The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1859-04-27

can only be counteracted by two remedies,
viz: the elevation of the 1evees below that
point, until the river may cut its channel
deeper, and by cut-offs, yes, by the scare
crow cut-offs, and will now proceed to in
vestigate the comparative merits of those
two remedies.
To say nothing abont the increased danger
of crevasses, which must bear a strict rela-
tionship to the increase of the level of the
water in the bed of the river, there is an
other objection to the elevation of the surface
of the river, particularlyin relation to the
sugar crops on the riparean plantation, and
that is Transportation water, which, Of itself,
when the river shall have been raised above
its present water marks by the height Of the
levees in the whole distance to Memphis,
will retard the growth ofthe cane and ulti-
mateiy destroy the productiyeness Of the
whole sugar coast.
Thsremedy then, is CIT offs, BY no means
a novelty in the history Of the, Mississippi.
If we will commence at the mouth of the
Ohio we will perceive vast chain of lakes
both on the right and the left banks.
In Tennessee, We have Reelsfoot lake; in
we have Lakes Bolevar, Wash
ington and jackson, on the othes, or west
bank, We have Old.town Lake and Old River
Lake, in Arkansas. Still lower down, in
Louisiana, we have Bunches Bend Lake,
Lake Providence, Lake ST. Joseph, ST. John,
Concordia, Fause River, Raccourci Bend
will sooncr orlater become lake) and most
probably the old bed Of the river, at the Red
River cutoff, in which event, Red River will
pass down the AtchafalayA which from the
appearance Of its banks is supposed 10 have
been continuance Of Red River in days Of
Auld Lang Syne. These lakes are nothing
more nor less. than old bends Of the Missis-
sippi. Some Of them are now in a state of
others have been recently formed
Others have been. made from time immem-
orial by the great AM Of rivers, who, u1-
der ckarte. blanche Of the Almighty, goes
where he pleases without being tied down to
any fixed locality, IS are other little insigniil
cant streams. But whilst he revels in bis
liberty and changes his course occasionally,
ciples, and is governed BY the great Law Of
hydraulics; that fluids will 6nd their level,
and in making Lis cutoffs, whether sided BY
the puny arm Of man OK, not, he seeks tAe
shortest way to the guilt. There is scarcely
an interval Of five years without a cutoff
being made somewhere between the mouth
of the Ohio and the Balize, and it would be
we'll enough for those who are so nervous on
this subject to enquire into The effects Of
those cut-offa If they will do this they will
not be able to show more harm done than
good from any one Of them, but entirely The
reverse, although they do little tempora-
~ local damage Immediately below. So
soon as the river has cut ont new bed of
sufficient capacity to contain its waters tk8
surface Of the water is reduced below the
cutoff as we'll a. above it, although not to
the sAlne extent. In one fmy reports, which
b not. now before me, made either to the
House or Senate, l appended the certificates
Of several gentlemen Senators and ex-Senar
tors of.as high standing as any in Louisiana,
10 the effect that the surface Of the river be-
low two cut-offs that had been made but a
few years, viz: Bhnshes Bend cutoff and
Red River cutroffs, was NOT. higher atS amo-
derate stage q the river than It was before
Ehe sut-of was made; at these points the RI
yer varies betwsen thirty and forty feet from
high to low water marx.
; Cut-offs in the sugar region As We approxi-
mate the level Of the gulf where the yaria-
ion between high and low water mark ram
PES from twelve 10 fifteen feet, would do
much less temporary harm than in higher
attitudes whore the variation ranges between
orty and fifty ieet.
The comparative little temporary damage
below cut-ofs may be partially
sr entirely avoided By making them when
he river is not at ! high stsge, although
Ihsy have always heretofore been made 1t :
high stage, it does not followvrs necessary
cont nse that they may not'be made du-
ling ID water, and the cut or ditch made
70 deep that tie river might make its exca.
vation By the time il reached ! moderate
stage.
Cu..ofs when they have been made d
rstheH facilitated bY artificial means have
KeneJ y been made without any respect to
tie direction Of tho current after passing
through the cut, The only object being . re-
duce the water above.
IL making cut-offs, attention should 'be di-
rectsd to the course the current should tai
below, and the ditch should ps located . as
direct the nex channel to make As straight
reach Is posllble below, this would save.
Excavation 70 ! great extent, for il y 4 n
fact, that the banks u the y
sissippi cars lsssin straight reaches than 4
where else, simply because the channel
generally in the middle Of the river:
Cut-offs do not increase the quantity
wafer thAs passes below them, but they i
10 the velocity Of the current, which af
the river shall have cut a new chanpel
sufficient width and depth to accommod
itself 10 Is nsw bed, to use lh5kl
Rsssi e .s, e. Isss ~, sssas ssss
and dees not interfere With aacandinu bonfS