Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-05-30
TIE BAYOU MANCHAC.

Much has been written and much more
said, upon the recommendation of tht
State Engineer concerning this Bayou
In Justice TO himself, he begs permission
to say u few words in reply.
The main object Of the State Engineer
in mentioning the Bayou Manchae, in his
annual report, was to call the attention d
the Legislature to d subject Of general and
vital importance TO the State of Louisiana;
the expedtency Of opening generally oil
the natural outlets of the Mississippi river.
Il is perfectly immatofial to him whether
the Bayou Manchac particularly Ii opened
or not; the subject in its broadest bearing
and general results Is what he principally
desires to call attention to.
1t is our good fortune TO live p Il soil
naturally the most productive IN the world.
The Mississippi, the Missouri, tho Ohio,
and fifteen hundred other streams, have, AZ
II were, selected The richest ingredients d
the soils Of nearly aawh0ic continent, and
by filling up, and ~encroaching upon, the
depths of the ocean, have formed for the
uses and purposes Of man, a new country,
than which the world offers none richer
nor more productive. That the whole
Delta Of the Mississippi was once a Medi.
]terranean sea, cannot be doubted. The
geological formation Of the ~alluyail depns.
It's prove this clearly and conclusfyely.
Unfortunately, the agent Of formation
and cause Of the fertility Of our soil, wa.
ter, Is at this day u source Of danger, and
an element Of destruction. These very
waters which have made our country, mn.
nually flood and lay waste some Of ltd most
fertile and valuable sections. The dIes.
ton naturally presents itself How Is this
to be prevented How arc we 10 reclaim
the inundated lands Of louisiana How
are we to bring into safe cultivation those
immense swatups and low LANDS, BY far
the most productive of the Staie1 How
are we TO protect the upper parishes, with.
out iniuring those lower downl and bow
are we to secure the lower sections, with.
Out prejudice to the upperl Ii Il word,
what means must we adopt 10 protect and
reclaim the State NJ large, without injury
to any portion If III This il the problem
TO be solved.
Gun it be accomplished BY Icvccs1 For
local md temporary purposes, fyecs win
answer; bit Us forming q general and per.
manent system, they are defective. In al.
dition to Il great and constant expense.
the gradual elevation Of the bed Of / river
is the inevitable consequence Of confniny
turbulent waters between ~leyccs. This
operation OF courze increases tie danger
Of lnuodtitot. Expcrienee has proved
this wherever Il hay been applied. In
Europe, the 20, the Adigc, the Loire, are
examples. The most superficial observer
must have noticed this effect upon the Mis-
sissippi river. Tic characteristic danger
Of this operation is, that it is slow. almost
imperceptible in its progress, but certain
and fatal in It's effect. The bed Of the ri.
yer is finally raised 10 a point where there
is no remedy but the demolition and de-
struction Of those very ]leyeeg, constructed
SO great a cost and loss Of time. Gen
eral inundation is OF course the conse.
qaence; the waters resume the old OF make
channels, and the main body of the
river returns to very nearly its original
state, with the exception Of its bed, which
elevated. The situation of the
is therefore in no way improved by
The final result: on the contrary, we find
the difficulties Of protection and drainage
and permanently increased. To
his state Of things are we approaching,
and these fatal consequences are We. rapid.
bringing upon US, ii we persist in levee-
.ng the banks Of the Mississippi, and at
he same time close its lateral outlets
There is no fancy in this. II is the ineyi.
able effect of@cxisting causes. 1t is as
and true as that the waters Of The
Mississippi contain matter to deposit, and
hat these waters will seek their own
evel.
Can we not fix upon a better system7
The question is easily answered, if we
consider the formation of the country
which the Mississippi flows. This
liver through the whole extent of the allu-
formations lies upon the crest Of a
This ridge has two slopes or in.
.linations-one is the direction Of the gen.
course of the river, and one at right
.ngles to it. Every one is aware of this,
Jan we desire TO meet with a case where
ne mode and means of drainage and pro-
ection are so clearly pointed out, and so
asy of application? Take a similar case.
n a small scale, upon the land of a plan.
of ordinary intelligence. A small ba.
subject to overflow during heavy rains.
INNING through his plantation; the land
Ills in the direction Of, and falls from the
ayou on both sides. How would he DER.
lanently protect the banks of this bayou
'om inundation without an em~bankmeptq
naturally by throwing the surplus water
pom the low grounds on either side through
utlets or canals leading from the bayou
a this way the object is easily and imme-
lately accomplished. Now, suppose, that
fter increasing the facilities of DISCHARGE
the stream itself at its mouth. he should.
long the lowest line of the adjacent low
rounds, which line will be nearly parallel /
the course of the stream, extend these Z
teral canals to the lake or reservoir into /
'hich the bayou is discharged. Is it not i
lain that in this manner the whole SURPLUS 4
can be disposed Of, the banks of the {
ayou completely secured, and the very adj /,
cent low grounds and swamps drained i
nd reclaimed, down to the lowest level OIL
Ie lake or gulf into which the waters are
.schargedl Is not this almost s~elEeyiden9
Il not practicable, no matter how i'm
ense the quantity of water to be disposed
Z Clearly If Il Tha at4aa+s~ a. III