Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1859-03-09
= - LII NIaIUdH-
r. c. Russ, Secretary.
T8E MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ITS
OEERFIOWS.

r. c. Russ, Secretary.
TBE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ITS
OVERFLOWS.
HELENA, Arkansas, March q, 1883.
EDIroRs AFFEAL: In ny previous article ]
find several mistakes which cannot now be cor
rec.ed, and I must trust to the intelligence Of
your readers TO correct them, or any which
myy occur in this, as I cannot get to read the
proof myself InroPose now to give my opin-
ion in regard to the Mississippi river and the
consequence Of attempting 10 leves IT, say
attempting, for have,no fear Of successful con-
uadiction when 7 say there viii never be a
levee from Commerce. Missouri, which will
hold anything like the amount Of water which
came down the river last summer. Levee
theorists attempt to apply a law in regard %
the eject Of more or less water in a channel.
which 7 admit TO be correct, provided there are
no opposing circumstance, viz: that the more
water you can conhne to a channel the less
rate Of fall per mile is necessary 20 give the
stream current sufficient 20 wash out its bed.
This is correct, undoubtedly, and could BE- sp-
piled 20 the Mississippi, provided mons Of the
water which wasted over ITS banks returned
| again, but found its way to the gulf. as is the
case below Red river. There below Red rver)
the levees have, most undoubtedly, produced
this effect, as the ierees have not only given
the river bed the additional capacity necessary
DO cary of the additional water. but have also
overcome the necessary elevation Of bed con
sequent upon the extension OF the delta, which
should have been some three 20 five inches az
| Blton Rouge. ID the last twenty wears. as tn
aAa.L.r--L - aHmH Ill III 5000
ing 10 a late survey has been from one mile and
quarter 70 one and a half. The same law
would apply 20 the 81. Francis swamp, provided
t had a free outflow, as into the gulf. but this
not being the case t would not apply. as the
/ additional water would elevate The surface both
above and below the mouth of 81. Francis
river. Now what are an these vast swamps.
St. Francis hazoo etc. but vast reservoirs.
which take of the surplus water when the
river gets above a certain hight and hold t
until The river commences falling. and then re-
turns its waters 50 that the river Is kept al or
near high water mark for a greater length Of
time, and allowing the river below TO carry of
tie water without the great elevation necessarv
should the water be an confined 20 the channel
Could The exact stage Of the river last spring.
at Commerce, No, Cairo, Helena, Napoleon.
Ncksburg and Baton Rouge, be known, the
| effect Of their swami reservoirs p could be
-E"AHANHNa AAAAA"N NANAANH n AANN AAN rL|LN
az Helena, at least have the authority Of me
river report Of The s.. Louis Republican. The
Missississippi cane 30 a stand and commenced
falling June 18th az s.. Louis. This fall. had
II been confined by a levee, should have reached
Helena June 2lst, whereas The river aid not
commence falling here until Julr 9th. fArru
t1gg after u should. Allowing the same. or
thereabo1ts5 Tor each Of the swamps, and the
fall did not reach New Orleans much. If any.
hnHHHa nrnnaH TrHh ~ r-m- L--D.-n- g -
With the lerees 10 c0ufne an the water. the
whole rise would have been az New Orleans
about June 9th, or in twelve DAYS, and the cur
rent would easily have carried a fatboat or any
light thing the whole distance in that time.
The question may be asked. how can this have
anything TO do against your law? will
answer, BY stating what 7 probably should
nave put hrst Every person ar an acquainted
Win the Mississippi. or IN fact any river, must
know that when the river Is low the bed fUs
up, and when high washes ont again. There
must, therefore, be a point AZ which the bed
either mis- up or washes out: this I call the
" point stationary" and NAV BE- supposed 20 be
when the river is some twenty-five feet above
low water, at any point aboVa Natchez: and
a. the current IS greatest during use. we NAV
suppose that point 20 BE- AZ twenty feet
above low water marx. and As less wbe6 ram
ing put il at thirty feet; although ] an inclined
20 think the bottom will begin 10 wash al less
than the twenty feet during a rise. According
10 this calculation, the bed viii commence
washing long before the water gets over The
banks. With the levees. the time the water
would be above this point would Be about
the same from s.. Louis 20 the Gulf, and with
such a rise a. last year. Che June rise.) would
give the whole river a securing or washing
0ut capacity Of not more than three weeks.
which was the time al Memphis. The St.
Francis swamp continued this for near four
weeks longer below the mouth. and each of the
other swamps affecting in proportion the uver
below. Red river was above the "point -
that is, had a 4" securing capacity for nearly
three MONTH, instead Of trCekr. b mus b.
borne 10 mind that this point " varies below
Nstchez-as, forinstance, the elevation Of high
water above low water at New Orleans Il only
about twelve feet ] should Ike % know
what amount Of increased current would
b. necessary % do in treeks what has
heretofore required months. The river.
below Red river, with such a spring as last
has q securing" capacity az sir months,
and nils up sE months with the levee this
securing capacity would be for not more than
fr0 months, and Of course would FIJI I'd Ten
molths. This will account for why the Pc
BED was elevated thirty feet instead Of fhifeca
inches. The greater portion Of this elevation
would take place without any regard 70 the
deia. d delta could only effect in uropor-
non 70 ne distance Of the extension, say three
inches 70 the nile Of extension. This shorten
ing Of me tune Of Tow Of the water, is, IN nv
opinion, the great danger from the levecs. As
II must Be evident that II would Be nousense III
expect 70 increase 1e current enough. with The
present rate Of faIi to the mile. to maks H.
water work out IN fro months The aecumuia
rion Of ten months, when las az preseut) ID has
sir months 70 work end six 70 I'm. IL would
necessarily involve the changing Of he anoint-
49, = ~uhsnk rn-NH rwn- ~ d. "
waiting the bed at Red river, 30 that ths bed
would commence washing az a much lower
STAGE Of the river, as d the case above tie
mouth Of each river. For instance the rate Of
fan about St. Francis is about -four inches TO-
the miie, and less below each river until at
Red river it is some two % two and a bali.
inches, and frcm New Orleans but one and a
half inches. This rate Il fan would become
with the levees nearer equal, say an average
from Red river Of three 70 three and a half
inches, which would give a great elevation at
Red river. believe the increase fan neces-
sary " to do this work. would BE- near ono inch
10 the mile from Cairo down, which would re-
qltre an elevation AZ Memphis Of near serenity
fuC feet.
There is one additional cause why this in
creased elevation would be necessary. IL rs a
well known fact that there is an immense
amount q sediment, solid matter b~roughtdoWn
BY ne water A large portion Of this : deposi-
I'd I'd the swamps, without levees, and Is. in.
tact, what has raised the whole country. a.
ne delta has extended from year 10 wear.
from tune inmemouial. The water which
Nsslea OUT into ne s. Francis swamp deposit
ted az immense load, and returned clear AZ ~
mouth 20 assist The water Of the river la 49,
rying away what was left, and the other
slgamps act the same way, 50 that bv the time
The water gets 60 Red river e is oomparstrelv
clear By cOnhning this solid matter 70 ~
ehsnaa, you increase The work ioT ne diver 70