The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-24


prom The New Orleans P,cayune, Nay 81
Those Il al familiar with the Topography we Lover
Mississippi must be aware thai ior nunoreos o. mn c
above the mouth our mighty Father o. waaeTs NE eno
ON each side are protected from overhows ~ svaG ~
TEN Of levees or embankments. The entire length q
these aitsci barrier. e.nmssso 20 20 -. S.n s;v
millions Of dollars.
Within the limits Of The s.ase q Louisiana there are
abous Is 600 square miles q fertile AluvtA BEDS wncn
lie considerably below The level e the river when ~ VA
70 are q their greatest height md notwithstanding he
and SO
still the waters n times Become mo-
breaking through the evees spread devastation around
On NO less than five different occasions has the city OF
New Orleans partially inundated by creva ses wncn
occurred in the levees shove IT, The first OF these vs
ssons was IN asS me ssoo ono $40 g Tns Surns he
river s unusually high, higher indeed than mas Been
since ls49 but tho ievees IN tho vicinity Of the city
well watched and kept IN such thorough staso Oh
repair, that no fears Of an overflow entertained
In study ing the dynamcs OF tho Mississippi, We learn
that its descent from rs source to It's sversges
fra ton over SIX inches the mile, while its average
velocity about sixty or seventy miles per Day fresnes
at the Of the river 10 not reach me NOUN
for nearly months. Along the lower Mississippi the
usually begins 70 swell in February and does NOT
again subs0e till June, and when IN III eevased sage,
bears Down immense Quantities %, o.
breach with velocity proporonate 70 the level Of
the adjacent plains Az tho water
passes the breach and begins TO spread The lover
plains its velocity diminished and the earthly matter
which had previously borne In SUSPENSION s deposited
ATOMS Of soil at OOrrespondngy greater distances. Thus
the cutvAb,e anos along the margin Of the river be-
come greatly widened by every crevasse and subse
quent increase in the fertility OF plantations miserable
compensation for the disadv sntages OF overflow.
The plan taton of Mr. Bell which the crevasse oc
CURED is situated about miles above the upper limits
Of the city, and on the opposite right bank. For
time previous the river had been gradually rising and
the night before there had been heavy Of wind
and ram which caused the wash along the SIDES OF the
''bg drink" 70 be much higher than usual II appears
that through the evee OF this point there formerly
was from the river 70 rice fields in the rear Of
the plantation. In repairing the levee after the cuva
ton OF rice had been abandoned this suice removed
and the place which had occupied was filed with earth
But the earth does appear have been packed with
sufficient sodity and when the river to its greatest
passage continued 10 widen the gap with might and
fury which were wholly irresistible The neghboring
planters Immediately Joined their forces 70 those Of Mr.
Bell and put into requson the ordinary appliances for
the closing Of such breaches. Their efforts, however,
proved unavailng, and not only the whole panta
waters, contrary 10 expectation, crossed q neghbor.
ing canal and embankment, which were relied
on a. profession for the plantations and
in their track for many miles The damages caused this
overflow variously estimated At from four TO ave mil
lions OF dollars the general impression being that for two
seasons no sugar crops can be raised on the submerged
plantatiors.
Aer the r,t efforts 70 close the breach failed regu.
lar contract entered into by gentleman Of science,
skilled in such works, and the piles and pile driver
part of the machinery which he employed But his at
adopted by the negro forces for After he had nearly
crossed the gap with triple Of piles the water in
the centre OF the breach gradually out It's channel
till measured twenty five feet in DEPTH and the lever
age which then exered against the piles great
AS 70 leave them An 10 such trees swept
into this lateral of shoot from the river.
When thus left 70 ITSELF the channel OF the
at least two hundred and y feet in width and it's average
depth twenty two feet will therefore not be
c<ary resort 10 figures convince readers that
enormous quantity OF water has passed through Its
n1Ddatirg mission during the five weeks which have
eapeed Stree the breach was first opened.
AZ this SO Immediately n the vicinity Of the
city became from the first centre Of intense interest
and attraction. New ferry lines established TO
accommodate the thousands Of vsters who repaired 10
daily. Among oiher means OF transit, inland line OF
skfs with awnings an all appliances for comfort,
started from the half submerged village OF Agers and
conspicuous in the heralded attractions Of the line
the opportunities afford cd Of passing the Marine Hospital
BY water and Of paying whit 70 the inundated tomb Of
John McDonogh.
About the time that the Bell crevasse was abandonsd
similar breach occurred In the neighborng parish Of st.
Charles, on the plantation OF Madame LAbranche and all
efforts TO close that breach having failed there every
probability that the waters from both will unite
and greatly extend the Of devastation Tue Bell
submerged several miles Of the New Orleans,
Opelousae and Great Western Railroad track aud
Their section Of the emerged by the waters
rush,g through the Iabranche crevasse lie unlikely
that the interrupted trips the road will be entirely
stopped until the subsistence of the river