Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-20
For The Daily Patriot.
mississippi River.

q rise III the MISSISSIPPI tI'ci, sha' e"'S enS
people thereon chance to see how the levees
have caused it TO rise in places, and then fall
as they gave way, will thank you to repub-
lish what said about it in the Spring of 1856,
for think now as 1 did then, that it would
be better. and safer to give vent to the water
and sand, than to try to confine it in that
long crooked channel
For If Missouri and Arkansas can make
their levees stand. think it will cause the
river to rise 5, 10 or Is feet higher, which
will cause it 10 back the water up in all the
branches, creeks and rivers in The States OPP
posite 10 them and send it down in a great
food on others.
If the members of Congress and other
statesmen had seen and heard as much strife,
ilLwill, damage and expense as have. which
were produced Ivy little dams on little creeks,
they might imagine what those great levees
on that great River might produce.
/ wish my business and health were such
that could give yon my views in fnll. so that
others might examine them, and improve on
them, for the Mississippi river, and the land
subj-ct TO overflow by-it, is of great impor
tauce 1t is said that the average of the over
flow is about 90 miles wide. and from the Ohio
River to the Mexican Gulf, 800 miles, the
lands are rich and will produce sugar, rice,
cotton, corn. and many other plants and they
might be made to produce food and cloth for
nation. Suppose we could bring One-half
TO safe and successful cultivation, leaving the
other for swamps, lakes, rivers and timber
If the United States should improve for the
next 70 years Us they have heretofore done, 1
think the land would b. worth $50 per acre;
One-half at $50 per acre would DE $3.50, 000,-
600; and would increase $4,000 900 per
year, for many years; then suppose we could
so improve the navigation as to save one
fourth of the expense on the river 1 will
then put down all Of the various expenses
and cost of the various kinds of boats on the
River, from Cairo to New Orleans, for one
year, at 81, 900 900 -one-fourth of which is
$500 900, which would largely Increase
yearly. 1t is said, that from Cape Girardeau
to the mouth of the River is about 1900 miles
by the River, and to the Gulf in AN air line,
500 miles. We can make channel from Cape
Girardeau to the Gulf. say 500 miles long,
with some crooks, then it would have twice
as much fall per mile as the River. The
velocity of the water in the new channel
would depend much on the quantity Of the
water therein. | have had little to do with
water and warm smoke 45 y airs, and the best
way to git clear of both, as | have learned, is
to give the one a straight and quick passage
down, and the other up. If you will examine
Red river as have done, you will learn that
where it is confined, it rises about three times
as high as where it can flow wide or out.
/ think il a bad plan to try to confine the
river within its banks, in high water, by lev
ees, and if it and all thereon belonged to me,
would try to have one or two outlets made
below New Orleans, which would let part of
the water out in Il fresh, and one or two above.
which would empty into Lake Ponchartrain,
and two or three which would empty into the
Gulf; then | would open the river to the
Yazoo, or make a channel up Red river,
Black and Tensas 70 the YaZoO; then straight
en- ard widen it to the st. Francis river; then
strai Shtcn and widen it to Cape Girardeau
into the Mississippi so that the boats aud
part of the water could travel down in one
half the distance. We should remember that
there is a great difference between the river
and the d lta above and below the mouth of
Red river below there is no water coming
in, ard it inclines to 20 out, and remain out,
ard never return above the water is coming
in on both sides, and is surrounded by high
lands, which will retain it, and cause it to re-
turn. l once went up White river 80 miles
in back-wator, without seeing land. In order
to improve navigation, would have all of
the large timber, which is bending over tie
rivers, in the way of boats, or which is likely
to wash or fall in, killed, and as soon as it be-
comes dry so that it would float, have it cut
down; that would prevent it from sinking to
the bottom where it now sinks to make snags
and causes the channel to ill up and change,
1 think Let us reduce this subject to small
scale, and suppose seven men having farms
one above the other on a very crooked creek,
with many branches coming in on both sides,
that was subj ct to overflow the bottom from
hill to hill, would il not be better and safer
of the creek and straighten and open it, so
To give vent to the water and sand to pass out
us they worked upwards, than for them to try
to keep the water aud sand in the long crook
ed channel, by two long crooked levecs built
ON banks that is changing aud giving way,
and if they could confne it in the channel
would il not make it rise and back up in all
the small streams? think it would, and
damage others which should be paid for
know the Mississippi River is one of the
great things of this world, and great nation
has made large donation about IL or 70 000,-
600 acres of rich level land, by Congress in
1880 to build the levees TO control it, and
that subject myself to ridicule by giving my
opinion in opposition to so many others, on
matter OF such vast Importance to US as a ma
ton, one that we all should feel some interest
in for peace. health, wealth, and strength. As
such will thank others to publish this and
give us their opinions about it, for speaking
and printing produces thinking and action.
Yours, very respectfully,
5. W. ADHESION.
July 10, 1858.
E.o- \. b. think the States mostly inter-
ested in the above subject would do well to
have meeting in Memphis or Vicksburg next