Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-07-10

70 The following article upon Land
| Slides is not interesting to our planters. We
clip from the N. 0. Bulletin of 9th inst.
LAND SL1pEs.-Now that the riveri is falling
and land slides are to be apprehended, we in.
sert. for the information of those concerned
the following communication, written bv Dr.
Bennett Dowler, and published in the Bulletin
fifteen years ago:
Communicated
Land Slides.
sthe fall of the river has begun. the neriod
when land-slides usually take place. cannot
be far distant. Before the ground slides from
beneath our feet. it may be proper to INQUIRE.
Is there not an easy method Of anticipating
such an event: and of guarding against all dam
ger to lite and property, without any losses
except the mere soil itself? Before LAYING
down this method, it will be necessary to
glance at some preliminary facts at princi-
piles.
Assuming the width of the river at $40
yards: and its dept at so, its velocity being
greatest IN the centre, and. owing to friction.
least along its sides and bottom. the mass of
water under ordinary circumstances. that is,
when free from the law of bias or Inclination
to either bank. vii! be deepest in the middle.
o' APO yeads from either shore. Here. the
abrading po,cer of the water is exactly coun-
terbalanced by the gravity, cohesion. and gen.
eral arrangements of the ~aIIuviaT trough or
bed through which it flows: this mass of
water SO yards deep in the centre, gradually
dlmlnlshes towards either levee: under
these circumstances a II landslide cannot hap
pen. Now, let US suppose that this moving
column 50 Yards deep, leaves the center
gradually; it insidiously invades the left
bank, for example: its perpendicular exca-
%vat'ons: its lateral abrasions: its c%ounterc ur-
rents, either undermine the levee, or give it
such perpendicularty that it fall, into the
abyss, and dives back the current. Such
event might happen when the wharves and
market houses Were crowded with people.
produce and goods. The danger here is great,
because 1s3lseeH.
Such disasters might be prevented, proper
ty might be removed, the necessity of erect
ing new levees might be ascertainea, before
hand. BY simply using a sounding line, to ascer-
and shores. If it shall be found that its deep-
est column is deb7ectet1 to1cards either shore. and
that its lateral current is causing the levee to
assume the character of a p~recipuous hill of
mud. $50 feet high. a and-s'ide may be pro-
nounced. not as a matter of mere chance, bat
as u most certain event. based on the COM
bined forces of mechanics, hydraulics. and
gravitation. If there be any pecularities in
the Autographed laws Of the Mississippi,
observations, carefully made, will discover
them.
If some of the sinecures or useless offices
were substituted by that of a SURVEYOR
SHIP OF f RIVER, where records aud re-
ports could be obtained annually or monthly.
for the information of the Parish Juries and
the towns upon the river, much good would
result by refusing exact date upon this SUBJ
lect.
The method proposed, is as easy as it is
a lead and a line would enable him
that now sleeps in apparent security, to find,
perhaps, that the current is rapidly digging
fo- h,m ia a watery grave.