The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-02-18

aiaya and The Red EIFer, and OF D4l E&ifeF
: IMAGE during. September last, b. l. 1, "Fol
nowsEi, prove that important and rapid changes
have occurred In Old Rirer, and that every,
thingis tending to throw the water Of Red RlTel
down The AtchafaIaya. The engineer think:
that this is but q natural result fastened OF by
the old Shrere cutoff and, more recently BY the
Raceourci cutoff. FROM tie time Of SIireFe's
cut-of the new bed Of the Mississippi made b.
said work has been gradually gaining east and
! leaving Red River TO the west. thus Iengthen-
ng the distance, and therefore reducing the
plane Of inclination Of the waters Of Red R5Fee
Naturally the waters have sought the Atchaf4-
/ lara. The Raccourci cutoff. By increasing The
/ abrasion OF the banks of the Mississippi, has
tended materially to hasten the course OF thlf
4 stream eastward. 1t Is lis se&jed conviction
that Red River will separate Itself from the Mis-
sissiPpi and find its way to the sea By the Ateha-
! talaya. unless something IS done b. mankind to
prevent such a result. and, he says, The ques-
ions is. shall We prevent this result, and ii we
10, in what way is j: to be be donr2 In the
Grst nIace, shall We proven. the RESULT There
! i no doubt that Berwicl's bay affords yeTy
/ rood harbor and its shores beautiful! location
! for commercial city Therefore, there would
be nc difficulty in finding mart for the rev
artery opened for the Red River trade Again
hRed River being the most southern tributary Of
the Mississippi Of any Importance, its~foods
Have naturally the greatest influence On The
overfows OF the las. stream throughout lower
Louisiana. On the other hand. will y Orleans
consent TO lose the commerce Of Red River and
CT The entire west Of the Safe, and see 4 rival
5a State commerce at least grow up on Ber-
Tick' bay? l. will cost much TO Turn again
g3le 4 I'D River watsr in the Mississippi. Ii can
Lowe4er be done And here comes the qsss
lion, in what way is it to be done?' L is evil
dent sAat vie must separate Red River from the
AtcLaf4laya. We cannot close the Atchala-
aga, nor would any partial closing BIZ adv.sa-
BILE nyr Of any permanent effect. The only
safe way perhaps is to open passage to tie
Red River, through what is known as Cutoff
5ayou, and closing the river just below the
bayou" This plan was Recommended, by lie
late George 7. Dunbar, OF New Orleans, in
1899, who estimated that the work could De
executed for $4,000 900. The engineer ret .
erates;; his recommendation fur the construction
Oh locks at the falls, Alexandria, aud declares
tina. ''nothiDg else will do, and The large com
rzerce Of Red River large even now and in
creasng so as to be at some day ajmo@ meal
culable) warrants any outlay even 10 millions
ii dollars" The dam is the only Improvement
in Red River. The plain truth
H. the: Office of state engineer is altogether su
rprtiu&us, without it is filed b. an energetic,
scientific and practical man, which has not been
the case for many years past. +
The report Of the commissioner Of the third
9famp land district, is more interesting, par
.jauariy to our patrons. Tie principal works
accom- plished, were the examination and sur
VIZ Of the country opposite ane above Shreve
part, the east side Of the river in the parish
VI Bossier; and an examination Of Bayou Pierre
river and the lakes around tie same, together
with the country above Canpte. The report {
;avs: .
The first Of these works has il view the CON c
;tructon of line of evee from the hills at Sen
ellis store, in the parish OF Bossier, 10 run down
he ea$t bank of Red River to some point oppo-
lite Or; below Shreveport, in order 10 protect the
.~amF lands between Bodceau lake and the NV 7
#, AMI other bodies Of lands belonging to the
State, situated below the lake and along the
Grera. bayOus leading out Of it. The length T
Il The Ieree By the most direct Course would t
'e about sixteen miles, but ii the bends Of the T
iFers ire followed, the distance will be nearly E
hree times as great. 4 large portion Of the =
eTec Las already been made by the owners Of II
he lands on the fronts along the river and q
What remains 10 be made is generally Of small p
lze, excepting several large bayous that will i,
cQalre embankiDg. The whole work is Of con- =:
lderaDie importance. and will benefit large "
Kent Of fine agricultural country, and reclaim :
nIreIy or in part large body Of swamp land: v
~ at The same time while it would very mate n
IagjT lajure the country below the terminus of =
he ling, BY throwing the waters Of the river :,
own d once on these lands, instead of those
'aters being carried through the large bayous ?
#ferrcd TO above and being spread in the lakes t.
nd s~amPs as now is the case, and thence E
IN; down gradually through the numerous =
ayous and SUES that drain the back lands be-
NV tho country to be protected By this line Of q
wee. lhe lands intended TO be projected BY this
wee, Gnd even the front lands it is said, are t
9uetirpes inundated By the waters from lake c
,odcesjl and other lakes and baTous upon
'hlch sltey are situated, particularly when the
sTer Is high and there is continuation Of rains
. the hills adjoining, northeast Of the lakes. y
B4YoU PIERRE RIVER, &c-Tbis examina f
on was commenced at the upper end of Tones :,
ayon,i wherc it leaves Red River, from which +
Conveys large quantity Of water and emp
es lnty Bayou Pierre river, forming connec- t
On between these rivers when they approach {
'itbln half q mile of each other. The current {
: Tongs bayou at low water was very rapid, 50
!so ~a5 the current in Bayou Pierre river for ?
bout a mile below this bayou, where was found II
ais in the river, formed by hard unyeldinc d
lay, oTer which the water was pouring with p
,reat velocity. From these falls to the lake :.
1annisSsla was found to be only an extensive +
marsh I'm low water, in which the river so large
bore, was entirely lost, there being no chan q