The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1919-08-28

n. |
Board of Commissioners Bossier Irvee
District. Curtis, La.
Gentlemen: l have the honor to re-
port that on July 9th and 2Sth made
an inspection Of your levee system all
the way from its head, ut Hurricane
Bluff. to its lower end, at Bear Point,
and found the following conditions
At il point about 800 feet below Hur-
ricane Bluff. ut an old crossing. the |
levee was cut about three feet deep. |
There has been 10 serious c;ivins be-
tween Willow Bend and the upper end
of fhe new Willow Chute levee. The
Willow Chute new levee is very foul
for Il part of its length with weeds.
and should be cleared and some Of the
more serious rain-washes in the ban
quette repaired.
The most active caving along the
StinsOn front is now located about one
half mile below the old StinSOn resi-
dence site and is nearing the Rushing
place. This point must be carefully
trees on the hatture. it is difficult to
see any distance from the main line of
levee. Ample margin exists ut this
time.
When the last Willow Chute exten-
sion levee was constructed. just above
the Rushing place. this Department re-
quired Il gap to be cut in the old. or
outer, levee in order to insure the new
levee experiencing very gradual rise
of the water against it when the river
overtiowed its banks. This treatment
is necessary for any new levee, espec-
tally one constructed of buckshot clay.
where Shrinkage is very great when
subjected to Saturation for the first
time l found this gap refilled to a
grade of four or five feet. the refilling
having no doubt been done by some
zone interested in Il crop between the
two levees. The retilling of such Il gap
| is fruitful cause of disastrous Gre
vasSes. and this gap should be re-
opened without delay, and kept open.
\ margin Of only 20 feet between the
caving bank and the old levee is all
that remains at this time, and the old
levee will be certain to cave off as sool
as the river comes up. The danger OF
permitting this gap to remain refilled
il. therefore, patent
There is All improper crossing OppO
site the Gold Point place barn which
il several feet below the top of thu
! levee and should be repaired. Cole
Point itself. out in the neck of th'
| point. is getting thinner all the time
but the caving which has taken plac'
since last April has not materially af
fected the narrowest place. as 1t ha
progressed downstream where NOR
margin exists. | am. therefore. OF til
opinion that the new loop proposed t
your Board in my letter, addressed t
Hon. A. Curtis on April ;, 1919. ha
now proven to be necessary. and t
have a fair chance of saving tn
threatened off across the point. /
my letter l had estimated the work IL
, volved to he about $4,000 cubic yard:
1t looks now as if this estimate will u
augmented by about 1900 yards. NAL
ing a total of $4,000 cubic yards, e
timated. to save the situation. I'll
construction Of this loop should not l
deferred, and l recommend that yot
Board undertake the work withO,
delay.
might say right here that my II
spection revealed that there are l
other levees at this time to be co
structed anywhere within the limits (
your district.
Some caving has taken place he
and there. but always ut some poi
already having sufficient margin
safety to stand caving.
found that the Gold Point spr
Which had been improved between t
main line and the point where t
new loop is proposed. has @been
r Gently seriously hog rooted, and slOu
he repaired.
- There is an improper crossing.
=: ramp. which is worn down to del
of about three feet at the upper end
/ the Cash Point cross levee. and also
/ ! the center of this levee. OPPOSITE
Logan residence.
The Pandora leyee is being III
rooted for several hundred feet bel
Benoit Bayou dixie.
IL \ ramp worn down about three L
deep exists about 1000 feet below
Arnold residence site. There has bt
no recent caving along the Arm
front. where my last report recort
the fact that caving was most act
about one-quarter of mile below
.-' old residence site. The margin at
point is still 265 feet. and the cav
. is apparently progressing down-stre
slowly. 1t looks safe enough Tor
present The most exposed point. III
ever. is that at the line dividing
Arnold and Jeter plantations. wher
margin Of about 23O feet exists at
time. This place must be caref'
watched. although the banks do
seem to lie caving very rapidly at
time.
There has been very little change
sea any. along the upper side Of Cold
Point. There is an improper cross
lhu near the tip of the point, which silt
be refilled.
-. There are similar improper crOSS1
at both ends of the Gilmer lane ie
below Colquitt Point.
!: | found the Palmer place new Il
!: nearing completion. The roadbed
r the Cotton Belt Railroad has alre
heen shifted and trains are now D
49,; operated along the new location.
. work has been started yet upon
highway. other than grading, "