Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-29
Wonders of tho Mississippi.

The difference of level between high and
low water mark at Cairo. is fifty feet. The
width and depth of the river from Cairo and
Memphis Ia New Orleans is not materially
increased. yet immense additions are made
/, the quantity of water in the channel, by
large streams from huth the eastern and
western sides of the Mississippi. The ques
ton naturally arises, what becomes of this
vast added volume of water: 1t certainly
never reaches New Orleans, and as certainly
does not eyaporate Of course, it ls not con-
fined to the channel Of the river, for it would
rise far above the entire region south of III.
II u well is sunk anywhere in the Arkansas
bottom water is found ~ soon ~ the water
level of the Mississippi is reached. When
the Mississippi goes down the water sinks
accordingly in the well. The owner Of a
SAW mill some twenty miles from the Missis.
sippi, III Arkansas, dug n well to supply the
boiler of his engine during the late flood
When the waters receded, his we'll went
down till his hose would no longer Reach the
water and finally his we'll was dry. lie
dug II ditch to an adjacent lake to lot water
into his well; the lake was drained and the
wei! was dry again, having literally drank
ten acres Of water in less than week. The
inference j.. that the whole valley Of the
Mississippi, from its banks +" it, highlands on
the other side. rests on II porous substratnm
which abs"rbs the redundant waters, and
thus prevents the degree Of accumulation
which would long since have swept New Or
leans into the the Gulf, but for this provision
of nature, to which alone her safety is attrbu
table.
la fact, if the alluyial bottom of the Mis-
sissippi was Ike the shores of the Ohio, the
vast PLAIN from CAIRO to New Orleans would
to-day he part aud parcel Of theGuli OF Mex
leo, and the whole valley fresh water arm
ot the sen. Were the geological character of
the valley different the construction of le-
vees, cuuhning the water Of the Mississippi
t. It's channel, would cause tho rise ia the
river to become so great at the South that
there could not be sufficient leyees built
The current would be stronger and accuIuu
laton of water greater Us the levees are
extended north Of "a.
Such results We're reasonably enough an-
ticipated; but the water, instead of breaking
the leveeS, prrmrates the porous soil and
the overflow Is really beneath the surface OF
the swamps. Such 1t seems to us are the
wise provisions of natural laws for the safe
ty and ultimat. reclamation Of the rich coun-
try south Of rs. We believe that the levee
system will he successful, and that the OBJ
.iect Of its adoption will DO attained. The
porouSness of the material used i'll making
them, has caused most, If not all Ut the Gre
vases. Men may deem it a superhuman
task 10 wall in the Mississippi from Cairo to
New Orleaps, but our leyees are the work of
pigmics when contrasted with the dykes of
Holland The hoodtide Of the Mississippi
is but Il ripple on the surface OF CLASSY pool
compared with the ocean pillows that dash
against the artificial shores of Holland
The country to be reclaimed by our levees--
all Of which will not for fifty years cost the
ppoplr A. mach MS those Of tue Dutch when
originally bailt-wonld make one hundred
such Kingdoms as that over which . Bona
parte once welded the sceptrs.-Asmphis
AealaHcAs.