Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1856-04-05
The Mississippi River.

As Mr.. Anderson, has requested I'LL ph1.
anthropic Editors Of newspaper to p.s, II.
above, up and down the Mississippi and il.
tributaries, and as his premises and coocln.
sions strikes US with considerable force. =.
take pleasure in publishing his friendly wan.
ing. ind commend-it to the careful cous;de,.
alton of our readers.
The admonitory precaution, recommended
by an'old Mississippi boatman, to the occu.
pants of The ~alluvlal bottom lands on the Nj
sissippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers.
Respected Cellow- Bitizens: sunno.
you have heard that the Mississippi river, :.
Fatherot Waters, is the receptacle Of thor.
sand tributary rivers, flowing from the ROCKY
ard Allegheny mountains, and the extens;v.
valley&between them and it is reasonable
to suppose that the Mississippi bottom land
would be submerged frequently. but for the
Almighty Creator, in melting the snow on
the Allegheny mountains. and exhaustins the
flood OF the Ohio River anterio to the melt.
ing Ct the snow in the Rocky mountain
and flood IN the Missouri and upper iss;,.s
slppl Rivers; yet there is abundant evidence
that there have been exceptions to that via,
arrangement.
Evidence. From the washing of mounds.
and other visible evidence. observed some az
or 81 years ago, corrobo1ated by Indian evi.
%dence; the water has evidently been much
higher many years ago than it has at any time
during the present Ct injury but l have no
knowledge that any Of the natives then lived
on ~ailuvial lands; | presume they did not.
unless they lived on mounds.
Therefore, it becomes my sacred duty 70
warn the numerous jewellers on the a~lluvial
lands Of the Mississippi river and its tribu.
taries to make ample provision for the preser.
walton oflife during floods, which it is reason.
able to suppose will come sooner or later;
and this year lls56) may possibly be one o,
the fatal years, for which l will here give
my r. ..
Reasons. From undoubted in formation
there is an unusal quantity Of snow and ice
both in the Rocky and Allegheny mountains
and some of their valleys and from the warm
weather, and other unequiyoal signs, / : fear
that there will be a simultaneous thew, and
probably a destructive food in the Mississippi
and other rivers tributary thereto, during the
present spring-and for the preservation Of
life, Twill FIRST suggest. and recommend the
heads OF families to have mounds thrown up,
several feet above the late higA-wate1 mark,
protected by pickets on the sides exposed 70
the current, and have comfortable cabins or
shanties erected thereon, Of sufficient capa-
city to preserve their white families, slaves,
stock and proivsions-and if it is not conve-
nlent Tor all to construct mounds, ! will pro-
posea second. plan to construc, large sroug
RATS 0 ftimber, braced by tree to keep them in
place and so constructed as TO float on the
hood and sustain the weight Of comfortable
shelters and gamers for pro:ision and stock.
If they are not required to preseye life this
spring or summer, l deem it q necessary pre-
caution as long as the tarbid waters OF tie
Mississippi flows past their plantations.
My advice to the citizens of New Orleans,
is, to purchase a tract otland, half 4 mile wide
or more, extending from the head Of the Me-
tairie Ridge to the Mississippi river, there
construct a waterproof ~levee, to conduct ths
redundant water from the Mississippi east Of
that ridge. and a high substantial ievee from
its terminus on the river, thence along said
river 10 the lower part Of the city: or further
If they deem it necessary.
Pb!lanthropic editors of newspapers will
please pass this friendly warning up and
down the Mississippi river and Its tributaries
hoping there that all persons living in expos
ed situations will avert the danger, l wilIre-
spectfuliy bid you farewell for the present,
and depart for Huntsville, Madison county
Ala, where l will be pleased to hear Of your
safety. Respectfully.
RICHARD w. ANDERSON.
Aberdeen, Miss. March 3, 1856. r
a. s&SN -M