Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-12

nat lhc navigation OF the river should
be rendered more safe, and that the pre-
sent heavy loss, and the suIl heavier which
may be anticipated hereafter, with the an.
crease Of ITS commerce, be lessened by the
removal of the cause of danger, II Il be
practicable, will be readily admitted by ali
That the principle causes--snags, LOGS.
and rocks--can be removed III part, or
whole, and that their removal would great
ly diminish the hazard of ITS navigation.
and facilitate its commerce, is impression
able. Much, indeed, hes been done alrea-
DIV, and with highly beneficial! results, IN
removing the greatest, by far, Of all the
causes OF danger-snags--a the follow
ing extract from the Cincinnati report
will show:
"This branch Of The subject" (rem7val
Of snags) "has already received the at
ten,ion of the government, and the results
of the experiments Instituted have been
entirely satisfactory. The snag- boat con
structed under the direction Of the govern
ment has been successful IN removing
these obstacles at a very trIdtng expense,
and with great facility. The boat Is Of
simple construction, yet has such power
that the largest tree, however firmly fixed,
is removed in few minutes. A number
of these ingeRius vessels were employed
for several years with such success that
thousands Of snags were removed from
the Ohio and Mississippi, the most dan-
gerous places were rendered perfectly
safe, and the whole navigation made CON
pletey free from tbs Formidable evil. 10
the year ending IN September, 1888, l.
$50 snags were taken up from the Mi>sis-
sippi, and the chances of danger diminish
ed by at least Lsat number. TIE
crews Of the boats were employed within
the same year, when the wafer WIS TOO
high to permit their working on the bed
of the river, in telling the oyerhanging
trees which stood on banks liable 10 be un-
dermined, and 10000 trees, winch must
soon have been PrecIpItated into the cur
rent.
From 1922 10 1927, the loss OF pro-
perty on the Mississippi and OHIO. by
snags alone, including steam and t5oars,
and their cargoes, amounted 70 81 .S6i,-
500. The losses on the same items from
1927 TO 1882 were reipced 10 1881 goo,
in consequence of the beneficial action ct
the snagboats; and those losses We're still
further reduced in the years Immediately
succeeding by the diligent PrOSecuuoa Of
the same service.
awe are not aware Of the causes which
have induced the disconjinuance OF tins
valuable service, but we know that The
consequences have been most disastrous
For several years past the appropriations
for the snagbOats have been 81 small as %
render that service wholly inefficient; and
the snags have Accumulated with fearful
rapidity in the western rivers, while the
increasing amount OF Commerce and nun
Der OF boats have swelled the danger aud
losses to an appalling extent. The most
fruitful causes of these losses are the
snags, a species of obstruction which We
have shown to be completely within the
control Of the government; and We there
fore respectfully urge the proprIety OF an
immediate and energetic action bv the 60
vernment, in reference TO this subject, by
the construction OF as many snagblats a.
may be necessary, and an annual appFo-
priatlon for keeping these boats IN the re-
gular service of the nation from year 20
year"
Your committee regard the facts stated
by the abstract conclusive as d the pyac-
tIcabiliiy and great benefit OF freeing the
navigation of the Mississippi, including MS
tributaries, of snags. |. limited appro-
pr,atiOns for few years could so greatly
hn Il l., ~
safety of its commerce, BY their removal,
it cannot be doubted that larger sppropria-
lions, continually, systematically. and ia
dlciousIy applied, could tree it altogether,
or nearly so, from all danger Of the kind.
Nor can it be doubted that the same power
which could free ii of danger from snags
could also from that of logs. Nor wluid
il seem imptacticable to tree its channel oy
blasting, or some other way, OF occasional
rocks, which in places endanger lis navl-
CATION. The joint effect OF the whole
would diminish the hazard OF its naviga-
ton 10 per cent, according 10 the s..
Louis estimate, while il would, at the same
time, add greatly 10 its facility and speed,
and thereby, Us we'll as from IFS greater
safety, lessen greatly the cost Of freight
and passage.
Having now shown the vast and rapidly
increasing value of the commerce OF the
Mississippi, including It's tributaries, the
very great losses to which il IS subject, the
practicability OF removing the principal
causes of them, and thereby greatly N
crease the safety and facility OF ITS navt-
CATION, your committee are brought . the
important question, By whom are they TO
be removed or, to express it more broad
ly and fully, Who has the power, and
and whose duty is it, to improve the navt-
natinn of the Mississinni ana lis great trl-