The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-08-03
Letter from DIR. >. B. wfkinson.


Causes Of ousrfop-I Is seriously maintained tst one
contributing swell the Of Mississippi arises
from clearing large tracts which were formerly in woods
atng artificial outlets for the rapid transmission Of
the main seams [by this Means argued, preventing the
absorption which otherwise took pace1 and by cuvating
and grazing large herds Of cattle the landpackug it,
rendering tenacious and ess porus and thereby
ing large portion Of which previously had parsed into
the earth By peFcoaton to flow off quickly surface
Unfortunately for this theory, it known that more rain
falls wooded land. than plains where be
found. scientific European has asserted that exercise
an influence the electric condition OF the atmosphere
which aYors the production Of and has suggested the
erection Of conductors of electricity and pains devoid OF
trees for the purpose ofproducing this phenomenon Allow
ing, too, that more OF the water which falls cultivated
fields passes off by Of improved drainage; yet it
certain that much gieaer evaporation viii take place from
given number OF acres cleared than from the number in
woods since in the former much eer operation given
to the action Of the suns rays and the passage of
OF air. which greatly favor evaporation, than in the other
where the land shaded By the tee and the agitation
Of the air obstructed by their foliage
Another cause is urged exists in the gradual elevation
OF the bottom OF the river by the deposition of m earthly par
tiees. Allowing this the greatest elevation occur
when the current sowe; this point the heavier par
ees previously kept by the velocity Of the current being
longer sustained by that force must precptaied Con-
sequenty the bed Of the river mouths when the
cuuelt so~es ought to have experienced the greatest
change Upon the authority of respectable residents of this
Parish, who have lived here forty and fifty years. Is asserted
that the average height Of spring floods not greater than Al
the periods of their earliest recollection. Why too such
is the has the river (in this district from the year 1873
until the year lS scarcely passed its natural banks2 But
the same architect which formed the bed of this great river
(its rapid eurent) Is work now with undiminised
force, forming and fashonng its bars and its channels
washing away at tide what it had formed at previous
one, and beneath its dark surface silently exeavang mys
teous cavens-which thousand ago rolled its turbd
flood to the sea-
certain and obvious found in the increased system
Of eveeng which was formerly confined to the lower portions
OF The Mississippi in Louisiana but extended high up
on TINS nver and of its tnbutates Large basns
into which the high waters flowed and which served as Eecp
tents for this stream slowly dsgcrgng themselves issexc
of water passed off, have had their closed by the
construction Of evees, and the constrained within far
bounds have increased in height and velocity Of
in proportion their exclusion from these basins
Some idea be formed of the capacity of thess basins
when it is known that during such floods 1925 1874 1919
and 1850, OF these temporary lakes extended SIXTY miles
with Its unreasonable howeyeT indulge the hope that
efmay be obtained from the evils of high water by dn-
hing the extent OF eyee individual sacrifices will be
made for public good On the contrary, it s evident thai
when the Of society require it, whenever the art o
man can successfully oppose the eneroaebment of the river
he will not fail to that power. disposed how
ever to acbe but in partial degree the great foods
lSi9 and 1850 to of the which auson has been
made Certainly in 1873 these existed in minor de-
and conceded that the river at that time attained
an elevation not since witnessed peculiar conjunction of
circumstances occurred in the last years. productive of
oveiow the first existing in unusual fall of and
rain in the various countries in which rivers derive their
sources, and through which they flow The second occa
stoned by the early and almost equal advent of spring within
the degrees of latitude embracing the whence this
water derived by this occasioDing simultaneous
flow of in the Mississippi and its branches All inor-
nation received from emigran their passage TO California
during the last winter represents serious hndrances their
movements. arising from the unusual accumulation of
And the disastrous attempt Of Col Fremont to force
through these fgd barriers. be still fresh in
and affords melancholy attesation of the
OF those reports The uninterrupted high of the Ohio
and L--h
ect since autumn, furnish additional proof of the excessive
rains in Western States. By reference the meieogoo
gcal records of State, furnished by the late Mr.
Lie will be observed that the rain exhibits for the
last two of about feet the annual
average descent amounting increase of about 80 per
cent the ordinary quantity. SEEING them that the
opposite and distant points in the embracing these rivers
have been subject to similar phenomena, fair to infer that
the intervening districts have not been free from the
huence. With general of and rains and
universally early spring. the enigma of high water Of easy
souon without invoking the aid of the extension Of eeee
opening OF districts, rise in the bed Of the river assist
its explanation As the foregoing enumerated
very nfequen in the natural Of events il is pro
babe lahough posbe that they will occur for many years.
and although lis wise and policy to take such pre-
cautonay measures for the future the evil
an erroneous belief to suppose that h all be annually sub
lected to this visitation. No extend the evees Memphis,
and cut off every bend and scarcely probable that for the
next ten years we shall see such high water!
Believing them the fssness of many Of the deductions
practieabty of almost all of the proposed remedies it ap
(un some plan is Offered more feasible than
that has yet been submted that much might be DONE
the whole evil controlled by unaumity and of action
among the residents along the banks of the river and those
living in the vicinity of districts liable inundaton. Many,
not ALL of the have originated from neglect OF the
evees by the popeo of the places which these ceyaes
have occurred And the notorious lack of energy in the Syn
dies and Police Jues of many of the Parishes have favored
this indsposton make the repairs, which may
have been deemed by the urpeous or may have
remained unexecued from actual indifference of the owner Of
the property (who may perhaps. be NONRESIDENT ot the
Parsh) to the convenience and interests OF ms neg
These are facts which cannot be ana winch, II
unattended to, will still be fruitful sources OF ues' uespe
all other efforts to destroy the common ioe s dncuh
to conceive of the apathy OF the planter VINO would osenb
allow such serious dermen to his own interest," even though
he were indifferent to that Of the community And grave
charges have been adduced some tat The
benefit accuing to their estates nom eeyaon o their lands
by sedments deposit during the flow Of the water through
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