no
more breaks occurred was due to careful
guarding. Thanks are due to the Govern
ment through the Mississippi River Com
mission, Majors Slattery and Caples and
their Junior Engineers, in the field, for
their valuable services and the corpora
ton of the State Engineers with our local
Board, rendering invaluable assistance
during this great fight. Each member of
the Board sacrificed his business interests
and devoted his time to levee duties.
And especially are thanks due the planters
in our district for their hearty co-opera-
ton with our local members, giving per-
sonal attention to the levees along their
fronts and getting labor together at the
call Of the local members.
The break at Limerick was probably
due to defective foundation that could
not stand the strain put against it by the
great pressure of water. These weak
nesses will in great measure be over
come with the increased section of our
new levees that cover more ground,
thereby offering greater resistance to the
water pressure. From what know of
the levee and the developments, no blame
can be attached to the guards.
The following emergencies have shown
up:
list. The closing of the break at Limerick.
The Government took charge of this,
moved four large machines on the work
as soon as the water had fallen sufficiently
to get them on the ground and has a
temporary levee now constructed suffi-
Gent to keep out the water in sight,
which with the force at hand, they can
increase to meet any emergency. While
Major Caples would ordinarily have sent
only one of his large machines to place
the quantity of dirt needed to build this
levee, the wisdom of having assigned four
to this task is shown by the early
rise which would have put more water
through the break.
End. A failure of a portion of the
revetment at Sycamore necessitated a
new loop which the State undertook and
with characteristic promptness, had a
force of two quarter boats of convicts on
the work after the slough was discovered.
srd. A aankina Of the rsvetmeut ct