454 



LOUISIANA. 



these reports shows that 33,043 acres of plant- 

 cane was lost, valued at $2,954,917. Of stub- 

 ble-cane 17,657 acres was lost, valued at $2,- 

 067,410. Of rice, 3,186 acres was lost, valued 

 at $106,898. Of cotton, 107,660 acres was 

 lost, valued at $2,959,833. Of corn, 59,377 

 acres was lost, valued at $1,102,497. Of peas, 

 potatoes, and miscellaneous crops, 17,542 acres 

 was lost, valued at $207,294. The losses 

 amounted, in stock animals, to $538,079; in 

 buildings, fences, etc., to $674,170 ; in human 

 labor, $994,494; in expense of unsuccessful 

 defense of levees, $304,077 ; in other incidental 

 expenses, $152,541 ; making, in these parishes 

 alone, an aggregate of $12,061,910. The area 

 of arable lands inundated was estimated at 

 606,674 acres, and the amount of land to be re- 

 claimed by levee protection was estimated for 

 those parishes to be 1,857,700 acres. 



While there are no trustworthy data by 

 which to calculate the losses by the inundation 

 of this year, there is good reason to believe 

 that the area overflowed and the damages re- 

 sulting are far less than in 1882. 



Levees. From the report of the Board of 

 State Engineers for the period from April 20, 

 1882, to April 20, 1884, it appears that during 

 that time 120 contracts for the construction of 

 levees were made, and nearly all of them have 

 been executed. The work done under these 

 contracts, and the unfinished work under prior 

 contracts, not completed in April, 1882, 

 amounts to nearly 130 miles of levee, requiring 

 3,699,636 cubic yards of earth-work, at a cost 

 of $887,970. The State during the same period 

 expended, for preventing or closing crevasses, 

 $35,500, making an aggregate cost of levee- 

 work for the period of $923,470. 



The U. S. Mississippi River Commission, in 

 August, 1882, allotted $75,000 to close gaps in 

 levees between the mouths of Red river and 

 Cypress creek, and $110,000 to close gaps in 

 Pointe Coupee, all for levees in Louisiana, ex- 

 cept $65,283, which was expended for levee- 

 work in Arkansas. The sum of $15,000 was 

 likewise allotted toward building the Bonnet 

 Carre Levee, and other allotments were made 

 for the protection of levees during the late 

 flood. The levee-work in Louisiana, by the 

 U. S. Commission, nearly equals that done by 

 the State, being mainly above the mouth of 

 Red river, and it has cost the United States 

 Government $839,381. 



The riparian parishes have expended on 

 levees, since 1881, large sums, reports from 

 ten parishes alone showing that $211,166 of 

 local and individual funds were expended. 

 Three railroad companies also expended $99,- 

 450. Thus the total amount expended on 

 levees in Louisiana has been $2,048,000. 



In the beginning of March, 1884, the levees 

 of Louisiana were in much better condition 

 than they have been for more than twenty 

 years, but the system has proved inadequate 

 for efficient general protection from overflow 

 during extreme floods of the Mississippi. 



Above the mouth of Red river the crevasses 

 of 1884 are attributed to the fact that the 

 water rose higher than the tops of the levees 

 entirely so, in the opinion of the board, in the 

 case of all that have occurred in levees built 

 under State or praish authority. To secure 

 any certain protection against overflow, the 

 levees, both below and above Red river, must 

 be made higher and stronger than they have 

 ever yet been built. 



Finances. The financial condition of the State 

 is encouraging. The brokerage in warrants 

 has practically ceased. There are no outstand- 

 ing warrants for previous years, and current 

 warrants are practically at par. The bonded 

 debt of the State is as follows : 



Consolidated bonds. Act 3, 1874 $11,873,200 00 



Constitutional bonds, 4 per cent., Act 121, 1S80 217,750 00 

 Consolidated, stamped as 2 per cent., Act 121, 



1880 265.200 00 



Baby bonds outstanding 1,350,33520 



Total $18,206,485 20 



The first amendment to the Constitution, as 

 proposed by the General Assembly, has been 

 adopted by the people. The debt is now per- 

 manently fixed, and the uncertainty, litiga- 

 tion, doubt, and distrust that embarrassed the 

 State in her financial operations will probably 

 cease. 



Education. On this subject the Governor uses 

 this language : u At no period in the history of 

 the State has there been such outspoken senti- 

 ment in favor of the education of the people, 

 the introduction of improved methods in teach- 

 ing, the employment of educated and trained 

 teachers, and the extension of the means for 

 elementary education. The people of this State 

 are prepared to approve any legislation that 

 will secure an effective system of free element- 

 ary instruction. I advise an entire change in 

 the common-school system, and recommend 

 that school precincts be presided over by local 

 boards or commissioners, and that the organic 

 law be so changed as to permit each school pre- 

 cinct to tax itself for school purposes." 



The Southern (colored) University is one of 

 the institutions whose maintenance is provided 

 for by the Constitution. There are 400 students 

 in attendance. It has preparatory, academic, 

 normal, and industrial departments. 



The Louisiana State University and Agricult- 

 ural and Mechanical College is in a satisfactory 

 condition, with fair promise of increasing suc- 

 cess and usefulness. Its roll of students num- 

 bers nearly 200. 



The number of educable youth between six 

 and eighteen years of age is 290,036, of whom 

 61,466 are in the parish of Orleans. In 1882 

 there were in 46 parishes reporting (12, includ- 

 ing Orleans, not reporting) 1,171 public schools, 

 921 white and 314 colored teachers, 32,202 

 white and 27,463 colored pupils ; average daily 

 attendance, 35,851 ; average time taught, 4 - 21 

 months. In 1883, in the same number of parish- 

 es, there were 1,190 public schools, 904 white 

 and 375 colored teachers; 29,898 white and 



