Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-10
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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
to New Orleans is not materially Increased, yet
immense additions are made to the quantity of
the water in the channel by large streams from
both sides Of the Mississippi The question
naturally arises, what becomes of this vast ad-
ded volume of waterl 1t certainly never reach
| es New Orleans, and as certainly does not evap-
crate; and of course it is not confined to the
channel Of the river, for it would rise far above
the entire region south of us.
If well is sunk anywhere in the Arkansas
bottom water is found os soon as the water
level Of the Mississippi is reached. When the
Mississippi goes down tho water sinks accord
iugly in the well. The owner of a saw mill,
some 20 miles from the Mississippi in Arkan-
sas, dug we'll to supply the boilers If his en-.
gine, during the late food. When the waters
receded his we'll went down, till his hose would
no longer reach the water, and finally his well
was dry. He dug ditch to an adjacent lake, to
let water into his we'll; the lake was drained
and the we'll was dry again having literally
drank ten acres Of water in less than week
The inference is that the whole valley of the
Mississippi, from its banks TO the highlands on
either side, rests on porous substratum, which
absorbs the redundant waters, and thus prevents
bhob ufBteb VI aCCunuldllOh WHICH WOulQ long
since have swept New Orleans into the Gulf
but for this provision Of Nature, 10 which alone
her safety is attributable In fact, if the alluvi
al bottoms OF the Mississippi were like the
shores of the Ohio. the vast Plain from Cairo
to New Orleans would to day be part and par.
eel of the Gulf Of Mexico and the whole valley
a fresh water arm Of the sea. We're the geo.
logical character Of the valley different the con
struction of levees, combining the water of the
Mississippi to its channel, would cause the rise
IN the rver to become so great at the South
that not sufficient eVees could be built The
current would be stronger and accumulation Of
water greater as the leVees are extended south
Of US.
Such results, were reasonably eaough, antic.
pated but the water, instead OF breaking
the leyees, permeates the porous soil and the
overflow Is really beneath the surface Of the
swamps Such, it seems 10 Us, are the wise
provisions Of natural laws for the safety and ul-
innate reclamation Of the rich country south of
'us. We believe that the leyee system will be
successful, and that the object Of its adoption
will be attained. The poTousness Of the mate
rails used in making them has caused most il
not all the creVases. Men may deem It a su.
perhuman task 70 wall in the Mississippi from
Cairo 70 New Orleans, but our levees are the
work Of pigmies when oontrasted with the
dykes Of Holland The hoOd-tide of the Missis.
aippi is but a ripple on the surface of classy
pool compared with the ocean pillows that dash
against the artificial shores OF Holl md. The
country 10 be reclaimed by our levees-all Of
which will not for fifty years cost the people as
much as those of the Dutch when originally
built--would mske one hundred such Kingdoms
as that over which BoNAPARTs once welded
the scePtre ---MemphiS AVaiG1aeAs.