The Arkansas banner., 1844-02-06
REPORT.

M TENNESSEE, May 3 lS43.
 Agreeably to your order of the 25th
 o n have made survey and examin-
 '" ,be harbor of Memphis, and have
 .r to furnish the following report, in
 lJI III inc points of inquiry contained in
 |astractions a are noticed in order.
 li,' nenth of water at all seasons.
 .;te tbe site surveyed for naval de-
 o' channel of the river runs close to the
 J ,hs hank, and thirty feet water may
 1 at the lowest stage of the river.
 '.a o. q Greatest draught of water which can
 .1to the Gulf of Mexico at the lowest
 oa foe feet is the greatest depth that can be
 en an during low water, which is usually
 n 'h.oo months in the year. The quan-
 ,rs mster beyond that will always depend
 W .;se in the river. The obstructions
 water wal are sand banks at different points ! this place. I 3 Distance of low-water mark from
 Rannel of the river.
 channel of the river runs close to the
 and vessels of any draught can lie | s;de the shore at low water.
 4 Practicability of constructing Rss. :.
 ,orves. as they are constructed on the
 ,arn rivers. are not suitable to the banks
 Mississippi, where the difference is so FbetWeen high and low water. Floating Ees. on the plan of the wharf boats in l .l nse here. would be much more con- Ot and could be built at triaing ex-
 i Nature of river bank and adjoin- bi.
 Imnbis is situated on a bluff of land,
 n as the fourth Chickasaw bluff, eleva- |Chty feet above the river at extreme low
 The soil of this bluff is clay, mixed
 sand and loam, and is in most places
 lie for making bricks. Between the foot
 nd the bed of the river there is in some
 narrow slip of level land, the sur- If which Is little above the river at De high water. It is an alluvial depos- Rd liable to cave or wash away when brent of the river runs strong against
 will be seen by the Map of survey that bt of the city, and extending both above Flow the site marked for naval depot,
 ln! or batture, formed by the deposite river, which at average low water is
 k feet above the river, and at the low bter known is twenty-eight feet above
 ! has at high water from six to twelve h it. The channel of Wolf river cuts eh it. and 1t Is at the mouth of Wolf Fhat the only practicable place for the ] |pn of public buildings can be found in frbor of Memphis This bank is of re- 7onnation, and IS at low water dry and l-When the building of Memphis was feneed, in 1919, the channel of the riv- } close to the bluff bank, and the steam- landing at low water was then at the l of Wolf. In 1920 the river forced for a new passage at a place some miles !, which gave different direction to the Pel; an eddy was formed where the current ran previously, and the deposite benced, which has made the batture lt now appears. It is stated by respect Pltlzens of the place that for one or two past the batture has gained nothing in fe, but that every overflow raises it six to twenty inches higher. To re- the part embraced in the site, it would cessary to levee the outer edge of it, and piles of great length at low water from animation of the causeway that forms pthern boundary up the river to the Of Wolf and up the south side of las far as the limits of the yard, and also Id the triangle on the north side of Wolf. id then be filled up by the earth removed ldlng the hill above 1t, and with mate from other parts of the bank, or by the hl deposlte of the river, which could be led at high water for the purpose. The pi grading the bluff and raising the en- 'ite above all overflow is estimated at p2O. The permanency which may be to works of this sort Is showd at New ms, where considerable portion of the builtupo similar batture, secured in bove manner. Wolf is a small river, l6O feet wide at its mouth and having Y water rapid current, and said to be hundred miles in length. It would form gh water an admirable harbor for boats, good place for landing timber and ot all kinds. It must be observed, Pver, that Wolf cannot be entered with at low stage of the river. Thus this presents, after leveed and filled up asuffi- ronton the riverfor building a convenient pr for boats bringing iron, coal. timber or lslons; amplespace on the low grounds for walks, workshops, and other necessary 'ngs; and on the bluff sufficient room for Prs quarters and marine barracks. This case at present; but the well-llnown icler of the Mississippi is not altered at pms We have stated already that one ge In the set of its current has caused the a'lon of the batture in front of the city. hef change which can be neither fore nor prevented, may occur to throw the once more gainst the bank, the bat M oe cut away as rapidly as it formed, and .iVef return to its former channel near oo' ol the bluff. It is we'll known that Ses oi 'hls sort are constantly going on parts ol this extraordinary river; and where the bank is caving or washing ', oa one side a batture IS usually form ,i ule opposite one. Whole acres some sa1l 1eIue down at once, bearing trees, cot 1' lI'0s' and sometimes even the house of 'S ,i''l'er. . In other places, where the riv- S s"al'ened itself by cutting through the